Well, the new Strokes album leaked over the weekend. Let me just say that I’ve had this album pre-ordered for a month now (on vinyl, no less) and I don’t think I could have waited for the proper release date, with the knowledge that thousands of other fans just like me have already heard it. I could go on and on about the morality and whatnot of listening to leaks, and try to justify my own listening to said leaks, but that’s not what this blog is about.
It’s been five years since First Impressions of Earth, The Strokes’ last album, which was released to a seemingly universal negative response (I’ve always liked that album, but hey, whatever). People thought that the band had lost their touch, and honestly, the people who thought that probably won’t have a change of heart after hearing Angles.
The Strokes broke onto the scene ten years ago, with a stripped down garage-rock sound. Is This It?, their first album, was loved by all for it’s simple sound, and Julian Casablancas’ unique, drawling voice. Over the years, The Strokes have evolved, adding more instruments and production with each successive release. The trend continues with Angles, the cleanest sounding record they’ve made. THIS IS NOT A BAD THING. Sure, Is This It? is amazing, but if the band didn’t evolve, we’d be listening to remakes of that album, and it’d get awfully boring. Bands change. They discover new sounds and ways of playing music, and fortunately for us, The Strokes do it well.
The band definitely let Casablancas’ solo work influence them a bit on Angles. Songs like Machu Picchu and Games wouldn’t have sounded out of place on Phrazes for the Young, the singer’s solo album. There are plenty of straight-up Strokes songs as well, like Under Cover of Darkness, the album’s first single, and Gratisfaction, hopefully an upcoming single. That band that came out of nowhere a decade ago can still be heard on Angles. Jules still has that voice, and Valensi is still a kick-ass guitarist. I just hope these guys go on tour soon, as last year’s show at Lollapalooza was one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever been a part of.
Swole Ear 
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