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Strokes' Genre-Bending Mixtape: Fun and Effort on Comedown Machine
13 Aug
Summary
- Album feels like a personal mixtape with 11 genre experiments.
- The band embraces a 'lovable underdog' image with their new sound.
- Musicians are noted for genuinely trying and having fun on this record.
The Strokes' fifth album, "Comedown Machine," presents a shift from their signature cool to a more experimental and perhaps "nerdy" sound. This album feels akin to a personal mixtape, featuring 11 distinct genre experiments that showcase the band's renewed enthusiasm and effort.
Having previously defined a New York "squalor chic" through their music, The Strokes have now explored styles like synth-pop, surf rock, and soft-rock. This change allows them to be recast as "lovable underdogs," with "Comedown Machine" reflecting a more conscious effort than their earlier, seemingly effortless cool.
Despite some callbacks to their earlier work, the album's highlights include funk and dream-pop elements. The band members appear to be genuinely enjoying the creative process, with "throwaway" moments suggesting it's not solely Julian Casablancas' solo project.
However, the album's diversity is ultimately framed by Casablancas' musical limitations. While he excels at a laconic tone, some attempts at urgency or humor feel forced. Nevertheless, the record signifies a bold, genre-bending step for the band.
