The Strokes have released their new album, Reality Awaits, which marks a significant milestone in their career, 25 years after their breakout debut. The New York City quartet has undergone a transformation from rock music messiahs to absent icons to TikTok’s favorite indie band, thanks in large part to the creative refresher that was The New Abnormal. Following their rousing and headline-grabbing Coachella performances, the band returns with Reality Awaits, a release that proves their 2020s form is indeed their new abnormal.
Album Overview
The album opens with “Psycho Shit,” which beckons the listener in with an ominous arpeggio and ethereal swells. An AutoTuned Julian Casablancas then joins to guide the song through its five-minute crescendo. The second track, “Dine N’ Dash,” is an unpredictable listening experience, featuring an icy, post-punk groove, grand dynamic shifts, and Casablancas performing spoken word in a British accent. The rest of the tracklist may be relatively more accessible, but the band is far from the immediacy of a “Someday” or the instantly inviting rocking nature of a “Reptilia.”
Experimental Sound
The Strokes are known for their experimental sound, and Reality Awaits is no exception. The album features warped, warbled, and prone to take a sudden left turn or introduce new elements just as quickly as they’ll abandon established ones. Take “Lonely in the Future,” which starts with an amped-up, fuzzed-out bass line but quickly turns into a breezy, jovial jam complete with a syncopated, dance-friendly groove and auto-crooning. Similarly, “The Fruits of Conquest” comes across like a mutated Rolling Stones number before melting away into guitar slides and a psychedelic vocal refrain in the back end.
Casablancas’ Vocal Style
Julian Casablancas’ vocal style is also noteworthy, with the frontman engaging in spoken word, culturally referential lyrics, on-mic asides, self-induced chuckles, and, of course, the liberal use of AutoTune. The two previously released singles, “Falling Out of Love” and “Going Shopping,” were warmly received except for the strong choices when it came to the vocals. It seems as if The Strokes could give a fuck about such a split reception, though, as evidenced by reactive comments and the bitter, Anthony Fantano-dissing lyrics of “Lonely in the Future.”
Band’s Attitude
The Strokes sound like they have no fucks left to give, and that’s not to say that they’re phoning it in – far from it. The guitar interplay between Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr. is consistently great, and Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti’s rhythm section is just as impressive. The band is doing whatever weird shit they want, guided by nothing but their intuition and their ongoing battle to balance classic rock swagger and ‘music from the future’ innovation.
In conclusion, Reality Awaits is an always interesting, consistently rewarding ride, even if it’s potentially polarizing ground, especially if you can’t stomach the AutoTune. The Strokes have once again proven that they’re a band that refuses to be tied down to a specific sound or style, and their willingness to experiment and push boundaries is what makes them one of the most exciting and innovative bands of our time. With Reality Awaits, they’ve created an album that’s sure to spark discourse among fans and leave a lasting impression on the music world.
Pixel P. Snarkbyte, widely regarded as the “Shakespeare of Sh*tposts,” is a video game expert with a unique knack for turning pixels into punchlines.
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