‘Reality Awaits’ For The Strokes in New Album
After nearly 2 decades of making music, The Strokes have defined the indie/alternative genre. With countless iconic albums, where do they go next? Reality Awaits is their newest addition and it feels like a grand mix of experimental styles and the original sound of The Strokes. 6 years after The New Abnormal, they are here to make a statement. Recorded by The Strokes and producer Rick Rubin in Costa Rica, the album features 9 songs with a run time of 42 minutes. Its heavy autotune and dynamic shifts give the band a new direction that seems to work in their favor.
The first track “Psycho Shit” opens with a soft, dark guitar part as the soft whisper of Julian Casablancas’ comes in. The song is a call out to artists who do not use their platform to bring issues to light, calling them ignorant as they become advertisements instead of doing it for the purpose of creating art. The song slowly builds with Julian’s vocals, synth, and guitar to a climax of a classic The Strokes guitar riff. The heavy autotune at the end gives the song an intentional, eerie sound that works for the lyrics.
“Dine N’Dash” is The Strokes at their best. An intertwining of guitar and drums that feels dreamy with the accompany of Julian’s mellow voice. “We could never afford it / We would dine and dash / I would always go last” The song is a metaphor for consuming things, like a relationship, knowing that what it can cost people emotionally can’t be given back. He’s honest about knowing that.
In “Lonely in the Future” Julian reflects on his and The Strokes' impact on the music industry. Telling specific artists he’s been doing what they are doing for twenty years. It's a take on the endless cycle of inspiration. Artists inspired Julian as a kid and he will do the same for other kids. It’s a playful song, despite its many disses.
Singles “Going Shopping” and “Falling out of Love” were the first look into the album. They are very different vibes with one being an upbeat depiction of the implications of late-stage capitalism and the other a slow unraveling of a heartbreak. The heavy autotune of “Going Shopping” takes some getting used to, it’s fun but seems uninspired coming from The Strokes. “Going to Babble On” stands out as a playful, upbeat hit. Fans first heard parts of this song in a video of theirs from 2021 but it was never released until now. The guitar is light, breezy, and is reminiscent of their older eras. The last 30 seconds of the song is an energetic duel of guitars with a steady drum following alongside.
The album could very well be another addition to Julian Casablancas’ other project The Voidz. It is experimental and is a clear influence on this album. The free flowing and groove of “The Fruits of Conquest” is some of the best guitar tones of the whole album. It features the distorted vocals of Julian repeating “I’m a leech / I’m a leech” over and over. Thematically touching on the collapse of power, it follows the arc of someone reaching the full potential they wanted, only to realize it is broken. Finishing out with “Tyrants of the Mellow Moon”, fans are left with an eerie depiction of a departure and the weight of what is left behind.
Reality Awaits stands out as a politically aware album filled with experimental sounds for The Strokes. It's dynamic and deep but has a playful side as well. With some very strong moments, it feels like The Strokes are in a new era.