Phrazes for the Young
Encyclopedia
Phrazes for the Young is the debut solo album by American songwriter Julian Casablancas
, released on November 2, 2009 in the UK and November 3 in the US. Casablancas, who is best known for being the front man of New York
rock
band The Strokes
, recorded the eight-song album in 2009 in New York, Los Angeles
, and Nebraska
. Jason Lader served as producer, and Bright Eyes/Monsters of Folk
musician Mike Mogis
contributed additional production. The album title is a reference to Oscar Wilde
's "Phrases and Philosophies for the Use of the Young".
Casablancas' dog, Balki, is pictured on the album sleeve.
The album was previewed in its entirety on August 31, 2009 at the Duo Music Exchange in Tokyo
, Japan
. To celebrate the release, Casablancas played a special series of shows every Friday night in November in Los Angeles. The first track released from the album, "11th Dimension
", had its first airing on the Radio 1
Zane Lowe
Show on September 17, and was marked as Zane Lowe's Hottest Record. The single was released on October 2, 2009 in the US.
Julian performed "I Wish It Was Christmas Today" (based on a Saturday Night Live
skit) on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
on December 21, 2009.
"Left & Right in the Dark", "Out of the Blue", "Ludlow St" and "11th Dimension
" are featured on Gossip Girl
episode "The Lady Vanished".
"Out of the Blue" is featured on the trailer of The Kids Are All Right
.
, except where noted.
Julian Casablancas
Julian Fernando Casablancas is an American singer-songwriter and musician of The Strokes. Casablancas pursued a solo career during The Strokes' hiatus, releasing the album Phrazes for the Young on November 3, 2009....
, released on November 2, 2009 in the UK and November 3 in the US. Casablancas, who is best known for being the front man of New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band The Strokes
The Strokes
The Strokes are an American indie rock band formed in 1999 in New York City. Consisting of Julian Casablancas , Nick Valensi , Albert Hammond, Jr. , Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti ....
, recorded the eight-song album in 2009 in New York, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, and Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
. Jason Lader served as producer, and Bright Eyes/Monsters of Folk
Monsters of Folk
Monsters of Folk is an American supergroup, consisting of Jim James from My Morning Jacket, Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes, and M. Ward, renowned solo artist. The band was formed in 2004 when the members were on tour with their respective bands and solo projects. After playing...
musician Mike Mogis
Mike Mogis
Mike Mogis is a Nebraskan producer/engineer and multi-instrumentalist who, along with his brother A.J. Mogis, founded Presto! Recording Studios ....
contributed additional production. The album title is a reference to Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
's "Phrases and Philosophies for the Use of the Young".
Casablancas' dog, Balki, is pictured on the album sleeve.
The album was previewed in its entirety on August 31, 2009 at the Duo Music Exchange in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. To celebrate the release, Casablancas played a special series of shows every Friday night in November in Los Angeles. The first track released from the album, "11th Dimension
11th Dimension (song)
"11th Dimension" is a song by Julian Casablancas and is the lead single from his debut album Phrazes for the Young. It was first performed live on the talk show The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien on October 27, 2009. Pitchfork Media rated "11th Dimension" the 66th best song of 2009, calling it...
", had its first airing on the Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
Zane Lowe
Zane Lowe
Zane Lowe also known as 'Zipper', is a radio DJ and television presenter. He was born in New Zealand and grew up in Auckland, where he was a presenter on the local music station Max TV, before moving to England...
Show on September 17, and was marked as Zane Lowe's Hottest Record. The single was released on October 2, 2009 in the US.
Julian performed "I Wish It Was Christmas Today" (based on a Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
skit) on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
on December 21, 2009.
"Left & Right in the Dark", "Out of the Blue", "Ludlow St" and "11th Dimension
11th Dimension (song)
"11th Dimension" is a song by Julian Casablancas and is the lead single from his debut album Phrazes for the Young. It was first performed live on the talk show The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien on October 27, 2009. Pitchfork Media rated "11th Dimension" the 66th best song of 2009, calling it...
" are featured on Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl (TV series)
Gossip Girl is an American teen drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, and premiered on The CW on September 19, 2007...
episode "The Lady Vanished".
"Out of the Blue" is featured on the trailer of The Kids Are All Right
The Kids Are All Right (film)
The Kids Are All Right is a 2010 American comedy-drama film directed by Lisa Cholodenko and written by Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg.One of Sundance 2010's breakout hits, it opened in limited release on July 9, 2010, expanding to more theaters on July 30, 2010. It was released on DVD and Blu-ray...
.
Box set
A deluxe box set including b-sides and home recordings was made available after the album's release. It comes with a vinyl recording of the album and is housed within an antique style box.Sales
The album debuted at #35 in the US Billboard top 200 (#11 in digital albums chart) and #19 on the UK Charts.Track listing
All songs written by Julian CasablancasJulian Casablancas
Julian Fernando Casablancas is an American singer-songwriter and musician of The Strokes. Casablancas pursued a solo career during The Strokes' hiatus, releasing the album Phrazes for the Young on November 3, 2009....
, except where noted.