The Strokes - Angles (11/04/2011)
The Strokes - Angles
The return of generation-defining band The
Strokes has been highly anticipated all around the
globe. The wait is now finally over, and the result of some much-needed R&R
has paid dividends for the New York five piece with the release of their fourth
studio album Angles.
Macchu Picchu is a sturdy opener that has influences of retro 80s synth, as the band venture into unchartered territory for them. Front man Julian Casablanca’s seems to drop his natural croon for more ascending vocals, while Albert Hammond Jr provides some very sharp rhythm strums throughout the song to give it a nice kick. Lead single Under Cover Of Darkness shoots us back to 2001, with its trademark Strokes sound. Vintage guitar rifts of Nick Valensi bobble in line with the bass of Nikolai Fraiture, and the upbeat drums of Fab Moretti as the line “everyone’s been singing the same song for ten years” rings true in the ears of the listener.
Sounding a bit like The Cars in the almost-reggae-influenced, Two Kinds Of Happiness, the band again try something a bit different to what we are used to hearing from them, the brilliance is still there, its just come in a different form. I’m sure many would agree its really refreshing to see them change directions in the manner they have, instead of stagnating like so many bands on the comeback have done.
Angles isn’t all peaches and gravy though, it certainly has its flawed moments, such as the monotonous You’re So Right, the depressingly boring Games, and the Muse-esque Metabolism, which sounds a bit more like it belongs of the bands previous album First Impressions of Earth, which in itself was a bit hit and miss.
However the band finish of on a very strong note with one of the highlights of the album. Life Is Simple In The Moonlight brings back the croon to The Strokes in this semi-ballad, which is the only song on the album to be entirely written by Julian Casablanca’s just like circa 2001-2006.
Shared writing duties, a well deserved break, and some solo albums to satisfy their own needs has done nothing but good things for The Strokes. The reports of disharmony during the recording process isn’t really noticeable through the album, and the band has since gone on record to say they are going to start number five soon and it will be better than this one, so if this isn’t your cup of tea, there’s bigger and better things around the corner for you. However to many Strokes fans this will be just what the doctor ordered, with its democratic approach creating one of their most interesting albums to date.
Perri Cassie
Macchu Picchu is a sturdy opener that has influences of retro 80s synth, as the band venture into unchartered territory for them. Front man Julian Casablanca’s seems to drop his natural croon for more ascending vocals, while Albert Hammond Jr provides some very sharp rhythm strums throughout the song to give it a nice kick. Lead single Under Cover Of Darkness shoots us back to 2001, with its trademark Strokes sound. Vintage guitar rifts of Nick Valensi bobble in line with the bass of Nikolai Fraiture, and the upbeat drums of Fab Moretti as the line “everyone’s been singing the same song for ten years” rings true in the ears of the listener.
Sounding a bit like The Cars in the almost-reggae-influenced, Two Kinds Of Happiness, the band again try something a bit different to what we are used to hearing from them, the brilliance is still there, its just come in a different form. I’m sure many would agree its really refreshing to see them change directions in the manner they have, instead of stagnating like so many bands on the comeback have done.
Angles isn’t all peaches and gravy though, it certainly has its flawed moments, such as the monotonous You’re So Right, the depressingly boring Games, and the Muse-esque Metabolism, which sounds a bit more like it belongs of the bands previous album First Impressions of Earth, which in itself was a bit hit and miss.
However the band finish of on a very strong note with one of the highlights of the album. Life Is Simple In The Moonlight brings back the croon to The Strokes in this semi-ballad, which is the only song on the album to be entirely written by Julian Casablanca’s just like circa 2001-2006.
Shared writing duties, a well deserved break, and some solo albums to satisfy their own needs has done nothing but good things for The Strokes. The reports of disharmony during the recording process isn’t really noticeable through the album, and the band has since gone on record to say they are going to start number five soon and it will be better than this one, so if this isn’t your cup of tea, there’s bigger and better things around the corner for you. However to many Strokes fans this will be just what the doctor ordered, with its democratic approach creating one of their most interesting albums to date.
Perri Cassie