The Strokes: Comedown Machine

(Pictured, from left to right: Albert Hammond Jr., Nick Valensi, Julian Casablancas, Nikolai Fraiture, and Fabrizo Moretti)

Although "One Way Trigger" and "All the Time" had already been leaked, unofficially and officially, respectfully, and indicated an apparent evolution in The Strokes pop-and-yet-not-pop rock style, this unexpected (at least for me) pre-drop streaming of the Comedown Machine in its glorious, complete entirety sets the bar even higher. The album opens up with "Tap Out," a Jack White-esque blues-rock riff, which then quickly delves into a lovable, catchy chord progression, reminiscent of Angles. This song captures why everyone loves The Strokes so much - they somehow, time and time again, create a conglomeration of pop-rock, alternative-rock, and psychedelic-rock, and make it sound damn good. "All the time" is the next track on the record and, as many have said, is the anthem of the album - short and sweet. Nothing more to say about it, since everything's already been said. "One Way Trigger" rears its terrifying head next. I say, "rears its terrifying head" because that's what it is, to other artists at least. The song is just so..... Complete? Is that the right word? I don't know, but this feel good song has everything, and not in a Stefan-everything way - falsetto, guitar solos, an effective chorus, and, to top it off, a great beat in the background that titillates the ears.

(Comedown Machine)

Next, I'd say we get into the nitty-gritty of the album. Too often nowadays people totally ignore the middle of a record, save one or two songs, and entirely miss the emotion and story the artist is trying to convey. "Welcome To Japan" is where I start to see the band's real evolution from their previous works, especially at around the 3:40 mark. I would say this song builds up to that point, and then (I'm sorry music aficionados) "drops." The rise and fall that defines this song is pretty awesome, sorry for the lack of polysyllabic analysis, but that’s the best way I can put it without drawing it out too much. “80’s Comedown Machine” comes-wait for it-down next (puns, amiright?). The song opens and you’re like “is this Kanye West or something wtf,” but then gets going soon after and you’re left with a smile on your face. The song is rather slow, but that’s good. It kind of reminds me of a happier, less angsty Real Estate or Beach House, but not that much. It drones along in a really comforting way, but I have no idea what he’s saying. Sounds like “please . . . come away,” but your guess is as good as mine.

(The recently released music video for "All the Time")

Next is 50 50, which sounds a lot like their 2001 album “Is This It,” or the Arctic Monkey’s “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not.” Great drumming, guitar, and classic Strokes microphone modulation, I really like this track. Scientifically, this song is catalytically and kinetically perfect - it helps us break through the albums sound wall to the other side quite quickly. Slow Animals is kind of personality-less in my opinion, to be honest. It sounds like every other damn strokes song pre-2013, a mold they were so desperately trying to break with “Comedown Machine.” Sure, it has its quirks and differences, but all in all, it’s a good song, and nothing more. Not enough individuality. “Partners in Crime” comes next, and throws out some dope and funky whammy-bar shit for our enjoyment, and promptly develops into an eccentric pop song with tidbits of alt-rock. I like it a lot, the only thing wrong with it, in my opinion, is the same thing that’s wrong with a lot of The Strokes stuff – it favors the same chords as its forefathers do. After this, “Chances” comes next, and I feel like I’m the only one who’s going to think it feels like U2. I know everyone hates Bono nowadays, but seriously the guitar part on this song sounds like the Edge wrote it, and that’s a compliment. All in all, I’d say this track is one of the ones that most effectively achieves The Strokes goal with this album, deviating from their beloved established style while still retaining their old fans.

("One Way Trigger")

“Happy Ending,” incidentally, is at the end of the album- well, second to last at least. This is kind of a love song, in The Strokes own way - keeping it light and approachable. The chorus echoes with several loud “Baby’s!” that are certain to wake you up, full of the good old Strokes soul’ that we had become accustomed to through songs like "Under Cover of Darkness" and "Barely Legal". The album’s conclusion, “Call it Fate Call it Karma,” opens with some piano part that reminds me of classic, roots blues, but the singing is more Gorillaz-esque than anything - at first. After about a minute of this it gets into some psychedelic trance-rock that warms the mind. These two complementary parts alternate until the song, and the record, concludes, fading off into Le Vide.

I hate to grade albums because I feel like grades polarize the clearly artistic and non-polarized entity; however, if I were I’d give to do so I’d give this album an A-. Overall, I think the record is really well constructed and is listenable in its entirety, but I do have some slight qualms. The Strokes did a great job in creating what I’d like to think of as a transition album. I call it thus because I think that it has too much of their previous albums’ flavors present to call it a full evolution, but not enough to write it off as the quintessential Strokes sound. For this reason, Comedown Machine is aptly named – a metaphorical comedown from an easily recognizable brand of alternative rock that has come to define The Strokes to more humble, and progressive valleys. No one knows where The Strokes are going next, but I’d guess that their next album, probably due in two or three years, is going sound more like the quirky and individual side of “Comedown Machine” than the alt-pop side.

Listen to it HERE

Release Date: March 26th, 2013