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Album Details
- Artist: The Strokes
- Album: Angles
- Label: RCA
- Year of Release: 2011
- ME Rating:
- Reviewed by: tosnob on 2011-03-18
RecommendThe Strokes' new album, Angles (out March 22nd), is a crossroads record for me. It will determine whether they are a talented band who simply lost their way on the last two albums, or they are a group that got lucky their first time out.
The album kicks off with "Machu Picchu". It's a promising start and clearly signals that the band are attempting something fresh after time apart to work on solo projects. That something new is an keyboard/synth infusion.
Sadly, they never reach that zenith again with the electronic elements of the record. When the Yeah Yeah Yeahs worked on a similar tract, they embraced it whole-heartedly. The Strokes incarnation is much more of a half measure. Tracks like the swirling "Games" and the confused (and ultimately boring) "Call Me Back" don't push the envelope far enough. The piecemeal prog of "Metabolism" sounds like a bad Muse imitation.
What does become clear as the album progresses is that elements of the band have improved while others continue to degenerate. On the plus side, Albert Hammond Jr's guitar work has never been this sharp. The apex of this is the towering guitar flurry of "Two Kinds Of Happiness". The rhythm section takes centre-stage to great effect on "You're So Right", giving the song an almost Bauhaus-esque pallor that hints at a potential new direction that would be so much stronger for the band.
On the flip side are the vocals of Julian Casablancas. Never the most technically proficient singer, Casablancas has devolved from adequate to absolutely irritating. For instance, the guitar work on "Taken For a Fool" makes me say 'Hell yeah', until the cringe-worthy vocals kick in.
Completely out of place is "Under Cover of Darkness". This may be a bone thrown to long-time Strokes fans, as it sound like it could have been on any of the previous records. The peppy, Pavement-like "Gratisfaction" is also out of place, but the song is strong enough to make it one of the album's highlights.
In the end Angles ends up being inconclusive for me. I had hoped that the record would tell me either "yes, they are back" or "nope, time to cut your losses". Unfortunately, it does neither, leaving me just as confused about The Strokes as when I began.
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on 2011-03-15 Asia Said:
The last offering from The Strokes, First Impressions of Earth, left most of us fans hanging on to their first two albums for our fix. With the exception of a handful of songs, the majority of it was boring and extensive, housing over 50 minutes of music which came as an unwelcome change to the 35-minute masterpieces we had previously been delivered. So five years on, the news of the release of a new album led die-hard Strokes fans on a painfully long wait of hope, curiosity and understandable pessimism.
This week, the world is introduced to The Strokes fourth studio album, Angles - a title derived from the notion that the sound comes from five different people (previous albums were written almost exclusively by lead singer Julian Casablancas). The name is genius and perfectly suited to an album that experiments with a plethora of different sounds.
Machu Picchu opens the album and leaves you slightly confused about what you are actually listening to, however as the song progresses, the familiarity sinks in. The song is a fitting introduction and gives you a good taste of the thirty-four minute aurally-pleasurable journey that The Strokes are about to take you on.
Throughout the album I hear sounds of Bowie, New Order, Prince and Billy Joel, all perfectly blended with that sound of The Strokes that we all helplessly fell in love with when they first graced us with their presence in 2001. Angles really does showcase a taste of sounds from different& well, Angles. You get the catchy and uplifting vibe in Under Cover of Darkness, Taken for a Fool and the Billy Joel-esque Gratisfaction, complimented beautifully by the futuristic, darker undertones present in Youre So Right and Metabolism. Call Me Back is essentially a ballad and showcases Julians swooning voice. It exerts some peaceful Latin-sounding tones, with a couple of unexpected dark periods thrown in and it all works like magic.
The album is brought home by Life is Simple in the Moonlight, a beautifully melodic track that features an impressive guitar solo and superbly-delivered vocals. It sets a peaceful, yet somewhat inspirational vibe that lingers; making it the perfect closing track.
Some fans may not welcome the album usually for me, the more raw the sound, the better - but those who can truly appreciate what they've done here and recognize the genius of it all, will love it; and that I certainly do. Im a sucker for guitar solos, and there are many amazing ones featured on here.
I would describe Angles as a musical exploration through a colourful sound lab of time; be prepared to hear lots of different instruments and experience lots of different vibes as a result.
Listen to Angles with an open mind and leave your expectations at the door.
Rating: 9/10
on 2011-02-11 dscanland Said:
Don't know why but I'm excited about the new Strokes album. Is it the hype machine working overtime? Anyone else eager to hear Angles?
Not Rated
