The Strokes - The New Abnormal

6/7 'Great'

Release Date: 10.04.2020

Regarded by some critics as 'the second masterpiece', almost 20 years later than 2001's 'Is This It?', comes 'The New Abnormal', The Strokes' first album after 7 years.

Like their debut album, 'The New Abnormal' pushes the boundaries of the indie-rock genre, whilst still paying homage to the melancholic and nostalgic atmosphere that The Strokes seem to embody through their music. Without further ado, let's begin our song analysis.

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Best song: Not the Same Anymore

This song is my personal favourite on this album, for obvious reasons. Both Hammond and Valensi's guitars combine beautifully in this song, to provide lines of melody simplistic in the verse, which in the chorus explodes into a myriad of harmonisation, reflecting the emotional rollercoaster in which Casablancas cannot seem to express himself correctly in romantic situations, eventually destroying the relationship. With each new chorus the intensity and power of both the vocal range and instrumentation highlight the increasing pain of the narrator- then reverting back to the verse's simplicity, symbolic of the repression of romantic expression underlying his disastrous relationships. Further analysis details how the guitars seem to respond to Casablancas' words in the song almost representing his conscious. Pleasing to the ear, this song modernises the Strokes' classic sound whilst bringing a sense fulfilment reminding you of better times from the past.

Runner-up: Ode To The Mets

The very last track often defines an album, and 'Ode To The Mets' is no exception. It begins with an electronic melody clashing with electric guitar, this dissonance is, for me at least, establishes a shift in dynamics from what the general theme of the album is, giving way to a much darker, wholesome flood of sound. Whilst the majority of the album is light and fun: such as 'Bad Decisions', 'Brooklyn Bridge to Chorus'; all the seriousness seems to be channelled into one song. The result? Masterpiece. This song made me want to cry, without really knowing why. It is the immense, almost hypnotic power that takes you, captivates you and holds you, can only be experienced by getting yourself within the skin of the song. Pure brilliance.

Worst Track: At The Door

Let me begin by stating that by any measure, there is no 'worst track' on this album. This song is brilliantly simple, the lyrics are some of the best on the album and the transition into the chorus is somewhat magical. However, in comparison to the rest of the tracks on the album, 'At The Door' failed to excite me.... the lack of variation in the the synth underlying the verse felt quite monotonous, and the outro of the song did not evoke any emotions in me, I just wanted the song to end at that point. There are some great moments in the song, but also some dull moments which other tracks on the album rightfully lack.

Most Musical Track: Eternal Summer

The title for most musical track was close between this and 'Ode To The Mets'. However, the diverse range of experimentation and boundary pushing in 'Eternal Summer' made it difficult for it not to be crowned as the winner. Whilst not one of my favourite tracks, the song shows off the diversity of Casablancas' vocal range, adding to the sharpness and dreamy vibe this track gives off. As the song progresses, increased prominence of guitars compliment the synth in the verses, providing a fluidity to the song which eased my mind upon listening to it. However, this is interrupted by the crisp and direct interventions throughout the track reminiscent of Pink Floyd's 'Another Brick in The Wall'. Partnered with the almost monstrous and psychedelic outro, the song, like its title, on the surface appears innocent and free of all restraints, but as it drags on one loses perception of time, place and knowledge.

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'The New Abnormal' is fittingly titled to the year of 2020, which may be why it resonated so well with me- I could relate to it as a listener in perspective of what was going on around me (the first national lockdown) and that allowed me to connect with this album on an emotional level. On the downside, there is little variation between some tracks audibly, as well as brief moments of overproduction, where some of the best instrumental features of songs were shrouded by an electronic cloud, mitigating some of the raw energy associated with The Strokes' sound. Overall though, 'The New Abnormal' is a truly magnificent album; it seems that each track has been carefully written and composed to provide the listener with a richness and fullness that is almost hypnotic, but always deeply rewarding and overwhelmingly remarkable. 6/7;'Great'

FM