The Strokes: The New Abnormal Album Review

As the clock struck midnight for a new decade, Julian Casablancas announced the news that Strokes fans were waiting to hear. The 2010s, whatever name we give them, we took them away, it ad at the group New Years Eve show in Brooklyn. And now we’ve been thawed and come back. No matter where the past 10 years have left youAngles advocate, apologist Voidz, Meet me in the bathroom nostalgic who lost hope a long time ago was easy to feel a net of excitement. After all, what Strokes fan would not Do you want to believe that the recent release of these bands is the result of a long period of dormancy and not because, you know, they all hate each other and have a dozen other projects they prefer to focus on? And what better time to launch their comeback than a party marked by high expectations and even more celebration?

The new abnormal, Strokes’ sixth album and the first in seven years, mostly looks like a hangover. Its weak and light, and the strongest hooks are so familiar that they require additional writing credits for 80s hits that they copy note for note (Billy Idols Dancing With Myself in Bad Decisions, Psychedelic Furs The Ghost in You in Eternal Summer). Of course, the Strokes have never been subtle with their references that are part of the fun, but they are increasingly disinterested in the tight classic songcraft that once felt entirely theirs. With producer Rick Rubin, a presence so distant that it seems simply symbolic, their signature sound is reproduced as background music, a set of mood pieces with watery eyes, all hovering around the five-minute mark. before going out with a shrug.

A generous read is that it is a style they have never tried before: pushing their songs to their limits, maintaining a state of Zen in their machinelike interaction. For almost 20 years Is this, the Strokes never quite figured out a way to successfully develop their plan. There are the lounge and drumless ballads that you can expect to find halfway through all of their track lists (Ask Me Anything, Call Me Back, that album’s first single at the door). And then there are the proggy and metallic experiences that Casablancas now seems to be content to channel through Voidz, a project he clearly has admitted therein lies his passion. None of these modes have historically led to Strokes’ favorite songs. And therefore the best moments The new abnormal, like the truly pretty Ode to the Mets, feel like a step in the right direction. When everything locks in place, it’s like watching an old pinball machine light up, one level at a time.

Another small victory is that Casablancas falsetto has improved. What once looked like (at best) something new actually leads to defining moments. The verses of Eternal Summer are elegant and exciting, until the unfortunate impression of Austin Powers of a bridge flies to kill everyone. The Adults Are Talking, with its stable construction and peak, adds to their heritage great album openers. After his distracted performances on Angles and Comedown machine, Casablancas now seems responsible for keeping the spirits light; From Sinatra’s cross song in Not the Same Anymore to his pop-punk sneer in Brooklyn Bridge at Chorus, he seems to take on the challenge.

But the spark quickly fades and you are left with a set of promising ideas for Strokes songs with their fire out. Casablancas spoke politically of his recent words, but his allusions to the climate crisis (Endless Summer) and bodily shame (Selfless) do not inspire his group comrades much urgency. And while their branded fuzz once made their albums beloved mixtapes passed down over the decades, the same quality now makes you feel like you’re piecing together songs. Disjointed songs like Brooklyn Bridge to Chorus and Selfless literally stop and start again after each chorus, as if trying to find a better transition, then giving up.

You are no longer the same / you no longer want to play this game, Casablancas sings on ballad towards the end of the album. And why would he do it? No group deserves to be held to the standard they established in their twenties, and no fan should want to hear their heroes redo the old poses for a quick paycheck. The current democratic nature of the Strokes (the music is attributed to The Strokes, while the first three discs were attributed exclusively to Casablancas) means that simply putting ideas into practice requires more compromise, that is, more work . It also means that a group that should settle in their heritage is still suffering from increasing pain. There was never a feeling: we succeeded! Roll credits!, Albert Hammond Jr. recently confessed about their rise to glory. He’s always been that kind of half-anxious, half-exciting. What’s going on? For all its faults, The new abnormal could capture how the Strokes feel: not ready to disappear, not prepared for a return. Right now, they are way too tired.

Buy: Difficult trade

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