Album Review: The New Abnormal by The Strokes

After a hiatus from music for almost a decade the legendary rock band ‘The Strokes’ are back with an album. ‘The New Abnormal’ is one of the most experimental and boundary pushing Strokes record till date. The album proves yet again that The Strokes are still the best riff makers and haven’t lost their edge yet. The Strokes new album features long songs and gives time to each of its members to shine on their own as well as shine as a collective. These nine songs aren’t all endorphin rushes that recall the Strokes’ imperial period, but they come closer than this benighted band have in ages to the musical sweet spot. The New Abnormal delivers the same kind of mannered maximalism that you’d find on ’80s releases with the revival of their classic sound mixed with the new age style and charisma.

Let’s take a look at my favourites from the album.

• The Adults are Talking: the album opener is a rebellious take against the high-ups of the world with Julian singing in a hushed, low-key delivery which makes it seem like he’s sneaking up on the people he’s rebelling against. The track features a mostly bass-centric instrumental with very peppy snares drums providing the main percussion on the track. 

• Selfless: “Selfless” is centered around love and relationships, with Julian beckoning to a significant other that he wants them to come live life with him, not missing out on a moment that they do not have to. The track features a string-centric instrumentation, heavy guitar and bass, with tinging cymbals filling the background of the instrumental.

• Brooklyn Bridge to Chorus: the track follows  a reminiscent tone reflecting on people and memories. Coming to terms with the past and moving on with life is the core theme of this song. This the cut that features the most traditional Strokes instrumentation, with a heavy guitar-driven chorus while also incorporating synthesizers over the rest of the track.

• Bad Decisions: The song interpolates the main melody from Billy Idol’s hit July 1981 single “Dancing With Myself,” as Julian sings a self-aware commentary about the band’s interaction with its fans and the music scene. It’s a reflection on the strained relationship of The Strokes with their fan base and the bad decisions is them drifting away from their signature style. 

• Eternal Summer: Eternal Summer encapsulates the feeling of eternal bliss, and perhaps the faults that it has. Here summer is an eternal force, that makes everyone involved notice the effects it has. The songs main influence can be traced from the era of Pink Floyd. Unintentionally encapsulating the quarantine experience, it shows how novelty wears off eventually.

• At the Door: The song is an emotional ballad from the group, featuring lyrics about a breaking relationship and having to deal with an endless goal that can never be achieved. The production is filled with disco synths and is not like anything on this project yet. Devoid of a guitar solo this is probably the most experimental track on this album.

• Why Are Sundays So Depressing?: “Why Are Sundays So Depressing?” is a self-reflective, nostalgic track from The Strokes. Julian looks back on past aspects of his life before fame including love, work, and his general attitude towards life. The track features one of the more empty instrumental on the track, being based around a simple guitar line for most of the song, with heavy synthesizers and vocals alterations only coming in for the song’s chorus.

• Not The Same Anymore: an extremely melancholy and nostalgic track from Julian, singing about his past actions and how they have afflicted relationships in his life. One of the slowest songs on The New Abnormal, the track features a very full percussion line. Occasional guitar lines coming in during the verses, while more full instrumentation from Albert and Nikolai comes in during the chorus sections of the song.

• Ode to the Mets: on the outro, Julian looks back at the band’s career and history in New York City, where they grew up together. Bleak, quiet guitars and synthesizers back the track’s verses, while full, strong instrumentation comes in for the track’s outro, leaving the listener with an epic closer for The New Abnormal.

The New Abnormal is easily the freshest, most interesting album that The Strokes have released in more than a decade. With gorgeous guitar riffs and Julian’s power packed vocal performance, this is what the fans of the band and the fans of music in general were looking for from the legendary band. This album might just be the first step along a new, more invigorated path. The New Abnormal is experimental and distorted, confusing at times and reminiscent of the past on the others but what it definitely is, is a great album for The Strokes to start of this decade and possibly a new chapter in the band’s discography. There is not even a single track on the record that sounds bad or boring. I love this project and I’m sure you will too. Here’s a link to the album.