So you’re saying there’s a chance?
It’s been an interesting return to the spotlight for a band that seemed to have the indie rock world in the back pocket of their distressed skinny jeans a decade ago. It’s been an argumentative, disinterested, disjointed, exhausting, and tedious past year for members of The Strokes.
The band bickered to the media over contentious studio sessions. Lead singer, Julian Casablancas, washed his hands of the album 12 days before it was even released. Claiming he only liked about 60 percent of it and added he wasn’t looking forward to touring.
The lead-up to The Strokes April release was hype-filled and hugely anticipated. Fueled by an excellent first single, “Under the Cover of Darkness,” it seemed possible that the band could return to some of their former glory. But “Angles” ended up being a rather uneven comeback album that gained so-so reviews. More importantly their live performances seemed to lack something — like any remote semblance of a band that liked each other.
Plenty of music fans were nostalgic for those brash 20-somethings who ushered in the 2000s. Instead we got Casablancas’ “we don’t give a fuck attitude,” which is cool when you’re 20 years old with the hottest band in the county, but seemed to wear kind of thin at the age of 30.
Many had all but given up on them, myself included, until they played Madison Square Garden. All of the sudden the band who didn’t give a shit started to care. It was as if a switch was flipped. The show got rave reviews and the New York Times glowingly said it overshadowed the LCD Soundsystem farewell show that went on the following night.
Over the past couple weeks it seems the band has done a 180-degree turn. According to bassist Nickolai Fraiture’s Twitter account the band was even back in the studio yesterday.
Members of The Strokes, including the normally grumpy Casablancas had said that they planned to get back in the studio in April, and guitarist Nick Velensi stated he would like to release another album by the end of the year. However this is The Strokes we’re talking about, so you have to take what they say with a grain of salt.
So the fact the entire band is in the studio, recording music together, and possibly getting along for the first time in years is reason to be optimistic. Either that or I’m hopelessly naïve and a sucker for the nostalgic carrot they’re dangling in front of me.
