A lot has happened since The Strokes’ last album “First Impressions of Earth” in 2006. Various solo efforts have come and gone, likely to be forgotten forever. Guitarist Richard Hammond Jr. found himself wrapped up in drugs and ensuing rehab.
Five years saw a band clearly out of juice let their creativity restore itself. The result? “Angles.”
From the very first groovy bass line on opening track “Machu Picchu” it’s clear The Strokes’ time off paid off. “Angles,” released March 18, sees a revitalized Strokes, happier than their sophomore effort “Room on Fire” and less desperate for creativity than aforementioned “First Impressions on Earth.”
The album’s recording and producing process was reportedly a nightmare – in the process of giving the rest of band more of a creative voice, singer Julian Casablancas distanced himself away from the recording studio, leaving the band to write the bulk of the music. The result is something a bit more inspirational and experimental than previous efforts.
That’s not to say The Strokes sound like a different band here, “Under Cover of Darkness” is classic Strokes garage rock. But the band has taken their garage rock roots and incorporated more, namely 80s new wave, into their music. The beginning of “Games” sounds like something Alphaville could have released 25 years ago. Upped production values and increased keyboards aid the band in their creativity throughout the album.
Some songs fall flat, like “Gratisfaction” which sounds like a B-side from “Room on Fire.” Only rarely does this album sound too much like previous efforts by the band, which depending on how you look at it, is either a good thing or a bad thing.
At just 10 songs and about 30 minutes long, “Angles” is actually the perfect length. The Strokes play a type of music that, if listened to for too long, can all start sounding monotonous and forgettable. “Angles” is the perfect length to prevent that. It also happens to be a strong effort by a revitalized band and a wholly enjoyable record to listen to.
