The New Abnormal
by The Strokes

From Vatsal TOP 100 COMMENTER 04/24/2020 08:27 | #250471 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

I don't think I've ever seen a larger disparity between the critics' and audiences' reaction to an album as for this one. Everyone seems to be loving the album except the music critics and honestly, this is the victory The Strokes deserved. For a band who were put on the highest pedestal by the critics before they even really started the career, their whole discography since Is This It has felt like an attempt to gain that acclaim back, and they kept failing to impress them, and along the way, their fans.

But this album is a goddamn beast! a spectacle worth the 7 year wait, a redemption arc for one of the biggest band of the indie rock era; and I am almost glad that the critics are shitting on this obvious masterpiece, since now majority of their GP audience can finally tear the band's image away from their critique. And maybe this will help The Strokes themselves become more liberated from the Is This It era. Because, honestly, I was getting real tired of reading about how "they used to be so good in their first two albums" in literally every article about the band thereafter (and that one The National song).

I absolutely adore this album, and I cant wait to scream "drums please Fab" when they finally start performing it live. Fuck the critics man. This is the Strokes' year.

The Strokes are among the handful of bands to blame for the new rise of indie rock in the early 2000s. Their debut album Is This It is one of the best rock albums of the naughties, and the band also released a couple of nearly as good follow-ups. After slowly disappearing from the rock music radar and releasing some quite horrid albums during the 2010s (and jokingly referring to the last decade as a vacation) the band is now back. Bigger and bolder than ever.

The New Abnormal is a wonderful return to form. It's a nostalgic callback to the Is This It era and a love letter to fans. The sound is significantly less garage and closer in style to synth-rock and new wave, but the soaringly beautiful guitar riffs and funky rhythm are back, coupled with strong choruses and fine vocals. The Strokes have never sounded this confident or this vulnerable before. In terms of sound, the album feels like a natural development - at its core, The New Abnormal sounds like an early The Strokes record, but the melodies have been updated with modern influences, giving the record a fresh electronic sound.

The first half of the album focuses on up-tempo tracks, and it's closest in style to the early Strokes sound. The latter half slows things down and puts a darker, more depressing twist to the band's music. Both halves are equally great, for different reasons. The first half due to the nostalgic sound, the second half for its riveting melodies. Together, they form an album that could very well be the best since This Is It.

When I look back at the craziness of 2020 when I'm much older and think of where we are now, this album will be the soundtrack. A beautiful, bright, incredibly crisp album on the surface, with hidden elements of real world experiences and pain buried in the center.

Though Rick Rubin's production on this album is exceptional, Julian Casablancas' lyricism and vocal performances are among best he's ever had. The final two tracks of this album deliver incredibly sad, yet beautiful lyrics that build to an unforgettable climax. In my opinion, it's clear that Julian's recent divorce was a large inspiration for a number of lines throughout the album.

Even as a huge Strokes fan, this album completely exceeded my expectations. It was everything I wanted AND THEN some. I was always curious what the Strokes would make if they found their creative peak again. Ladies and gentlemen, this is it. The best since Is This It. AOTY

I wasn't crazy about the singles, but something about listening to them in the context of the whole album makes it more enjoyable. This is a simply brilliant album start to finish
Favorites: Selfless, Not the Same Anymore, Ode to the Mets

From ExTeaSea TOP 100 COMMENTER 04/10/2020 20:50 | #249772 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

Dang and I'm not even a big Strokes fan but this is really good! I like them for sure but I've never claimed to love them. This album makes me want to listen to them more. At The Door is a freaking masterpiece of a song.