Conversely, "4 Chords of the Apocalypse" is
: While Casablancas has expressed some regret that he "played it safe" instead of going even weirder, the album has maintained a dedicated cult following over the last 15 years. Notable Tracks Julian Casablancas, "Phrazes for the Young" - Billboard
Critics were split. Pitchfork gave it a 6.8, calling it "an interesting curiosity." NME was more generous, awarding it 8/10 and praising its "widescreen ambition." Fans were polarized. Many wanted guitars and sneers; they got synthesizers and soul-searching.
By 2009, The Strokes were in a critical coma. First Impressions of Earth (2006) had splintered their cool-kid consensus, and the band was mired in label drama, infighting, and silence. The world expected Julian Casablancas—the aloof leather-clad oracle of Lower East Side rock revival—to either save guitar music or crash dramatically.
Lead single “11th Dimension” is a paradox: a euphoric, handclap-driven dance track about nihilism (“Don’t be a coconut / God is trying to talk to you”). The chorus is so joyously absurd it borders on performance art. Meanwhile, “Left & Right in the Dark” sounds like a haunted yacht rock ballad, and “River of Brakelights” is a panic attack set to a drum machine.