1/7, Album of the Week: The New Abnormal
Cover art: "Bird on Money," Jean-Michel Basquiat, 1981
The Strokes came to indie-rock fame in the early 2000s with their debut album Is This It. Despondent lyrics coupled with unique vocals and a discordant sound just this edge of pleasant (and, of course, a healthy dose of nepotism) had them break through as a defining indie-rock band. The New Abnormal, however, is a marked change from that sound, channeling classic, peppy 80s with slow, leading bass lines. It’s my favorite record of theirs precisely for its contrasts, whether that’s frontman Julian Casablancas’s falsetto set against crescendoing percussion in “Selfless” or the rapid keyboard and heavy synth on “Brooklyn Bridge to Chorus.”
“The Adults Are Talking,” the album’s most popular song, melds dominant percussion and a high electric guitar to create a jaunty anti-authority anthem. Casablancas’s vocals begin muffled and steadily rise in volume, culminating in the falsetto of the bridge. His falsetto has become technically stronger, and he sustains the notes with greater ability, adding to the musical variety on the song. The song closes with a repetitive guitar solo and then a spoken-word outro. Musically, the song has all the hallmarks of The Strokes’ signature sound — snares and synth and fast-paced, dueling guitar from Nic Valensi and Albert Hammond — as well as rebellious lyrics admonishing the higher-ups of the world (despite the irony). It’s an opener that is both familiar and refreshing.
The second track, “Selfless,” is a romantic ballad imploring Casablancas’s lover to come be with him now as he’s come to depend on them. He croons “Time we lost, that’s all my fault,” blaming himself for the distance between them now. The chorus brings back his falsetto and then descends into a vibrant electric guitar solo. The best thing about the track is, again, the juxtaposition. Casablancas’s singing oscillates between charmingly pitchy and a hoarse croon against constantly changing instrumentals, creating a dynamic track that portrays the desperation of his desire for his “… selfless love.”
“Brooklyn Bridge to Chorus” is one of my favorite songs off the album, just because of how fun it is. It references classic 80s synth-rock and the lyrics blatantly yearn for the music scene of back then. Casablancas asks “And the ‘80s song, yeah, how did it go?” and where those 80s bands went as well, showing how even though they defined the current zeitgeist, the musicians themselves have faded into obscurity. Despite this depressing sentiment, the instrumentals are vivid and bright, bringing to mind that quintessential 80s “vibe,” for lack of a better word. It’s entertaining to listen to, switching between rapid synth, blast beats, and strong bass and guitar.
The fourth track is typical Strokes: reckless abandonment and electric guitar. The chorus has Casablancas repeating how he’s making bad decisions, a distinctly teenage sentiment that has quite curiously continued into the band’s adulthood. These immature lyrics wouldn’t even feel out of place on any of their earlier albums, bringing back a sound you’d assume they’d have outgrown. It’s a decently good song, but not a personal favorite by any means. If I wanted teenage angst, I’d go back to Is This It and relive 2001’s indie-sleaze moment, complete with flannels and leather trousers.
“Eternal Summer” is, true to the title, a bright, summery song right in the middle of the record. Synthy keys paired with snares and Casablancas’s falsetto make a light chorus that transitions into bass-heavy, raspy singing. It’s the perfect denouement to a high-energy verse that demonstrates the pitfalls of a perpetual state of bliss. “This is a fantasy / But nobody’s gonna stop us now” reflects the liveliness of the summer haze. But there’s an element of dread buried under major keys that only comes in towards the end, with the isolated electronic vocals of the outro. “Pillars like time are fading away” shows how even though this happiness feels like it’ll last forever, we’re still running out of time. It’s drummer Fabrizio Moretti’s favorite song off the album, and for good reason — summer is indeed coming, even if it isn’t here to stay.
The first single, “At the Door” is an emotional ballad describing the anxiety at the end of a relationship. Casablancas’s vocals begin isolated against electronic synth effects which slowly increase in volume until crescendoing into ethereal vocals and a rising scale. The song splits the album sonically, due to its slowness and lack of traditional instruments, and metaphorically, becoming far more rueful as it grieves the past. Valensi plays a digital guitar to create the key-like effects, and Casablancas called the song a “… laboratory freak” and cited its process as very inorganic in an interview with Anthony Fantano. It might feel hollow in comparison to the rest of the tracks, but that’s why it’s necessary: contrast. The New Abnormal shoots you down after it pumps you up, and then it brings you up again with all the dreadful knowledge of your fall.
“Why Are Sundays So Depressing” is nostalgic, bringing to mind past mistakes that you’ve learnt and grown from. “I love you and I’m honest / So you know it’s no lie” shows how he’s willing to bare his soul to this person, but these reflections still pain him: he implores her not to ask questions she doesn’t want the answers to. The vulnerability he has with this lover surprises him, as he sings, “You’ve got me on my back / And now I gotta think fast.” His past brings up old regrets and so ruminating on it brings new shame, hence the battling desires to open up to and hide from this new lover. The instrumentals are more simple, centered around electric guitar with vocal distortions in the chorus.
The final two tracks on this album are, undoubtedly, the best two. “Not the Same Anymore” is one of my best friend’s favorites, and one of mine as well. The moody, heavy guitar is at the forefront of the track, bringing with it heavy nostalgia about growing up and changing. The lyricism contains recurring motifs about opportunities being given and subsequently taken away, starting with “You’d make a better window than a door” in the first verse and going to “And now the door slams shut” at the beginning of the second. The first chorus is a flurry of regretful feelings as the instruments and vocals both crescendo, with Casablancas belting as the energy of the band builds. “I was afraid, I fucked up … / I couldn’t change, it’s too late” demonstrates the same fear as the previous two songs, which isn’t about being able to change the mistakes of the past, but about the person who made them. It’s a track weighted with yearning for something different, with a stilted guitar progression and staccato synth for the pre-chorus. The last minute fades out into a bass and drum laden instrumental, slow and burdened with regret.
Fan favorite “Ode to the Mets” is an ode both to the baseball team and the city of New York itself. It starts with synthesized beats at different tempos, with Nicolai Fraiture’s bass then filling out the sound. Casablancas sings over the relatively simple melody, until he sings, “Drums, please, Fab” and the drums kick in and stay through the chorus. “I’m under his thumb, I’m on his back / I will not show my teeth too quick” demonstrates the instinct to fight back and hide your hand when you’re being attacked. This idea of concealed vulnerability thematically ties the track to “At The Door” and “Why Are Sundays So Depressing.” “I needed you there / But I didn’t know” recalls the yearning of “Selfless.” It’s the perfect closer for bringing back these motifs on a cohesively-produced and beautiful track. After the second chorus, Casablancas’s singing becomes more emotional in the outro, ending on a belt characteristic of the “… deafening, painful, shameful roar” he sings about. The guitar stays simple and the percussion returns, leaving a calm but tightly controlled melody. The song is, in my opinion, one of their best, expertly clinging to desire and loss in turn with almost vibrational transitions.
The New Abnormal certainly isn’t for everyone: old fans will be disappointed with the slower tracks, finding them boring and underdeveloped. Angles and Comedown Machine enthusiasts, though few and far between, might find the experimentation entertaining but too divergent from their older work. The album has its flaws, but functions not only in spite of, but because of them: it’s polished but still clunky, emotional but blasé, regretful but content. It’s a messy clash of chords that’ll, hopefully, strike you just right.
very insightful! love seeing how knowledgeable you are when it comes to music, a multi-talented queen!
‘ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS FAVOURITES’ i love you you’re my favourite