THE STROKES: ANGLES
[rating:4.0]
The Strokes: Angles
Label: Rough Trade
Release Date: March 22, 2011
The Strokes officially release their fourth studio album, Angles tomorrow on Rough Trade. After such a long hiatus and hyped as the first Strokes album with creative input from all five members, we were not quite sure what to expect from this album. But despite this albums diverse collaborative input and attempt to rebuild the band from the ground up, this is definitely still a “Strokes album”. If you are expecting an ambitious statement from the band that will push the musical landscape in a new direction, you will no doubt be disappointed with this album. What you can expect is a collection of new songs from a continually evolving band, with a new sound that is refreshing but also familiar, maintaining their signature sound; catchy hooks, punchy guitars , Juliens droning monotone croon, subtle hints at reggae and 80’s rock. After heavy rotation, this album proves itself a highly redeemable work, one of the bands most interesting, if uneven EP’s that is better and better with each listen. Like 2001’s overly hyped/ mis-represented Is This It, Angles is just straightforward catchy pop rock, meant to be enjoyed as just that. Pitchfork might want these guys to “quit while they’re ahead”, but if anything, Angles proves the Strokes are a band forging forward, and we are glad they keep on, keeping on.
Read a more in depth album review from Discosalt contributing writer Andrew Bailey below:
Angles frequently sounds more like an album heavily influenced by The Strokes than actually by The Strokes. There seems to be a lot less attention to detail in the songwriting, the track-for-track reliance on big garage rock guitar riffs isn’t so aggressive, and the 1980′s have clearly left a very palpable impression. Even some alien reggae influences have seeped in on “Machu Picchu”, easily one of the record’s best tracks. Above all else though, what really stands out here is the quality of production (at last). The rugged garage aesthetic made sense on Is This It and even to some extent on Room on Fire. But by the time the band reached First Impressions — where they finally started trying to merge the old with the new — it started feeling overly manufactured. The Strokes are, after all, a big time rock group now. And they aren’t in their early-20′s anymore, either. Clinging to the same old lackluster production quality might have coddled a few old fans still starstruck by the sound they broke in with, but it wouldn’t have done anything for the band’s progression. All these changes might be big splashes of cold water to the face, but they’re all incredibly welcome ones. (Read More HERE)
Stream the entire album on the Strokes website right HERE.
