The Strokes are a big name. Their 2001 debut album, Is This It, still sits high up on critics’ lists of best rock albums of all time, and for good reason. A portrait of wised-up, restless youth, and an influence on countless other indie acts, Is This It and the follow-up, 2003’s Room on Fire, cemented The Strokes as a foundational band.
Six years since their last release, and 25 (!) since their first, The Strokes have released Reality Awaits and, wow, things have changed. In place of long-ago raucous radio singles such as “Last Nite” and “Reptilia,” frontman Julian Casablanca and his mates are mourning their bygone youth.
The Strokes have always taken themselves seriously, but Reality Awaits finds them less focused on a catchy hook or a chorus that gets repeated ad infinitum. Casablanca, no longer writing from the perspective of a young adult, is instead reflecting on his life and lessons learned over a quarter century.
Lyrics such as “Can you be more than what you say?” — from opening track “Psycho Shit” — convey the tenor of the whole album. “Lonely in the Future” declares, “I heard that years ago when I was a kid / I didn’t want to do it years ago, but I did,” which could allude to almost anything in the 48-year-old singer’s life.
Much of the album feels responsive to the times, with Casablancas ruminating on aging, consumerism, and memories of chasing fame — all with only one mention of AI. Musically, some songs — such as “Dine N Dash” — build tension and atmosphere, like a fist tightening until the knuckles turn white. Yet a seeming favorite from the album is “Falling Out Of Love,” with its gentle melancholy and interwoven lullaby melodies.
What might be the biggest point of contention on Reality Awaits is the use of AutoTune throughout. On first listen, it may be jarring, and it’s not for everybody, but clearly it is done in an intentional way for Casablancas to flavor his voice, much like the vocal distortion used in the early albums.
The Strokes, with openers Geordie Greep and Promiseland, perform 7pm Sunday, September 13 at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood. thestrokes.com ~ Erik Kvarnberg
