We all had to wait what seemed like a very long 5 years without new music from The Strokes as a whole. Sure, Julian put out a solo album (which was quite good), as did Nikolai and Albert, Fab did his thing with Little Joy, and Nick worked with Devendra Banhart and Sia, but it just wasn’t the same.
Angles is the much-anticipated fourth LP from The Strokes and hits stores today. There was so much hype surrounding this album and it seemed that the first single, “Under Cover of Darkness,” set the bar relatively high for the rest of the album. Maybe my expectations were too high, but frankly, I was disappointed after the very first listen. It seemed so disjointed, playing with a variety of styles and genres. I have given Angles a few more listens and it has since grown on me.
The first half of Angles is definitely the strongest. ”Machu Picchu” kicks things off with danceable tune with an 80s vibe and then, leads into “Under Cover of Darkness,” which is quite reminiscent of that early Strokes sound from ten years ago. It’s got some killer guitar riffs and hooks, bouncy drums, and catchy vocals. What’s not to love?
My favourite track on the album is definitely “Taken For A Fool,” penned by none other than the dirty-maned Nick Valensi. Any time this song comes on, I just start head-bobbing and dancing in my seat. The song is just so damn catchy and everything about it is just so great, no exaggeration. It’s no wonder this song has already amassed the most plays out of all the songs on Angles.
I can’t say that this effort was The Strokes’ best but it’s definitely not their worst. There are some great songs that had me falling in love with them all over again. Though my initial reaction wasn’t one of immediate affection, Angles is a good album and it’s definitely one of those albums that you’ll have to listen to a few times. I think I got a little too excited for this album but hey, new music from The Strokes is better than none.
Rating: 7/10
Label: RCA
Favourites: Taken For A Fool, Machu Picchu, Two Kinds of Happiness, Under Cover of Darkness
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