“Under Cover of Darkness” by The Strokes
The ‘saviours of rock n’ roll’ are back.
Sure, Albert Hammond Jr. cut the ‘fro and Julian now wears a feathered earring and has afflicted Liam Gallagher’s affinity for sunglasses. But not everything has changed. Nick is still majorly gorgeous and “Under Cover of Darkness” sounds like good ol’ Strokes stuff - guitar melodies to die for layered over even more catchy finger-magic riffs - just as promised by Nikolai:
“Sonically, I feel it’s the album which should have been made between [2003’s] ‘Room On Fire’ and [2006’s] ‘First Impressions Of Earth’,” he said, adding that the album echoes the band’s “classic sound”.
But it isn’t all been-there-done-that for the NYC boys’ latest single, off their eagerly eagerly anticipated LP #4, Angles, due out March 22nd. For starters, vocally, Julian’s gone more “New York City Cops” than his usual lazy baritone and there’s even some harmonizing thrown in for kicks.
With the immense amount of hype surrounding this release, it takes a damn good song to justify the media furore. “Under Cover of Darkness” does just that; it’s golden.
Angles Tracklist:
1. Machu Picchu
2. Under Cover of Darkness
3. Two Kinds of Happiness
4. You’re So Right
5. Taken For A Fool
6. Games
7. Call Me Back
8. Gratisfaction
9. Metabolism
10. Life Is Simple In The Moonlight
(image via Stereogum)
