Personally, I find it annoying that I had to wait five-plus years for a new album from probably my favorite band on the planet right now.
I find it even more annoying that the reaction to Strokes Album No. 4, 'Angles,' has been so mixed. Overall, probably lukewarm rather than 'scorching hot.' Sure, there are a lot of folks praising the record, happier than Charlie Sheen at a Brazilian brothel that there's new material from Julian Casablancas and crew for the first time since 2006. I guess I was approaching the new record with a bit more guarded optimism - until I heard the first single "Under the Cover of Darkness."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwxcQvB_vcQ
Alright, now that's what I'm talking about! The Strokes are back! A bouncy, head-bopping pop rocker replete with those signature high-pitched Strokes guitar riffs, slamming rhythm section and powerful, spot-on Julian vocals. Classic Strokes, right up there with songs like "Last Night" and "Reptilia" in the band's garage/arena rock hall of fame.
Then I heard the rest of the record. And like many, I was taken aback for a moment. Didn't quite know what to think. Not a lot of tracks stood out.
And then, I embarked on listen number two from start to finish. Then number three. After the fifth complete listen, it felt like I had been listening to it for months - and I mean that in a good way. It also doesn't hurt when it's a fast, clean record - about 35-40 minutes total. This hallmark brevity defined the Strokes' style on their first two records, the eponymous smash debut "Is This it?" (2001), and the similarly themed and styled follow-up "Room on Fire" (2003). Of course, 2006's "First Impressions of Earth" saw the band embark into ambitious new territory, and I'll be the first to admit that to date that's their toughest record to get through. But there are still some great songs to be found there.
Most hardcore 'Strokers' (I didn't come up with this name for them, I swear) know the rest ... the next five years saw all but one of the band members record their own solo/side project releases separately, allowing them to flex their creative chops since not having had the opportunity to do so in the Casablancas-heavy songwriting world that is The Strokes.
Cue the more balanced group songwriting and creatively contributory effort that led to 'Angles.' Although many reviewers are calling it 'jumbled,' 'disconnected,' 'taking stabs at Radiohead on some tracks,' and so forth, not only do I personally like it enough to not skip through any songs, but I find it encouraging and unsurprising that the group continues to explore new musical territory.
Okay - let's consider this. If The Strokes just did a 2011 redux of "Is This It?" there would be a lot of fans that would love it, but there would be a whole other segment of fans and critics decrying the group for 'playing it safe' and 'failing to mature musically and stylistically.' If you're one of the five band members, it's hard not to feel like "I Can't Win" (to borrow the name of the 3-minute catchy firestorm that closes the "Room on Fire" album).
Maybe I'm just drowning in the Strokes Kool-Aid, but I usually end up liking everything this band does. Sure, they could have trimmed away some of the fat on "First Impressions," but I'm probably one of the only people who actually still gets amped up at moments like when the little-known deep album cut "15 Minutes" transitions from its methodical, waltz-like first half into the uptempo, razor-sharp speed-rock riffing second half. And this is a song the band has probably only ever performed like three times live.
So anyway, the new album is too concise for me to nitpick or say that I'm bored by it. Sure, some tracks are stronger than others, like on any album. But none of the songs provoke an inner thought monologue along the lines of "Jeez, why did they put this song on the album. Next!"
And their live performances leading up to tomorrow's sold-out Madison Square Garden show have been typically enthralling. On the first Saturday in March, they bounced through "Under the Cover of Darkness" and then showed a more subdued but still musically inspiring side with "Life is Simple in the Moonlight" on Saturday Night Live. A couple weeks later on Letterman, they absolutely killed it with "Taken for a Fool," an absolutely infectious track that sounds amazing live. Finally, on Jimmy Fallon last night, they plowed through the unusual, post-modern sounding "You're So Right," a polarizing song choice in that it's basically either loved or hated. Me? Yeah, you guessed it. Loved it.
Any live Strokes show from 5 to 10 years ago consisted of these guys looking bored with life in general on stage, always a stark contrast to the high-energy, sonically pleasing brand of loud, memorable rock they pounded out flawlessly. Here in 2011, they are still doing that, but slowly incorporating new elements into their stage show. They're able to replicate sounds on stage that don't seem possible without some sort of sample machine or other weird instrumentation. Sometimes live, they actually sound better than they do on record, a total rarity but amazing nonetheless.
