Wednesday, November 11, 2009

CD REVIEW: Julian Casablancas, "Phrazes for the Young"


From today’s Clevescene:

Julian Casablancas
Phrazes for the Young
(RCA)

Ah, advice: almost always directed towards the young yet so rarely solicited. In proffering received-albeit-stylized wisdom of his own, Julian Casablancas' motives aren't entirely altruistic: his saving-rawk-in-the-aughts Strokes haven't been a going concern for a couple years now. Phrazes for the Young represents Jules' attempt to keep his fire stoked and demonstrate his versatility, and all things considered, it's reasonably successful. If it's new-wave sparkle-spackle you're after, check out epic synth orgasm "11th Dimension" and the treadmilling, Dirty Harry-channeling "Out of the Blue." Gerry Rafferty-indebted co-minglings of dour childhood remembrance and cougar maligning? See "Left & Right in the Dark." A gospel-tinged blues that erupts into a metal-lite cataclysm? "4 Chords of the Apocalypse" invites you to testify. As for the quality of Casablancas' advice, it doesn't get much deeper than "Don't be shy, oh no/At least deliberately," but it doesn't really need to.

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