Ever since The Strokes iconic debut, Is This It, set the direction of the post-punk revival and indie rock in general for the 2000s, the band have struggled to really match that album in terms of quality and vision. Their follow up, Room On Fire, while a great album in it's own right, certainly followed in ITI's blueprint. The most noticeable stylistic shift was a doubling down on ITI's lower fidelity and messy recording and production style. This combined with some of the lyrics on the album gave the impression that the band weren't really comfortable being the genre zeitgeist and were almost trying to shrug off the fame and critical success. From this point forward, the band's discography becomes really hit or miss. There are some really good tracks in there, but the group's haphazard incorporation of noise rock and new wave into their sound, combined with constant infighting within the band, the obvious disinterest in the performances and rough, careless production made for some really mixed records. So even after the first couple of tracks were released and I really enjoyed them, I was still apprehensive about The New Abnormal, but I'm happy to say that it's really good and the best thing the band has released since Room On Fire.
The band seem to have worked through all of the issues that plagued their past few releases here. The album is a tight 9 tracks, and nothing feels redundant or half finished. They have also brought on Rick Rubin as producer, known for his clean (albeit often compressed) production style. This shift in approach really allows for these tracks to really pop in a way the band never really has before, most notably in Julian Casablancas' vocals - which are traditionally buried deep in the mix on a Strokes record, and his vocal performance is stellar here. The combination of him overcoming his alcohol problem and him actually caring about this record can be really heard in his voice.
One such moment is the opening track, The Adults Are Talking. The verses are sung in this hushed, sensual tone over a kinetic guitar and drum line. The chorus melody is catchy and cool, and the second time round Casablancas launches into a souring falsetto bridge. It features two solos and feels so unique within the bands catalogue. The tracks Bad Decisions and Brooklyn Bridge To Chorus are similarly uptempo and catchy. Bad Decisions has been on repeat for me since it was released as a single. It cribs the riff and part of the melody from Billy Idol's Dancing With Myself, although it is played in a tighter more New Order-esque style. The lyrics about wanting someone in your life, despite the bad influence you might have on each other are fun and feel very honest and open. Theres a part of the bridge where Casablancas sounds just like Lou Read and adds to the throwback feel of the song. Brooklyn Bridge To Chorus is straight up synth pop, and features the weird and catchy line "I want new friends, but they don't want me" as part of the chorus. The melody of the coda is also just really fantastic and I wish that part of the song went on longer. It's fun and doesn't take itself too seriously, although it's the only track where the production feels a little off. The whole track is too loud, and the synths sound really compressed and pierce through the mix, whilst Casablancas' vocals and the guitars fight for space lower down. It's not awfully sounding, but you can definitely hear the sharp raise in volume from the previous track.
The back half of the album goes on such a run. The first of these tracks is the first single released, At The Door. This song is simply fantastic. It's really stripped back, primarily featuring some thin, dark sounding synths, with a little guitar popping up here and there. This allows for so much focus on Julian's emotional, powerful croon. The lyrics feel like a gut punch, and use obtuse and dark imagery to tell what sounds like the end of a relationship (which fits Casablancas' divorce in 2019). The following three tracks delve more into this topic, giving the end of the record a real sense of unity. Why Are Sundays So Depressing is probably the most classic Strokes the record gets, in terms of sound and done. Yet is longer and slower, and has a funkier edge to the verses. Julian sings about how he just wants an easy life and to just chill out, and that he doesn't care that "his baby's gone" or that his friends have also left him.
The final two tracks really go into the pain and anguish caused by the break up. The first verse of Not The Same Anymore sounds cynical and sarcastic - with weird lyrics such as "You'd make a better window than a door". It really reminds my of some of the more bitter moments in the Arctic Monkeys discography. The track then straightens itself out and Casblancas starts to accept responsibility of his misdeeds and ponders the impact on his son. It's so honest and earnest from someone who often puts on a show of brashness and unbotherdness. Ode To The Mets, as the title suggests, is about Casablancas' love for the New York Mets baseball team; but also features lyrics looking back on the history of the band and also feels like its referencing the breaking down of his relationship. The track sounds so pained and tired and bittersweet, as it builds and builds, and Juilens vocals sour higher and higher. The outro to the song is truely phenomenal.
The track Eternal Summer is the only real misfire on the record. It flits between two different styles; breezy 80s pop tune for the verses with entirely falsetto vocals, and a shouty, noisey chorus similar to Casablancas' other band The Voidz. I get the concept behind the track, as it is about the threat of climate change, yet society's inability to accept it. But it's the longest track here, over 6 minutes, and doesn't really progress anywhere due to its constant shift back and forth between these two styles that jar against each other.
At first, even though I though the record was decent, I didn't quite pick up on how good it was because it doesn't sound like the band's first two albums. It really is a grower, and as you start accept that it doesn't sound like the last time The Strokes were this good, and let the lyrics and atmosphere soak in, you start to get what they're going for and how well they've achieved it.
Top Tracks: The Adults Are Talking, Bad Decisions, At The Door, Why Are Sundays So Depressing, Not The Same Anymore, Ode To The Mets
8/10
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