Artist: The Strokes
Album: Angles
Genre: Rock
Label: RCA, Rough Trade

Angles marks the fourth album New York quintet The Strokes. It comes after an extensive break and around two years worth of studio work which the band dubbed as a ‘much needed hibernation period.’ First single from this record was “Under Cover of Darkness” and was released on February 9 of this year. Their last album ‘First Impressions of Earth’ was released in 2006 which makes it almost four years since their last release.

After hearing the first single often on the radio, I was intrigued about this album which was a surprise to me as I would not necessarily call myself a The Strokes fan. Luckily, this album lived up, at least partially, to my expectations. While not being as remarkable as debut album Is This It, Strokes fans should be pleased with this effort and looking forward to the future of the band.

From “Machu Picchu”- so named after the 15th-century Inca site in Peru- there is a definite deviation from the normal Strokes sound. However, the band’s distinct personality (and signature sound) still rings true. While singer Julian Casablancas promotes some semblance of the past The Strokes records, the musicianship has definitely been stepped up and truly makes this record a worthwhile listen. There is a certain darker aspect throughout the album, a somewhat stark contrast to the bright, almost brash, cover of the album. References to other genres repeatedly crop up with the additional instrumentation on the record and for me; this makes the album highly enjoyable and more enjoyable. This darker aspect is orchestrated through “You’re So Right,” “Call Me Back,” and “Life Is Simple in the Moonlight.” “You’re So Right” has a surreal buzzing tone throughout, something which is bordering on unsettling but strangely works well with Casablancas’ lilting vocal lines. “Call Me Back” is much more laid back and almost morose, but is more comforting than depressing.

A personal favourite is “Life is Simple in the Moonlight.” It sounds like something directly out of the eighties, however still remains current due to the Strokes’ tilt. The bridge and chorus are endlessly catchy and the song would not be out of place in the Cure’s back catalogue. These songs show a slightly different angle- excuse the pun- to the band and which is hopefully a hint as to the future of the band’s music. This is juxtaposed by the much more buoyant “Call Me Back,” which borders on out of place but is by no means a filler track. A credit to the Strokes is that their work has paid off with a record of strong songs, many of which would be successful if released as singles.

Opposed to be a straight up rehashing of previous work, the Strokes have utilized their past music as well as past influences and music types. This should bode well for the band who has hinted that they are already working on a fifth studio album. A new release so soon might be a way to make up for the four year deficit but considering the solidity of Angles, a second release in a short space of time may not be a bad thing.

Score: 7/10
Review written by: Naomi Carson

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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