The Strokes - Comedown Machine

Julian Casablancas and his bandmates The Strokes are back with their all new studio release, Comedown Machine. The follow up to 2011's Angles finds NYC's premiere garage rock sensations deviating slightly from their usual blend of melodic alternative rock, and into a more 80's synth fueled hybrid that may turn away and alienate some fans in the process who feel that the band have drifted away from their roots a little bit, and some of those fans may be right here.

The disc starts off with "Tap Out", a decent, synth fueled rocker that is faintly reminiscent with that classic Strokes vibe, but added with more keyboard effects and Julian's voice inserted into a synthesizer that sounds a tad bit artificial and not the usual Strokes that we have come to love so dearly in the past. My favorite song off the album is the disc's first single "All the Time", a track that strikes a perfect balance between bassist Nikolai Fraiture's terrific bass skills and the band's overall classic Strokes vibe that is present in full form here and encourages listeners to keep their attention fully all the way throughout the track. "Welcome to Japan" tones down the electro toned effects just a little bit to allow the instrumentation to breathe and allow the rest of the band to do their thing, including guitarist Nick Valensi who contributes a great deal to the sonic achievements of The Strokes up until this point. "80's Comedown Machine" is a mellow, synth heavy rocker that takes a huge detour from the prior musical road the previous songs took, and makes a strong emphasis on allowing the other instrumentation to take a backseat for the time being, something which I don't necessarily agree with and doesn't exactly do it for me right here.

The second half of the album commences with "Slow Animals", a midtempo rocker that features a neat percussion arrangement from Albert Hammond Jr., who contributes a great deal to the band's melodic side, ensuring that each track ends on point and on cue. "Partners In Crime" starts out with an odd sounding melody that ricochets off the instrumentation, before settling in to a midtempo groove that carries it all the way throughout on a decent but somewhat confusing track. The disc begins to wind down on "Happy Ending" a solid, consistent rocker that features Julian's crooning voice continuing to amaze and inspire, and keep the album on solid footing as we head towards the finish line. The disc ultimately draws to a close on "Call It Fate, Call It Karma", a soft, comforting rocker that features Jule's monotone and straightforward vocal style that has become the hallmark of The Strokes sound and the one component of their music that all fans seem to gravitate towards, and puts the finishing touches on a so-so effort displayed here. I must admit I wasn't a huge fan of The Strokes when they first came out in 2001, as I was a little overwhelmed with a lot of bands using "The" prepositions in their names to sound trendy, plus I didn't traditionally like their sound a great deal. Upon further and repeated listens, I grew to truly appreciate and love their sound, and really admired Julian's work ethic that he imposed upon each and every song the band created, and had a very soft-spoken and laid back personality that made me love him and the band that much more.

All in all, a decent and somewhat disconcerting effort here from The Strokes, who have clearly worked hard to create another effort that fully realized their artistic vision when in the studio creating these tracks, but this album falls flat in comparison to their previous releases.

                                                                                                                              Album Score: 3/5

Track Listing:

1. Tap Out
2. All the Time
3. One Way Trigger
4. Welcome to Japan
5. 80's Comedown Machine
6. 50/50
7. Slow Animals
8. Partners in Crime
9. Chances
10. Happy Ending
11. Call It Fate, Call It Karma