Customer Reviews

Angles

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Ok, so I didn't do any research into who wrote what song or how they recorded them. I won't shove garbage down your throat regarding if they were bored, losing their touch or blessed by an angelic muse.

What I can tell you is that this doesn't sound like anything out there, but The Stokes.
Angles brought out a feeling of nostagic fun for my wife and I. Yes, it is a bit different than their previous albums, but I think the positive outweighs the negative here.

Angles starts out new and fresh for several songs. The vocal mix towards the end of Machu Picchu gave me chills. Under the cover of Darkness is the kind of music that drew me into this band. Two Kinds of Happiness is chock full of those passionate vocals I love and is probably my favorite song on the cd.
Best part was catching my wife dancing along to Taken for a Fool and Games in the kitchen while making lunch. Games made me feel like it was 1984 all over again :)

The album has a few songs that don't appeal to me whatsoever. For whatever reason some just feel mediocre. You're So Right screams bad Radiohead to me. Call Me Back reminds me of I got Nothing to Say, just not as good (yeah, that song grew on me) Also, with a very short run time, I wish there was an extra song or two

Strong solo efforts from Albert Hammond and Julian Casablancas have kept me more than satisfied, so maybe I wasn't dying for a new album as much as others. Maybe my expectations weren't as high. What I can't deny is enjoying the music on this album and I hope you enjoy it too.

Under Cover of Darkness and Machu Picchu are classics but the real gem is the Life Is Simple In The Moonlight. I feel that this album was a revival for the band and its a pleasure to see them focusing on the music with the same passion that they had for Is This It.

Angles deserves the over-exposure that so many new albums are getting these days. While "Under Cover Of Darkness" has already gotten significant play, this album is chock full of other songs that deserve attention.

The Strokes are splitting the difference with this new album. In some ways, this is more of the same music that fans have come to love from previous albums like Is This It and Room on Fire. "Under Cover of Darkness," "Taken For A Fool" and "Gratisfaction" are great examples.

And in other ways, they have clearly integrated more styles in these songs. "You're So Right" sounds like some kind of hybrid between the newest MGMT album Congratulations and classic 80s rock guitar solos. The same could be said of the closing track, which alternates styles a bit more. In fact, a full range of 80s influences are on display on this album. "Machu Pichu" has a ska guitar part reminiscent of early albums from The Police. The instrumentation on "Games" reminded me of classic Duran Duran, and mixed with Julian's vocals it is a stark contrast indeed. "Two Kinds Of Happiness" somewhat starts in the same vein, but then takes on more of a classic rock flair for the chorus and guitar solo.

Songs like "Metabolism" really could fit right in on the newest Muse album The Resistance. The vocals are operatic, and the instrumentation takes a page out of classic metal. But The Strokes have a way of smoothing everything out so that it all sounds like rock.

There are some soft moments on this album too, like the melancholy "Call Me Back." And the album closes with the deliberate "Life Is Simple In The Moonlight," which mixes more harmonies that the other tracks.

CONCLUSION

While bands like The Decembrists and Spoon have changed their sound dramatically when compared to their earlier albums, The Strokes have just fine-tuned their sound. This definitely has the sound of their classics, but also has new ideas sprinkled here and there.

I think it's impossible to judge this album against their earlier ones. The Strokes have produced some of the classic albums of the last ten years. It's going to take some time to put this new album into context.

There is enough here to keep most hard-core fans satisfied. Still, there will always be naysayers. No album is going to please every fan, especially after all the time The Strokes spent on side projects. But for those asking if this album is worth purchasing, the answer is a definite "yes."

Enjoy.

The good news: This is a solid effort by The Strokes, and one could argue that after Is This It? this is their best CD. Their sound is very well updated, and in addition to the lead singles (is that term even relevant anymore?) Machu Picchu and under Cover, the CD has two hidden gems in Taken for a Fool and Games. With the possible exception of Call Me Back (which starts nicely as a Strokes version of Girl from Ipanema but loses the plot after that and becomes just boring) everything else is excellent in here. Also You're so Right sounds like The Strokes covering an Interpol cover of a Strokes song (which isn't that bad actually ;-)) ).

The bad news: The album got some poor reviews from people who felt obligated to appear soooooo hip that they had to rush to be the first to put it down.

Ignore the reviews, but it and you won't be disappointed.

