Phrazes for the Young

Phrazes For The Young is a successful departure from The Strokes' straightforward brawn, but it's not as different as it's been billed.

With a new Strokes album looking less likely by the day, I’m thankful for this — turns out Casablancas solo is just as good.

It may not have the sugar rush immediacy of the Strokes, and at times it's downright indulgent, but Phrazes for the Young shows that Casablancas has more than enough ideas for several albums on his own and with his band.