"Are the Strokes really finished?" "Am I hanging on to a nostalgic hope that they will hit the dizzying heights of 'Is This It' again?". Amid reports of the band not getting along, I feared the worst.
The latest, 'Comedown Machine' was announced and all of a sudden I was buzzing about another album. Admittedly I approached this with more precaution, with the worry this wouldn't live up to my expectations, again. My opinion? It's not 'Is This It' but it's a very very good album that has a lot more going for it than 'Angles'.
The record starts with 'Tap Out' and the line "They found our city under the water". For me this sets the tone for the rest of the album, it really feels like this should have been the third after 'Room On Fire' and in an instant the familiar sound of 'The Strokes' hits you from the first track. The following two tracks are the ones we have heard before, 'All The Time' and 'One Way Trigger'. The former is a decent track, there is nothing wrong with it, but it feels a little vocally flat at times but as with most the album 'All The Time' has fantastic music to support the lyrics. When 'One Way Trigger' was first thrown out to the public, it had a very mixed reception. People loved or hated it. I was the first, it was different but stuck to the same blueprint of a classic 'Strokes' tune that you could easily pick out from one of their first two records.
After hearing the two songs that had been released before the album surfaced, the rest of it was uncharted territory for me, I was excited and worried at the same time. What followed was an incredible mix of tracks that kept me gripped throughout listening. The aptly named fifth track '80's Comedown Machine' eases on the fast pace and has a perfectly peaceful feel that I was not expecting. I fully expect many people to brand this the weakest track on the album because of the speed of it. To them I say, boo. It is what it is and I'm sure most of you will enjoy it. The pace comes straight back with '50 50' and this, is another different approach to a 'Strokes' song whilst still sounding familiar. Here we have heavier vocals than what we are used to, when I first listened I didn't like it. The track has, however, grown on me despite still thinking it's one of the weaker parts of the album, but still very enjoyable.
'Chances' has been labelled by some as the best track on the album, and in fairness, it would be hard to disagree with them. Lyrically very strong with the music to back it starts as a fairly slow burner, but captivating. Some may raise their eyebrow in confusion, but these kinds of songs are tragic, but in a good way. It may be hard to understand but I feel these tracks are needed in an album to give you that roller coaster of emotions. I'd had my fun earlier on in the record and it was time to hear this beautifully crafted, and like I mentioned before, tragic tune. Followed by 'Happy Ending' which absolutely has "Classic Strokes" written all over it, fans will adore this song. The guitar is fantastic and the rough vocals really do take you back to 'Is This It' which is the nostalgia trip I'd been searching for all along.
Many would say that the final track 'Call It Fate Call It Karma' sounds like a goodbye. I'll let you decide that. There are a few tracks I haven't mentioned in the review but I hope they will be enjoyed along with the rest of the album. I for one wouldn't mind if 'The Strokes' called it a day now, whilst they're on a massive high it would also give me the closure I felt I didn't have before when I feared they were done.
A fantastic, well crafted, well mixed record that will be enjoyed by many. I cannot recommend this enough.
'Comedown Machine' is released in the UK on March 25th and March 26th in the US.
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