by Ivey Hannon
Take a look at your favorite rock band from a bygone era. A couple decades in the future, have they tried releasing more music? If so, was it at all worth listening to, or did it nearly ruin the band as a whole for you? In most cases, it’s the latter. However, every now and then you get a special little gem from the past that stays true to the band’s original vibe while also incorporating new techniques and writing styles to keep the project modern. Very few people have been able to pull this off, but for the purpose of this article, we are going to focus on one: The Strokes. One of my personal favorite rock bands from the 2000’s, The Strokes have always had a kind of sound that pricks up your ears and makes you feel bright. Their yellowish sound has been iconic throughout the past two decades, releasing 5 albums that each had at least a couple of songs that fit on my playlists. After their 2013 album, Comedown Machine, many fans thought they were probably done. I mean, they let 7 years go by without new music. That usually indicates that a band is taking some sort of leave from music, but not my boys The Strokes. In the middle of a pandemic, after years without new music, The Strokes released what many consider to be their best album since the first: The New Abnormal. This rock masterpiece is guaranteed to make you feel like you live in a John Hughes movie from beginning to end. From the title to the lyrics, this album is centered around the kind of depression you only get from a global pandemic and a broken political system that’s killing the earth. Adult-children controlling the government, being alone, falling in and out of love, then back in love just to have your heart broken. These are the trials and tribulations we all experienced as a society, and The Strokes managed to ink these feelings down and make them sound beautiful. The chorus of ‘Brooklyn Bridge to Chorus,’ “I want new friends, but they don’t want me” rings in my ears as I navigate through campus. ‘Bad Decisions’ remains one of my favorite top-down car songs that oozes 80’s psychedelic rock. Then there are the sad songs, ‘Why Are Sundays So Depressing?’ being my personal favorite. This album simply kicks ass, and successfully reignites a loyal fanbase for The Strokes. If you haven’t already listened to it, I would recommend doing so ASAP, and keep an eye out for tour dates. Happy listening!
LISTEN HERE!!!!
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