Phrazes For The Young - Julian Casablancas
Phrazes For The Young Image
Metascore
72 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critics What's this?

User Score
9.1 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 63 Ratings

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0 out of 10
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  • Summary: This is the solo debut for the Strokes lead singer.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 24
  3. Negative: 1 out of 24
  1. The Boston Phoenix
    88
    At the end, after his inevitable untimely death, all anyone will care about will be the stately grandeur of the opening (and closing) music coupled with the star’s eternal blank stare: unknowable, unfathomable, and ultimately tragic. We’ll have to wait for the movie; fortunately the soundtrack is already here.
  2. New Musical Express (NME)
    80
    Recorded under the radar with producer Jason Lader and Bright Eyes collaborator Mike Mogis, it’s a strange little album, just eight songs long but deceptively dense with ideas.
  3. Q Magazine
    60
    'Ludow St' is lyrically smart, musically ambitious, more than any other track on Phrazes, it makes you wonder, if not regret, why the Strokes themselves never pushed the boat out this far. For that reason alone, it was worth Casablancas making this intriguing if imperfect record. [Nov 2009, p.98]
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  4. Drowned In Sound
    30
    There are moments which hint at Casablancas’ underlying skill as a writer on Phrazes, but there’s such a ruinous deployment of disparate ideas that they never form a cogent whole.

See all 24 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 16
  3. Negative: 1 out of 16
  1. Cheerdealer
    10
    I think a metascore of only 72 for this album is a big mistake, it should be up the 85/90 at least, then again, critics don't go well with people opinion, this album is so creative, complex, and full of catchy melodies and interesting lyrics, Julian's voice shines all over the album, my best track should be "Glass", excellent melody, great album.… Expand
  2. Bruno
    10
    Nice Surprise. Different from everything is being done and with that strokes feeling.
  3. AshB
    8
    Very ambitious and A little bit self-indulgent. However, this is generally a great collection of songs
  4. SilverMan
    0
    It's not that good as fans talk about. The album has acceptable songs, but as a full work, is weak. As Metacritic says, I'm "mixed": I didn't hate it as I didn't like it. But I miss Casablancas when he was drunk all the time...… Expand

See all 16 User Reviews

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