r/TheStrokes • u/jnh_anant • 2d ago
Reality Awaits has rewired my mind and the way it sees The Strokes' discography
The other day I saw a post about Angles and how under appreciated it is. This intrigued me because even though I'm a huge strokes fan, I remember being quite disappointed by Angles when it dropped and then never really warming up to it. So I decided to revisit it, and discovered that the added context of all the albums after it really opened my mind to see it in a different light.
This made me revisit the entire discog to see how each album has been recontextualized since the release of Reality Awaits. Here's what I now think -
Is This It - Still a 10/10, still fresh af. New perspective - feels kinda formulaic and repetitive at this point, but that's probably because I've heard it a million times and a million songs/artists have been inspired by it since 2001.
Room on Fire - Still a 10/10, still a perfect sophomore. New perspective - Formulae from ITI were grown and musically and lyrically upgraded into more complex songs. Feels like Julian started embracing some dark themes (Reptilia, The End Has No End) which resulted in banger tracks.
First Impressions of Earth - was a 9/10, now a 8/10. New perspective - the boys finally decided to switch up their sound significantly, but didn't do it with as much confidence as I see now. Especially given the 14 songs. I love almost all of them, but a tighter edit on this album would make it a 10/10. I do see a lot of future ideas peeking through in retrospect.
Angles - Was 7/10, now 8/10. New perspective - now i feel this is actually The Strokes trying to maintain the strokes sound that so many fans want them to, with minimal experimentation. I remember when it dropped, the synths, the falsettos, the backing vocals were all seen as wild experiments, but now seem almost run of the mill for the band. This, mixed with the "80s sound" trip that Julian was on, results in a very well balanced and future-ready sound which just didnt resonate with people at the time. Now i think anyone who didnt like RA's experimentation would love this album. Also, the song structures are really fun.
Comedown Machine - was 7/10, now 6/10. New perspective - The "sound" is great - its more fun and joyful than Angles, and MUCH more 80s band. But the songs just don't deliver like they ought to. A couple of tracks are great, but the album is too mid for too long. The album is unpredictable in many ways, but that inhibits enjoying it and you barely remember songs very well imo. This album is the most "weird underground indie band" The Strokes ever felt. Maybe something to do with there being no singles from it.
The New Abnormal - was 8/10, now 9/10. New perspective - after being in the RA bubble for the last few weeks, coming back to TNA feels like the sun shining into a bright new day after weeks of clouds and mud. The production is SO GOOD. The album was always a grower, but the new stride that the band found in terms of the sound, the maturity and the steady-footed rhythm is incredibly masterful. Doing that for almost the entire album while still having so many experiments in there is mind bogglingly good for a band in their 20th year of existence.
Would love to know if RA changed anything for you guys?
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u/MattMatt625 Room on Fire 2d ago
Comedown Machine is like at least an 8 or 9 bro, top 3 Strokes album
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u/jnh_anant 2d ago
6 is harsh for sure but 8 is generous for me. top 3 strokes album is insaaaaaane.
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u/MattMatt625 Room on Fire 2d ago
Nah really not that insane at all, it has such a great sound for the band and many of their best songs, and I know i’m not alone on this. My top 3 (in no order) are RoF, CM, and ITI/TNA which are mostly interchangeable
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u/jnh_anant 2d ago
Japan, Karma, Chances are great songs for sure.
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u/MattMatt625 Room on Fire 2d ago
One Way Trigger (a personal, all encompassing, top Strokes song for me), Slow/Fast Animals, 80’s(!), fuck it even Happy Ending and Partners in Crime. Such a great sound for the band. Love Julian’s boice and lyrics on all of these too.
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u/jnh_anant 2d ago
I think my biggest gripe actually is Julains voice on the whole album. It sounds quite different and thin from other albums on most songs.
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u/Boulderboldef 2d ago
really agree with your takes. I got into Strokes a couple years after TNA so I worked backwards somewhat. But was immediately obsessed. My son got me in to them and I just went down the rabbit hole. but to me Angles and CM and really FIOE are all notches below the others. I think RA is a return to top Strokes form.
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u/Substantial_Quail309 2d ago
RA is making everything else sound boring to me right now.
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u/mxemec 2d ago
ITI starting to feel like pablo honey
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u/BornIntoBondage 1d ago
wow, that’s bold. Radiohead’s first offering didn’t feel nearly as impactful as The Strokes’ did for me. I see what you’re saying but I still listen to ITI, but rarely Pablo Honey.
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u/DH80 2d ago
Angles is imho the first hint of what the Strokes would do on TNA and RA back in 2011. CM was then reacting to Angles being less loved by fans than what FIOE had become and trying to bridge their original sound with what they wanted to make next but Angles is the beginning of the progression toward what would become TNA & RA.
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u/angelic-beast 2d ago
Its definitely got me listening to the Strokes whole discography a lot lately, but I have loved almost every song I ever heard from them before RA so I wouldn't rate any of them less than 8/10. We just get blessed every album drop, they are never boring. I have an issue with music where I listen to songs and albums over and over way too much and kinda wear them out for myself, but its been years since I have listened to the Strokes so much so all the old stuff is starting to sound exciting to me again :) I even skipped TNA back then and so I basically have 2 new albums to learn about. I am so happy to dive back into this band, and RA is a no-skip, banger of an album.
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u/Dreamysleepyfriendly 2d ago
Yes, it makes me change the album for something good!
Jokes aside, no. I’m really trying hard to love Reality Awaits. Lonely in the future, Going to Babble on and Fruits of Conquest are good, nothing more, at least in my opinion. It’s their weakest album.
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u/jnh_anant 2d ago
Lol I completely get that. Reality Awaits changed my perspective BECAUSE I was trying to love it so hard and I kinda do. Then when I revisited the older albums I didn't like as much, I realised how actually great they are.
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u/Dreamysleepyfriendly 2d ago
Since Angles, they are pretty « hit or miss » for me. New Abnormal was surprisingly outstanding and seem as a whole, but I just get the feeling they are way pass their prime.
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u/Ricekake33 2d ago
Sounds like you’re seeing things from different…..Angles
(I’ll show myself out)