When asked about the new Strokes album, many would say "Is This That?". This would obviously be a reference to the band's debut masterpiece; "Is This It?" The tone of the question is being geared towards Angles different styled sound. Truthfully, these people aren't really giving the band the chance it deserves. These listeners need to see the big picture. Yes, that "new" sound that the band invented back in 2001 mostly changed after Room on Fire (their second album), but many went on to write the band off immediately after the third album was released. The problem they have is the change from the old "signature" sound, to the current one. The thing of it is; this is their NEW sound - The Strokes of 2011. I ask anybody here that knows the group well; how many bands can you name that have a sound like any Strokes album? The Strokes first "new sounding" album was their third album, "First Impressions of Earth". Like Angles, it is shunned for its distance from the old Strokes sound. Think back to the early days of popular radio music, when The Beatles were the first band to truly change their sound and become even better, with their shift from poppy love songs to psychedelic music. The Beatles were going in their own direction and not really caring about what others thought. From that perspective, some of the greatest music to ever to be heard was produced. The Strokes are a band that started out with their own sound, and they continue to follow that path with every new album. Listen to the album for what it is, and for its artistic purposes of entertainment. For those of you that haven't really heard of the band or only know a few songs and want in, this album can absolutely be the first Strokes cd you own. Why? It's the music of 2011 - The Strokes of the current years. Remember, people may be some day looking back on today's music wishing it was theirs. Don't waste these albums because they define our current time and our future in music...

The Strokes are one of those bands that have been held up as 'saviors' for so long that it's hard to believe that their total output for a decade is a mere four albums. "Angles" is the first time that they've - in my opinion - lived up to the hype of the first album. It doesn't sound like a knock-off (the reason my review of "Room on Fire" was two stars), and sounds more committed than "First Impressions" did. They've re-embraced pop structure, and Julian Casablancas' singing is at a new peak. Even the first single, "Under Cover of Darkness" breezed by with an easy charm.

Maybe it was the near five year break that motivated them, but "Angles" has that cool-band buzziness back. The punk urgency of "You're So Right" recaptures the CBGB rawness of the earlier days, while the new-wave "Two Kinds of Happiness" and "Games" take their cues from the chittering work The Cars were so perfect at. At the same time, the experimentation that made "First Impressions" sound listless is tightened up for "Gratisfaction" (best Strokes song ever?) and the moody, "Call Me Back." So maybe "First Impressions of Earth" wasn't as much a backslide as I first thought.

Overall, "Angles" is what "Is This It" originally promised from The Strokes. They had, at the beginning both attitude and ambition to burn. Casablancasa was as blatant an anti-star as the year had turned out, with all the attractiveness that would imply. The snarling twin guitars and snapping rhythm section are as tight now as they were then, and "Angles" is the sound of a band, while not making a masterpiece, still on solid footing.

After a long 5 year hiatus Strokes fans have been rewarded with what could be considered their best album since their 2001 debut (Is This It). Even though their 3rd album (First Impressions of Earth) was considered a mis-step, it was that album which got me into them.

After listening to this album for about a month I feel like I can safely review. I have to admit when I first listened to it, even though there were many tracks I immediately dug, I felt the album was a little all over the place. However after listening to the album many times it becomes apparent this one body of work and not a collection of songs.

Right from the first song, Machu Picchu, it's obvious this album isn't the 'back to the basics' sound that I was hearing about prior to it's release. However, it's a perfect opener for Angles with it's reggae tinge. The 2nd track is the first single (and my favorite song from the album) the blazing Under Cover of Darkness - quintessential Strokes. The album certainly has an 80's feel to it, but not a top 40 80's sound... more like how bands like The Replacements or even Husker Du were hitting their creative peak 80's sound. The songs segue perfectly one after the other with little filler. The tunes are well written, sticking to the memory banks after they've finished playing and is the sound of band that still has a lot of gas left in the engine.

I wasn't expecting much this go round after hearing how the band divided over the last few years so my expectations weren't very high. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised. This isn't band coasting but a band that is still filling a giant void in today's music scene. These songs are lively and a lot of fun. If you're looking for an album to left your spirits, or to get you pumped up... or if you just want to hear some damn good music, then Angles is a perfect albums for you!

Haters gonna hate. Rated 5 stars because so many people rated it 1 star and said the album was "ok". Jog off. If you don't like Machu Picchu or Under Cover of Darkness, you never liked The Strokes in the first place.

The Strokes busted into the music scene a walking anachronism at a juncture when baseball caps, baggy pants and detuned power chords were the flavor of the hour. A gang of greasy haired, five o'clock shadows brandishing Heineken bottles atop amplifiers, adorned in Chuck Taylors and retro skinny slacks well before they became the norm for every red blooded set of teenage hormones in the land. Is This It was a beautiful shot in the dark... A smoldering piece of seventies tinged psychedelic garage fare with a bit of new age sexual swagger that exploded against the odds and made them the closest thing you get to rockstars in the year 2011. After the solid followup, rumors of dissension within the band gave way to the disjointed, experimental dropping of the ball that was FIOE. A lengthy hiatus, multiple solo projects and a preliminary failed attempt at a new record combined to add much doubt to the future for the boys now that the world had caught on to their initial, undeniable cool. The end result is Angles, a long awaited, helter skelter new release that mixes a crazy combination of "Classic Strokes" boogie with new wave, 80's synth/bass experimentation, to varying degrees of success.

