Album Review: The Strokes - Room on Fire

        I have to admit, I was incredibly impressed with the Strokes’ new album, Room on Fire.  I had no faith in them, whatsoever.  After they cancelled the show that I was supposed to see, because “the lead singer got drunk and broke his ankle” (that was the extent of the explanation I was given) I lost all faith in them.  I thought they were a bunch of 20-something-year-old guys from New York who found success and then let it get to their heads so they started drinking like mad and let it ruin their music.  But no.  They’re back at it, ripping off popular songs like you wouldn’t imagine and still using the vocal distortion we have all come to know and love.

        I hate it when music critics say this, but the new album sounds a lot more “mature.”  It’s true.  The production is better, in the sense that it’s a fuller sound now than before.  Neither sound is particularly better.  They’re just different.  All the critics that keep saying the Strokes released the same album twice are completely wrong.  The new album has a very, very different feel to it.  If you play guitar, follow this analogy-  on Is This It, the Strokes had the toggle switch of their guitars set on the highest, most trebly setting.  On Room on Fire, they’ve taken it back a notch or two, for more of a rhythm vibe.  The high-pitched rhythm parts are no longer there, at least not in the way they used to be.  I see this album as an improvement in many ways.  The songs are still poppy, but not in such a ridiculous way as the first album.  There’s a slight dark edge to them now.  But not that dark at all.  It’d be as if the Strokes took their normal attire and just added black jeans and called themselves goth.  It’s like, dude, that’s not goth at all.  You’re fucking weak.  Well that’s how this album is.

       Every time I listen to this album, the phrase “Sonic Youth on Zoloft mixed with the golden age of the Cars” pops into my head.  Songs such as “12:51” and “You Talk Way Too Much” remind me of the Cars, if they replaced their synthesizers with de-toned guitars.  There’s even an indie-rock vibe on some songs, such as “What Ever Happened” which I think was originally a Pavement song.  That’s not true.  But it’s not surprising that the Strokes would break out the indie-rock, considering that they are all good friends with veteran indie-rockers, Guided By Voices.  However, I could easily see songs such as “Reptilia” being turned into Sonic Youth rockers.  If the distortion was cranked, and the drums were louder, and the tone of the bass sounded like it came straight out of blackest hell, I could easily see this song being written by Sonic Youth. 

       Hey, did you hear that one dude in the Strokes is doing Drew Barrymore?

       I forgot the point of this article.  But, if you have any questions, please refer to my previous article on the Strokes, reviewing their debut album Is This It.  For the rest of this article, I will speak in incoherent babble. 

      Jubba jubba wee wong hampster stew.  Biggity biggity goo goo boob doob.  Stuber Stuber puber dooper doop.  Jeffirdy Fremlick Holdenstacsche.  Booga booga.