As the last member of The Strokes to release a solo album, Julian Casablancas has certainly strayed afar from the band’s lo-fi, I-couldn’t-care-less-about-how-this-will-sound music. The reason for this belated release is, according to Casablancas’ interviews, just what The Strokes fans had feared: he proposed new ideas to the band but none of the members were eager enough to work on a new album. Disappointments aside, Phrazes for the Young is certainly worth listening to.

Though I’m tempted to list out all the reasons why you should buy CDs instead of downloading mp3 files, I shall restrain myself (the satisfaction I get from finally tearing the plastic off after ten minutes of pinching and biting at the corner is what gets me the most). However, with Phrazes, not talking about the album art will take away from the full experience of listening to the music. On the cover, Casablancas is sitting rather pompously in a studio filled with instruments and audio equipment that have futuristic twists to them. Only after listening to the actual CD will you realize that the old-fashioned yet modern feel of the cover is inspired by Casablanca’s musical purpose. When you open the case, Casablancas has written a phrase for each of the eight songs, hence the name of the album. Whether the “phrazes” (with a ‘Z’) are philosophical or clichéd I will leave for the listeners to decide, but it is an interesting read regardless.

The first song “Out of the Blue” sets the listeners, both old Strokes fans and those who are new to Casablancas, to expect something completely different. Recalling the release of Muse’s The Resistance, the accusations of the band’s new style being overly similar to that of Queen’s and how long it took for me to warm up to “United States of Eurasia,” I have to admit how difficult it is not to compare new material to pre-existing ones. However, with this song, as well as with the rest of the album, I cannot find anything that is even remotely similar to it. The lyrics describe Casablancas’ journey from drunken cowardice to sobriety, and this can also be seen in how the music has changed. Notice that his voice sounds a lot cleaner than before, having rid of the distortions he relied on to cover up his vocal mistakes. In terms of how the instruments are played, well, there has to be two drummers to play this song and one of them has to stand up. Yes, the repetitive guitar riffs are still there in the background, but you can’t expect too much.

Being the lead single of Phrazes, “11th Dimension” is every definition of the word kitsch but in an ironically good way. If “Out of the Blue” is your regular candy, “11th Dimension” would be a sucked sugar stick. The combination of Julian’s raspy and deep voice, apocalyptic and end-of-the-world lyrics, modern pop melodies and synthesizers reminiscing the `70s engender a strange yet innovative style that sounds both old and fresh. The music video of the song sets Casablancas in your typical kung fu movie and shows his journey as he goes back in time to different eras. It is more kitsch and over-the-top than the song, but I am certain that it will grow on people like it did on me.
Describing every song in detail is very tempting because all of them are amazing (don’t even get me started on “Left & Right in the Dark,” “Glass” and “Tourist”), but it’d be a crime not to mention his shows. He started his US tour in Los Angeles by producing overly theatrical gigs with costumes and props, and some misguided people seem to think that the price of the shows reflect Casablancas’ ego. However his true intentions were to get enough money from those who are willing and able to pay so that he can play shows for free for those who can’t afford the tickets.

Phrazes is extremely experimental and brave of Casablancas for not being afraid of doing something different from The Strokes. Some critics condone him for making the rookie mistake of using every instrument possible in the studio, but whether this is too kitsch and too much pop for you or not, Casablancas deserves praise for sobering up to fully commit to music. He explores and expands his vocal range, and plays around with unusual combinations of pop melodies that are carefully orchestrated. Not only did he write and play almost all the instruments in the songs, but he also directed all of the artwork and gigs. As much as I am excited about Julian finally finishing up with his solo work and going back to The Strokes to make a fourth album, not giving Phrazes for the Young a chance would be an incredible loss for anyone looking out for something new and different.