Comedown Machine Reviews

Where they want to end up the Strokes? Their journey, which began with the rock'n'roll brash and angry of This Is It, is evolving from album to album into something more personal, but also more elusive. Comedown Machine continues in the sulcus obliquus which had begun to draw with First Impressions Of Earth, but has many new features. The "sound Strokes", a mixture of guitars and indolence, gave way to compositions unscrupulous delightfully retro, sometimes dreamy, where synthesizers and keyboards are the masters.

The first hearing may leave some 'disoriented. Closing her eyes you can hear the echo of a certain fascination for the 80's of the Cocteau Twins and the dream pop sound, but enriched by the attitude rock that has always characterized the New York quintet. 80's Comedown Machine declares him from the title. And even if it did, that would be enough to snare reverb to claim paternity Eighties. Animals and Slow Happy Ending, the most convincing pieces, find the perfect balance between verses and choruses pressing indulged that take you where they want them. 50 50 and All The Time songs are more reminiscent of early Strokes, but it is as if they were filtered by a particular light that blurs the boundaries and it breaks down strokes. The synth hopping One Way Trigger (that seem stolen from the Enola Gay OMD) intertwine perfectly with the voice of Julian Casablancas, ever so versatile that tapers so as to be barely recognizable. The same thing happens in Welcome To Chances while in Japan, it is soothing and deep.

The general impression is that not even the same Strokes know exactly what direction they're taking, but with courage and a pinch of unconsciousness should be increasingly defining the coordinates of their personal style. The album, without any particularly strong piece with a few shots and vacuum, leaves its mark and clarifies once and for all that no, there are no longer those of This Is It!