Angles- The Strokes

New Yorkers fail to reverse career decline on their fourth

2011 finds The Strokes in a strange place. Topping endless “best of the decade” lists last year with endlessly influential debut Is This It, two lacklustre follow ups leave the question posed on said album seem even more appropriate. After nearly half a decade away, the New Yorkers need Angles to be a masterpiece.

So is this the album to improve The Strokes’ fortunes? In a word, no. For any other band, this would be a half decent return, but the weight of expectation has dented its impact, in a depressingly inevitable way.

Moments of greatness are still in evidence. First single Under Cover Of Darkness is a bold attempt to recapture the thrill and rush of their early singles- Julian Casablancas singing in his trademark sarcastic drawl, as the guitar work of Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr scorch the earth. Opener Machu Picchu also does well to set the scene: bright, exciting and full of fire, with Casablancas’ talking of a “mountain to climb”. You’re telling us...

The opener is also an indication of the newest element on show: synths. Clearly influenced by the pop electronic work of Casablancas’ quietly brilliant solo debut, it means that rather predictably, the 80s are in. While they imported the keyboards, they’ve clearly left behind the soul and lust for life, as songs like Games and Two Kinds of Happiness feel like hollow and tired impressions of that era. You’re So Right is worst of the lot- a droning, low-key and forgettable dirge.

The new moves pay off on two tracks: Taken For A Fool marries up the new elements nicely: the band finally sound engaged and it’s filled with a seemingly endless array of indie-pop hooks. Call Me Back brings it all down to a more introspective level, a simple sound masking unsettling backing vocals and surprisingly complex arrangements.

Julian Casablancas has always sounded bored, which against the tightly wound guitars and drums is part of what made The Strokes great . But for the first time, the rest of the band has a degree of listlessness too. Personal disagreements that have been well documented do explain why they sound so bereft of ideas. It goes little way to help them in a year that their clearest acolytes The Vaccines have put indie back on the map. The Strokes really needed to pull it out the bag. For the most part, Angles fails to deliver.

2/5

Best Tracks:
Machu Picchu
Call Me Back
Under Cover Of Darkness