As an avid Strokes fan I eagerly awaited the release of “Comedown Machine,” hoping the band could recapture the past glories from previous records such as “Is This It.” But as I listened to the album, it dawned on me the band reached its peak long ago, and has slowly lost relevance in the current music scene. The record provides solid music for easy listening, but lacks the awe factor and energy of when they first started. “Comedown Machine” doesn’t contain any particularly unique or memorable songs but is by no means a bad album.
When the Strokes arrived in the early 2000s, they brought youthful, rebellious music reminiscent of the Rolling Stones and The Who. The band began to mellow out over the years, fading in popularity and eventually going on hiatus. “Comedown Machine” was not the comeback album I hoped for, but passes as a satisfactory experience.
“Comedown Machine” contains 11 tracks, starting out with the catchy “Tap Out,” and ranges from many adult topics dealing with failing relationships and the anxiety of adulthood issues. Many songs blend in together and are not memorable, but a few stick out. The second track “All the Time,” sticks to their signature garage rock band roots. The ending song “Call It Fate, Call It Karma” stands out from the rest of the songs as an eerie and old-fashioned styled finale to an otherwise mediocre album. Singer Julian Casablancas takes an unusual spin in his vocals departing from his normal rough drowsy voice, as seen in “One Way Trigger.” I found listening to “Comedown Machine” as an enjoyable experience but it didn’t amaze or fascinate me.
The Strokes have not lost their cool, suave and slightly apathetic charisma with age, but they haven’t kept up the momentum of first-rate music. The record incorporates synth and pop styles into the record adding a change of pace from their staple raw garage band sound. The blend of musical styles feels fluid in most songs, but seem out of place in other tracks. The songs don’t flow to one another smoothly and detract from an overall theme. “Comedown Machine” has a similar atmosphere to their previous records but lacks the rawness and energy which made them so great. Now don’t get me wrong, musicians taking a risk in changing musical directions does not weaken their artistic credibility but the new road they chose produced lackluster music.
“Comedown Machine” may disappoint long-time fans as an underwhelming album, but still adds decent material to their catalog. Newcomers to the Strokes will probably enjoy it as a fun record but don’t expect anything mind blowing or the next groundbreaking album in rock.
