The Strokes are back - and at no better time for them, it would appear. Whilst they haven’t had an official full-length release ‘The New Abnormal’ in 2020, general cultural nostalgia, an indie sleaze revival and TikTok aided discovery, led to their iconic sound being repopulated by a younger crowd. Their influence lingers throughout modern music, with musicians from Alex Turner of indie-rock group Arctic Monkeys to dance-pop princess Charli XCX citing frontman Julian Casablancas as a musical inspiration for them - and with their new project, ‘Reality Awaits’, they once again, showcase the groundbreaking versatility that cemented them in the cultural canon as DIY giants.
Their seventh album arrived last Friday, 25 years on from their garage-rock pioneering debut ‘Is This It’. In spite of the drawn-out gaps between releases, the album plays out like a natural extension of their catalogue, with echoes of their previous works persistent throughout the forty-minute play. The first few chords of the album, in the opening track ‘Psycho Shit’ emulate that of their sleeper hit ‘Ode To The Mets’, as if to neatly tie their discography together. As Casablancas launches into traditional Strokes lyrical style - conversational and cryptic as ever, in lines such as “Immortal beloved one / Words design me, women find me” - it’s evident that the band are still in top, recognisable form.
When the lead single of the album, ‘Going Shopping’ was released, there was notable worry from fans up to the release of ‘Reality Awaits’. They were initially unimpressed by the auto-tuned vocals of the track and concerned for what they conceivably predicted could be a complete sonic shift from their beloved NYC rockers. However, the vocal distortion is tactful throughout, and not a complete departure from their back-catalogue as they have utilised various effects - filters and lo-fi microphones - over Casablancas’ lines throughout their entire career. It simply marks a new ground broken by a band who have always proven willing to pave the way by taking a creative risk.
The main distinction between this record and its predecessors is the slower pace they adopt throughout - making each instrumental and word choice feel deliberate as they shift from delivering deadpan commentary on modern life and politics to more personal verses on heartbreak and legacy, looking both outwards and inwards. While their popularity stems from up-tempo cuts like ‘Someday’ and ‘The Adults Are Talking’, they stay faithful to their artistry, choosing themselves over viral soundbites for an immense payoff.
This being said, upbeat moments exist in tracks such as ‘Lonely in the Future’ - a highlight of the LP, where the band - in much more unambiguous lyrics than we’ve become accustomed to - address their influence on the music industry while simultaneously criticising it. Casablancas reminds us - aptly, while his new experimental choices are being scrutinised - of how he’s inspired modern music as he sings “I did that yesterday” on loop, the line packing a punch as it stands out in the more equivocal and eclectic tracks of the album.
It’s a lot of ground to cover in forty minutes, but the post-punk legends do it with ease. They sift through themes seamlessly, demonstrating their many multitudes, but zone in where necessary to ensure their overarching motif lands (in ‘Going Shopping’, Casablancas sings “Solidarity can be difficult when you've got cool stuff to lose”). Whilst it doesn’t directly replicate their most popular plays, no one could have expected a band born on exploration to pander. ‘Reality Awaits’ is a natural and inspired evolution, and well worth the six-year wait.
Zahra Hanif
Image: ‘Reality Awaits’ Official Album Cover