For the Record - 1/14/10

When the Strokes burst onto the scene in 2001 with their monumental debut, “Is This It,” many deemed them the saviors of rock.

They would resurrect the dead garage and punk sound of the late 1970s and rescue the suffering public from the talentless grasp of boy bands and teen pop divas. For a while, the Strokes seemed to justify the hype, leading a garage-rock revival movement that included well-known acts like the White Stripes and the Libertines.

The Strokes and their leader, Julian Casablancas, delivered edgy, melodic rock and impossibly cool narratives about New York City nightlife, casual sex and bad romances that defined an era.

But, much like the garage rock bands they emulated, the Strokes and the scene they inspired have all but vanished. The band hasn’t released an album in four years, the White Stripes turned to arena rock with the release of “Elephant,” and the Libertines, fueled by Pete Doherty’s drug use and run-ins with the law, broke up in shambles. Worst of all, Britney Spears still has a firm grip on the spotlight.

Now, eight years after the Strokes’ debut, Casablancas makes his first solo release with “Phrazes For The Young,” an ambitious and experimental foray into synth-pop and New Wave. Strokes fans may be dismayed by Casablancas’ change in musical direction (gone are the familiar downstrokes and staccato rhythms), but songs like “Left & Right In The Dark” and “11th Dimension,” the album’s lead single, retain the immediacy and swagger of the Strokes at their best.

On “Ludlow St.” Casablancas laments the eponymous New York City avenue in the form of a stunning honky-tonk romp, which includes — as any honky-tonk romp must — banjo, saloon-style piano, and melodically picked acoustic guitar. If anything, “Phrazes” shows that Casablancas isn’t afraid to take risks, which was a constant criticism of the Strokes formulaic sound.

On the surface, “Phrazes For The Young’s” electro-pop sound marks the LP’s greatest departure from Casablancas’ earlier work, but its lyrics, with their dark undertones and emotional vulnerability, are far more personal than anything the Strokes frontman has ever written.

“Out Of The Blue,” the album’s opener, begins with Casablancas spouting shockingly depressing confessions: “Somewhere along the way, my hopefulness turned to sadness/Somewhere along the way, my sadness turned to bitterness/Somewhere along the way, my bitterness turned to anger.”

As damaging as these lines are, “11th Dimension” carries “Phrazes’” most harrowing moment when Casablancas admits his relevance is tied to a musical trend: “So when’s it coming, this last new great movement that I can join?” If you listen closely, this album can be a real downer.

Unfortunately, Casablancas wears out his inventiveness and introspection through the first five songs, allowing the last three to slump into rambling mediocrity.

“River Of Brakelights” and “Glass” stretch on far too long and clutter themselves with synthesizers while “Tourist,” with its steam of nature metaphors, tries hard to be poetic but just sounds ridiculous.

Still, despite these few mishaps, “Phrazes” is a solid debut release for Casablancas and one whose best moments show great promise for the new Strokes album due out in early 2010.