Ah, the Strokes, one of those bands heralding good times with their music. I think “Is this It” might have been the ultimate everything kind of music. Wherever it was, it transformed the area into something cool, hip and un-offensive. For they dealt in a particular kind of rock, one hearkening back to cool guitar rock, one which escaped any sort of angry feelings.
Personally, I side a bit more with Interpol at that time. Around the turn of the century, I was a brooding young sloth, trying to make sense of the world. The Strokes didn’t get dark enough for me, and I rejected them until college, when it finally made sense for me. Finally, I reached a level of cool and acceptance for happier forms of music.
Much like Interpol, the Strokes eventually caught flak, which brought them crashing down to Earth. “First Impressions of Earth” brought them back to reality. Reality was harsh, though sales were strong for their music. The Strokes took a break. Drug addictions were battled, Julian Casablancas went solo, and everybody did their own thing.
Years later (known as now) a new album comes out. It is called Angles. Considering how many other early 2000s bands have seen their luster diminish, it’d be foolish to think The Strokes would be immune to this treatment. Besides, it has been so long since they paid attention. Even their solo projects reek of people trying too hard to be cool. Usually that coolness came effortlessly, that was the main attraction of their music anyway.
Having said that, there are a few possibilities The Strokes might be looking at as the reviews come in, hot off the presses.
Scenario 1: It gets universally panned. A lower score than “First Impressions of Earth” appear on most websites. Considering how this has happened with many of their peers, I wouldn’t count this out. Negative reviews might include such things as their sound being stale or dated, their theft from the 80s is too apparent. Snarky comments about how they’ve grown old would be included. Honestly, the hip makers might just throw them an awful score, expressing varying degrees of disappointment.
Scenario 2: A compromise of sorts would occur. Realizing they can’t exactly totally pan the shit out of The Strokes, for fear of never getting another album for a half-decade, they claim it is better than “First Impressions of Earth” but not as good as “Room On Fire”. Comments will be thrown around, talking up how all the twists and turns make more sense now that they’ve shrunk the size of the album back down to 35 minutes.
Scenario 3: People talk about how it is almost as good as “Is this It” and how they’ve come so far in the past few years, overcoming crappy solo albums and drug addictions. Vague forms of encouragement are weaved into the review, talking about the eclectic approach to the album. Smiles appear on people’s faces as they are simply glad they are here, playing for us again. By taking this approach, it coaxes another album out of The Strokes right before their transition to cool dads is complete.
Scenario 4: Angles gets higher marks than “Is This It”. I find this extremely unlikely. Considering how highly regarded their first album is, I find it difficult to believe this would ever happen. Right now I’d give this one the least likely chance, about a 1% chance at most.
No matter which of these scenarios occurs, a few things are guaranteed. This album will sell well, as their popularity goes back long enough to reach people willing to pay money for albums. I like to think of it as “Grandfathering of the Cool Dads”. All of their concerts will sell out as well, since people are thankful for the Strokes doing anything together. Expect to see some wistfulness, no matter what score they give them. The Strokes just are one of those bands who peaked and generally speaking will never hit that level of hip ever again.
Let’s see how it turns out. My gut says Scenario 2, but we’ll see if I’m right about it.