bear cove

The Strokes returns in full confidence in their sound identity, embracing Julian’s vocals as his ever changing instrument – this time laden with autotune throughout the album. Fab’s addicting drum hooks and the band’s guitar/bass riffs shine with each instrument getting their own time in the spotlight.

Reality Awaits feels Radiohead meets The Cure meets the Voidz meets their previous album, The New Abnormal. The legendary Rick Rubin returns as the producer and together they’ve created another excellent album.

The Strokes has risen back to relevancy and this is not an unfamiliar territory for the group – but what are they saying to this new generation of listeners?

Track 1: Psycho Shit

The haunting opening to Reality Awaits is reminiscent to the sound of Exist Music for a Film, a slow build with dark lyrics into a crescendo of anger.

Track 2: Dine N’Dash

One of my favorites from the album! It feels like a softer version of The Adults Are Talking with a hint of The Cure – it’s electronic keyboard echoing softly in the background with Julian singing some of the most violent lyrics I’ve heard him use. It’s frustration where your morals are at battle with your unbridled anger.

Track 3: Lonely in the Future

Piecing together what Julian’s lyrics are meant to say can be a herculean task, but this song is particularly direct in a few verses:

I heard that twenty fucking years ago, I did
Fantano, word for word, when I was a kid
Stick to the technical ’cause that’s great
But you would not recognize art in any age

Julian has been there, done that, heard every criticism of their art throughout the years and doesn’t care anymore. He doesn’t care that the internet will call him corny for calling out popular internet critics, he doesn’t care that he’s calling out big names for music thievery: “all good, we all steal, baby“

These are all fads, from critics to musicians to the leftist journalist Chris Hedges. Julian seems past worn down to simply apathetic. Unsurprising given he hasn’t shied away from being political and many can relate to that in this climate.

The outro sounds very Ode to the Mets, which I am 100% happy with.

Track 4: Falling out of Love

This grew on me after a few listens.

Different boots, same old song

Track 5: Going to Babble On

This song is just easy to listen to. Not much to say about the lyrics

Track 6: Going Shopping

The worse reality gets the less you wanna hear about it
Solidarity can be difficult when you’ve got cool stuff to lose

Anti-capitalist as hell with biting lyrics on consumerism.

Stockbrokers flying out the window
I kinda miss that sound

This lyric references the NY lore of when stockbrokers jumped out of high rise windows after the market crashed in 1929. So yeah, it’s pretty clear he’s sick of the capitalist country we’ve become.

I’ve been thinking about what I wanna say
But I’m an old man now, at least that’s what they tell me anyway

Even with this new generation of listeners, are they going to really listen to this ol’ geezer?

Track 7: Liar’s Remorse

Fab is notably absent here as Julian calls out the fear of the pain of reality.

I waste my days away  
Instead of giving it a voice
I want to play my game
You don't have love 'cause you don't want pain

How many people can relate to these lyrics in these younger generations? The repeating chorus is broken by Julian’s cheeky “harmonic minor” line that gave me a good chuckle. I can see the audience gladly yelling this back to him in a concert.

Track 8: The Fruits of Conquest

Are those.. bongos? In a Strokes song? Bongos, please, Fab? I’m a leech is an earworm.

Track 9: Tyrants of the Mellow Moon

Julian signs off, and says goodbye to the listener.

Here we are for the final time
And I hope you say that I made you laugh
...
That's all I got, I let this song play out
But at the end, must let all songs die

Overall rating: 4.5/5