It is rare to hear an album that is this across the board, and you get the feeling you're listening to a loosely bound collection of songs rather than a cohesive album... There may have been too many cooks in the kitchen, as Julian had to cede over complete songwriting authority, and it may be a detriment to the release. Spastic time signature changes dominate many of the synth and groove laden tunes, and that in and of itself wouldn't be the problem if any of them had a discernible hook. When this album misses it misses wide... but that is not due to any tweaks to the classic formula... it is that they were embryonic ideas that just never went anywhere and the album is littered with about five of these misfires... Somebody had their old Duran Duran records dusted off, and the Rick Ocasek mimic of Two Kinds of Happiness almost gets by, but just seems too cluttered due to everyone wanting their moment in the sun. But then there are the moments that the cylinders fire again and we are reminded what a force this group can be when they get it right.

The staccato bass and drum groove of Taken for a Fool, with its kick in the door intro is an undeniable hip shaker with Casablancas belting out his real life fantasy, "We're so lucky 'cause we never grow up." Under Cover of Darkness is an intentional wool pulling over the eyes of old school fans, a logical successor to Last Nite and that road revved maniac who's been in town for just now fifteen oh minutes now, looking for a good time. No doubt the band and their handlers felt this would be a safe "foot in the door" and it's more than a bit misleading given the album as a whole. Gratisfaction and Life is Simple in the Moonlight finish off the quartet of truly old school sounding tunes with hit and miss moments throughout.

The production drowned out most of Casablancas' vocals, and this may have been tactical to take attention off of what is sadly a subpar lyrical and vocal offering from Julian at most points. The manic, hyper stutter, immaculately stoned delivery that had become trademark is now tempered down, rarely venturing into unpredictable territory and the lyrical content has lost a good deal of the nonsensible abstract sexual cool, even bordering on cliched at times. One of the greatest melodies in the Strokes catalogue is weakened on Under Cover of Darkness, by the mundane lyrical reprise of "I'll wait for you" followed by the obligatory retort "Will you wait for me, too." Going outside of the box lyrically there could have possibly elevated a very good song to great.

All in all a chaotic, but at times enjoyable listen that succeeds in bobbing heads here and there. Reports of the demise of this outfit maybe a bit premature... they have still left enough smoke in the air to sustain public attention with this release.

It really does pain to write these words particularly after reading the huge claims of the recent BBC review that "Angles" the new record by the Strokes "might actually be their very best record yet". Thus hopes were raised and a genuine feeling of excitement was generated at the prospect. However we are back in musical Groundhog Day and even guitarist Nick Valensi has since admitted that "I feel like we have a better album in us". Frankly on this evidence you sense that may this might just be wishful thinking and sadly for those who have invested hours of prayer trying to persuade the great music God in the sky to smile again on J Casablancas and co a sense of disappointment will follow.

It's not that "Angles" is a bad album, it's pretty good in some parts and a couple of the songs are top drawer. At times when the band kick into that great Strokes groove on the classy single "Under cover of darkness" and the brilliant power pop of "Two kinds of happiness" and "Taken for a fool" the great times come flooding back and you think ....yes! Perhaps the early weight of expectation on this New York band was always a mighty millstone to carry but it did seem possible at the time of "Is this it" that the ghosts of Television, Talking Heads and mutter it quietly the Velvet Underground were being resurrected and rejuvenated. From the amazing debut onwards to every subsequent release you wanted them to succeed with every ounce of your soul. The narrative behind the album however reveals a band reluctantly coming together after five years with Casablancas agreeing to a democratic input from all band members reflecting all angles (although recording his vocals separately). But the result of all this collaboration inevitably leads to a lack of coherence. In this sense the comment in Slant magazine is painful but probably true that "most of the time the album sounds like a divorce settlement being pieced together one painstaking line at a time".

Thus we have "Games" sounding like a bad Human League song, the silly opener "Machu Pichu" starts off with cod reggae like a latter day "Dreadlock Holiday" and then somehow mutates into the Thompson Twins "We are detective". The bottom is truly scrapped with the tuneless dour synth pop of "Your so right"; while "Call me back" shows no sign whatsoever of ever working out what type of song it wants to be. Its true that "Gratisfaction" has a nice pop sensibility but it sounds like it was lifted from a Thin Lizzy song. Things finish strongly however with two great songs the powerful "Metabolism" and the albums highlight the genuinely lovely "Life is simple in the moonlight'.

"Angles" then is a decent Strokes album, which is the biggest criticism you can level at it. Ultimately it's the sound of a band that used to be cool and edgy struggling to be relevant and wondering what to do next. Can even the most uncritical Strokes fan say with hand on heart that this album is even on par for example with the very underrated "Room on fire"? Indeed I think it has great deal of continuity with "First Impressions". Listening to "Angles" is like witnessing a once great team pulling in different directions and looking for someone to take charge on the field of play. Sorry to rain on the parade here since I truly wanted this to be brilliant and to signal that the Strokes have a glorious future. But it is with heavy regret that I have to say that it doesn't appear to achieve either of those aims.