There are no limits for The Strokes when they're fully focused. The problem seems to be for them to find that focus with any sort of consistent regularity. They had it in the early part of the aughts decade, but the hiatus after the "Room on Fire" tour seemed to be the beginning of tougher times.
Word on the street is that Julian literally mailed in his vocal tracks for the recording process of "Angles" - as in sent audio files of his vocals over email - instead of jamming in the same recording studio as the rest of the band. According to interviews, this was by design. Casablancas felt he needed to remove himself from the rest of the group so that their own creative identity could fluorish. Sounds good in theory, but the end result didn't make the rest of the band happy. Guitarist Nick Valensi was quoted as saying that he "wouldn't do another album like this, without the singer there."
There's also the somewhat well-documented drug problems of guitarist Albert Hammond Jr., supposedly behind him now, and his subsequent recovery difficulties while trying to record the album.
Add on top of that the resentment that undoubtedly festered and lingered from the group being "Julian's band with the other 4 dudes riding shotgun and just slinging their instruments on stage," and add in a healthy dose of "We're supposed to be back together recording as a group for the first time in 5 years but our singer can't stand to be in the same room with us and one of our guitarists almost OD'd" - and it's a miracle they were even able to crap out an album that's anything beyond average.
Well the good news is that the limited number of performances the band delivered last year was met with fever-pitch intensity from the crowds, and by all accounts, the Strokes have never sounded better live. So there is that. There was also Valensi or bassist Nikolai Fraiture (can't remember which) recently indicating that the band was going to be hitting the studio again possibly as early as sometime in April to begin working on new material. They've got limited tour dates this year, so road-work shouldn't be too much of a hindrance in making more new music.
Hopefully they get it figured out and continue to save rock music. There are far too few bands like them these days.
A quick breadown of the tracks on Angles (overall, I give it about an 82 percent out of 100):
1) Machu Picchu - a mid-tempo, slinky number with gratifying chord changes and a classically catchy, guitar-driven, hum-along chorus. Solid opener.
2) Under the Cover of Darkness - As previously stated, the album's crown jewel. Catchy as all get-out, and a definitive modern indie-rock anthem. Strokes are at their best with songs like this.
3) Two Kinds of Happiness - Straight out of 1982 with the somewhat muted production, synth soundscapes, and Julian's best Ric Ocasek impression. But the chorus is a harrowing cacophony of sound with lightning-fast lead-guitar stabs (that's gotta be Albert, right?)
4) You're So Right - Talk about taking risks. This is not the sound you expect out of the Strokes. Some have called it the weakest song on the album. It strays into new territory for sure with its spare, uncompromising sound. Experimental, unique, but not radio-friendly or a perfect 'first introduction' to The Strokes.
5) Taken for a Fool - I love it more every time I hear it. A fast-moving gem that sticks in your head for days. Guitars are crisp and clear with descending chord changes, and a slamming rhythm track keeps it moving along. The chorus soars and sings, and its lyrics are priceless ("And I don't need anyone with me right now / Monday-Tuesday is my weekend").
6) Games - They went a little nuts with the synth on this one. I actually like the verse better than the chorus, with the spare-sounding bass and Julian's singing. One of the less-memorable tracks.
7) Call me Back - A tense yet soft ballad that turns optimistic and satisfying in the chorus. No percussion here, just clean-tone guitar and Julian's vocals, with a touch of keyboard effects to enhance certain moments. Really like this one.
8) Gratisfaction - Easily the most rollicking, jolly uptempo, sing-along banger on the album after "Under the Cover." This will be a crowd favorite at live shows without a doubt. If the whole album sounded like this song and "Under the Cover," everyone would right now be hailing The Strokes as rock's saviors of 2011.
9) Metabolism - Lumbering mid-tempo track, kind of depressing. Sounds like a leftover from the "First Impressions" recording sessions. Some nice chord/vocal dynamic changes in the middle section though.
10) Life is Simple in the Moonlight - I'm beginning to really appreciate the Strokes more when they do songs like this. Reflective, pensive, not a rocker but not quite a ballad either. Just a great song, and the chorus climaxes beautifully with "Don't Try to Stop us! Get out of our Way!"
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