# Album Review: The Strokes’ Fifth LP, ‘Comedown Machine’

- Link: https://indierockcafe.com/2013/03/album-review-the-strokes-fifth-lp-comedown-machine-trades-leather-and-grit-for-polyester-and-headbands/
- Published: 2013-03-29T05:34:39-04:00
- Author: Max Hammer

Starting with their last album, _Angles_, before this week’s new release, _Comedown
Machine_, The Strokes have been aiming for a new sound. But as their new album demonstrates,
this was definitely not The Strokes we grew up with, but something different – they
traded leather for polyester, grit for glitter. That said, the band still has balls(
if you except it was artistic growth and not a coup) or else they would have never
taken such a bold – some argue ill-fated – step into new wave/dance style pop – 
a direction many Strokes’ fans are having a hard time coming to terms with.

Within seconds of the opening track, “Tap Out,” it’s clear that the new direction
first signaled on 2011’s _Angles_ for the Strokes is now set in stone, whether fans
like it or not.

As the 11-track album progresses, suspicion arises that the captain at the helm,**
Julian Casablancas**, the band’s frontman and lead singer/songwriter, perhaps with
prodding or collusion from RCA/Sony execs, has essentially written and recorded 
a new solo album, and the other band members somehow ended up more of a backing 
band then the actual members of The Strokes.

 1. [All The Time](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/The-Strokes-All-The-Time-New-Song-2013_PygApdDd4o4_youtube-1.mp3)
 2. [Partners In Crime](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/The-Strokes-Partners-In-Crime_ajqKSzihNJw_youtube.mp3)

But how could our pop rock guitar heros have all capitulated to embrace this disco
meets 80s pop concept, that is, in the eyes of hard-core Strokes’ traditionalists,
dreadfully sinful, if not cynical? Was it in fact a Casablancas coup (hints of which
were noted during the making of _Angles_, wherein Casablancas was rumored to have
recorded some of his contributions separately) that the other members didn’t have
the time or energy, or even the contractual standing, to resist?

In fact, in _Rolling Stone_‘s review of the new album, they reported: “_Comedown
Machine_ is basically a solo trip for singer Julian Casablancas, showing yet again
how much he respects Eighties New Wave.” He may respect it, but why would he use
The Strokes – and more perplexing, and disturbing, again, is why did the rest go
along – as the outlet for his interest of a 30 year-old sub-genre? Why not just 
channel that passion for new wave into a solo effort?

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 The LP’s second song, and the most obvious single, “All The Time,” is like an antidote
that takes effect just in time after the shocking transformation of the album’s 
opening new wave/dance track. “All The Time” is much more the sound we expected 
from The Strokes.

 “One Way Trigger” is yet another dance/new-wave track, and while the reaction for
many may be acceptance by that point, after multiple spins, “One Way Trigger” is
a pretty solid song. Still, it’s hard to shake the fact that the band sprung this
radical shift in sound and style (and delivered more of a Casablancas solo effort)
away from the pop rock they’re known for to dance and electronic music.

Perhaps, over time, we’ll come to appreciate _Comedown Machine_ more, but at the
moment, we’re, like so many Strokes fans, simply disappointed and confused. In all,
one gets the sense that Casablancas and the band really don’t care that much about
letting down their long-term die-hard fans, especially in light of the fact that
they have not spoken with the press, are not touring and haven’t even put together
an _original_ music video for any of the tracks on _Comedown_ – the video “All The
Time” is spliced together with archival footage.

Clearly, the band is at a crossroads – either this _is_ it or the band has committed
to a new direction, shedding their leathery rock and roll skin that made them international
rock stars worldwide following their legendary debut album, 2001’s masterful _Is
This It?_. Some hardcore fans, especially those who have an unhealthy infatuation
with the band, will struggle with reconciling this new direction that started with
_Angles_, and we suppose there will be a few really hardcore, traditionalist type
fans who will retreat to the band’s first three albums before _Angles_, as their
Strokes mainstays, and largely disregard the last two LPs, as a coping mechanism.

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Different people react in different ways, but when a wildly popular and accomplished
band fundamentally changes their sound in a direction that many fans are not entirely
comfortable with, all kinds of things can happen. In the end, however, there are
likely few die-hard Strokes’ fans who are going to abandon the band for ‘mixing 
it up,’ and, in fact, with _Angles_ and now _Comedown Machine_, The Strokes are 
gaining entire new legions of fans that they never had before. new demographics 
of music lovers who otherwise would not be Strokes your they’ve grown accustomed
to over many years, and that expect to hear more of, all kinds of crazy things can
happen.

Clearly, some fans, bloggers and music critics, have welcomed and applauded this
radical change of direction. The _New Musical Express_ (the UK’s equivalent of _Rolling
Stone_), observed: “It’s flawed, it’s imperfect and it’s downright odd at points,
but it is packed with belting tunes. Most of all, it’s fun.” Well, OK, if you’re
looking for a ‘fun,’ then perhaps you’ll be satisfied. IRC album reviewer, **J. 
Hubner** had a different conclusion about the newest Strokes’ LP: _“__Comedown Machine_
is a great pop album. This should come as no surprise because The Strokes are a 
great pop band. They’ve always written pop songs. Sometimes they’re disguised as
gritty CBGBs-era post punkers. Sometimes they put on their best **Cars** moves and
plunk the synths a bit.” Read Hubner’s [full review of _Comedown Machine_](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/the-strokes-comedown-machine).

He makes some good points, and as time goes on, we can see a process where we, and
other initially disappointed fans, eventually warm up to the album and maybe even
come to love it – music has an odd way of being distasteful to the ears at one point
and then turning out to be enjoyable later on.

But for now, we’re just let down, and hold firm to the belief that the album ultimately
falls flat, that it is short on ideas and simply does not measure up when compared
to the band’s first three amazing albums.

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original

Still, there are some tracks on _Comedown_ that long-time, rock-loving Strokes’ 
fans can cling to, including “50/50,” “Partners in Crime” and the afore-mentioned“
All The Time,” which seems to be perhaps the only song on the album that most people
will remember a year from now.

_ The Boston Globe_ – who gave the album a failing grade of 5 out of 10 – penned:“
The Strokes’ hallmarks – those lean melodies, that steely interplay among guitarists**
Nick Valensi** and **Albert Hammond Jr. **and bassist **Nikolai Fraiture**, the 
urgency of Julian Casablancas’ vocals – are largely absent,” concluding, “In their
place is a looseness that’s refreshing, until you realize these guys are perhaps
running short on ideas.” Other critics were less forgiving. The UK _Independent_
concluded: “They’re virtually unrecognisable as the band that made their game-changing
debut, save perhaps for [the track] “All The Time.'”

Fortunately, _Comedown_ is not a total loss for traditional fans and new fans alike.
But it’s like someone who you had a crush on in high school and when you meet again
for the first time a decade later at your 10th high school reunion, you’re a bit
disappointed. Leading up to the reunion, you had hoped perhaps the old flame could
be reignited. And then it doesn’t happen; it’s completely different than you imagined.
You both still had a good time, but it wasn’t anything like you hoped, and yet you’re
not exactly sure how to explain it all.

_Paste_, in their review, also raised this point: “Comedown Machine [is] reliably
solid, mostly enjoyable, slightly disappointing for reasons that are difficult to
articulate.” All said, _Comedown Machine_ is not what we expected from the Strokes,
but at the same time, it has its moments; we just wonder if most Strokes’ fans are
going to stay on board after the band has substantially changed the flight plan.
Is this a new direction, or, is this it?

_6 out of 10_