Reality Awaits

The riffs are simple, catchy and almost hypnotic, repeating until they become completely addictive. Julian Casablancas still brings a real sense of emotion to the songs, even when he sounds detached or careless. I could definitely live with less Auto-Tune, because sometimes it gets in the way of what is already a great voice. Not their best album, but a very enjoyable reminder of why their sound is still so recognizable

Not as insanely good as the previous one. But this record will grow on you; give it time, there is a lot going on here.

Pack it in boys, the bell tolls for theee

Restless in a way that feels genuinely new for them, not just recycled cool. The band leans further into weird, sidelong detours than they have in years, Julian layering on AutoTune and vocal tricks like he's got something to prove, and it doesn't always cohere but it rarely feels boring either. It climaxes on the moody "Tyrants of the Mellow Moon," all laser-prog guitar and woozy sprawl, more disorienting than the loose, ragged charm they used to lean on. At nine songs it somehow still feels like a lot, some detours land, some just feel indulgent. Weird, uneven, but never coasting.

Is this a midlife crisis, or simply another product of Casablancas’ bizarre creativity? “Reality Awaits” departs from The Strokes’ signature sound, tipping more towards that of The Voidz, the more experimental band Casablancas cofounded.

good tho, but use an autotune . . . meh