Amidst currently being in the middle of a really lousy week, there has been one thing that has helped keep me from angrily going outside and punching a random stranger in the face: I was able to get my hands on a copy of
The Strokes’ highly-anticipated fourth LP,
Angles.**
“Machu Picchu” opens the album with a reggae heavy hook, featuring Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond, Jr. shooting guitar riffs back and forth at each other. A little unorthodox in comparison to how they’ve began their albums in the past, but any uncertainness is put to rest when the second track, “Under Cover of Darkness,” begins. Sure to be one of the summer’s biggest songs, this the best Strokes single since “Reptilia."
The diversity of styles doesn’t stop after the first two tracks. “Two Kinds of Happiness” begins with a ‘80s sounding, Police-like riff, but then hits you when the chorus rolls around. If that song at all surprised you, then you will definitely be scratching your head when you hear “You’re So Right.” I’ll just say that I would not be shocked if Julian stole this song from Thom Yorke’s computer. Sounding more like Radiohead than The Strokes, this song is 154 seconds of pure confusion. It is at this point that, if you are like me, you begin to wonder whether “Under Cover of Darkness” was a huge tease for what the rest of the album was going to sound like (stick with it, trust me). Luckily, “Taken for a Fool” returns the band back to their more original, catchy sound before we are pulled back into the ‘80s with “Games.” If I’ve learned anything at this point, it is that they named this album perfectly. There is so many dimensions on
Angles (see what I did there?), and this is clear after only six songs.
“Call Me Back” is probably the most forgettable song on the album, partially due to the following track, “Grastification,” and the instantly catchy, happy “Fool in the Rain”-esque chords the song entails. “Metabolism,” sounding like a Muse song at times, goes back to the aggression heard on “You’re So Right.” Then the albums wraps up with the stellar “Life is Simple in the Moonlight.” Having this serve as the albums’ closing track saves Angles from being totally misunderstood.
Do we have another Is This It on our hands? No, and we probably (sadly) never will again. But what we do have is at the very least an interesting album with a couple of killer singles. This is The Strokes’ version of Evil Urges. It won’t be for everyone, but true fans will definitely appreciate it. I’m on my eleventh listen right now, and I can honestly say that the album is growing on me more with each listen. When it comes down to it, it’s The Strokes; even if they aren’t on their “A-game,” this album is still better than 90% of what has been released in 2011 so far.
Verdict: 4 out of 5 stars.
Stand Out Tracks: “Under Cover of Darkness,” “Life is Simple in the Moonlight,” “Grastification”
