The New Abnormal/ The Strokes - alternative

By Narendra Kusnur

Album: The New Abnormal
Artiste: The Strokes
Genre: Alternative rock
Label: RCA Records
Rating: ****

Their 2001 debut album Is This It was a huge success and put the Strokes at the forefront of the garage rock revival. Though their later records didn’t match in popularity, the American band was known for its experimentation and offbeat approach.

After a seven-year hiatus, the Strokes are out with The New Abnormal. It sounds confusing and directionless on initial hearing, but after a while, the songs grow on you. Interestingly, this is one of those albums which sounds better as it progresses, with the last four numbers being absolute beauties.

With songwriting seemingly inspired by Velvet Underground and the Ramones, the group is heavily dependent on the vocal strength of Julian Casablancas, and guitaring skills of Albert Hammond Jr and Nick Valensi. While the tight bass and drums provide the spine, Rick Rubin’s production takes the songs to another level.

Casablancas is easily one of the best voices in 21st century rock. He alternates between three textures – a baritone drawl, a sudden modification while raising pitch and a falsetto – and possesses immense range and flexibility. Check him on ‘Not The Same Anymore’, where he sings, “You're not the same any more, don’t wanna play that game any more, you’d make a better window than a door” before some heady guitars take over.

His talent and effortless depth are evident on the quintessentially Strokes opener ‘The Adults Are Talking’, the intense ‘Why Are Sundays So Depressing’ and the marvellously constructed ‘At The Door’, which has no drums and a baroque-style ending. Guitarist Valensi’s ability to reproduce synthesiser tones on these tracks lends a unique touch.

Beginning with a Doors ‘Touch Me’ style, ‘Brooklyn Bridge To Chorus’ has the lines, “One shot is never enough, I just wait for us to go in circles.” On ‘Bad Decisions’, the Strokes use a Billy Idol sample, whereas ‘Eternal Summer’ and 'Selfless' are filled with haunting falsettos, with Casablancas singing "Life is so short, but I will always love for you" on.the latter. . ‘Ode To The Mets' has a hum-along vibe, though a portion seems inspired by Pink Floyd’s ‘Another Brick In The Wall’.

One may argue that Is This It was more cutting-edge and superior, but that’s because the band's sound was fresh at that time. Some 19 years later, the Strokes still have the flair to produce one of the better records of the past few months.