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The Strokes' rollout for new album Reality Awaits has not gone smoothly. Some fans have revolted against Julian Casablancas' use of Auto-Tune on "Going Shopping" and "Falling Out Of Love," to the point that guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. felt compelled to go on the record insisting that he doesn't hate the new material. The band's other founding guitarist, Nick Valensi, took an unexplained hiatus from the group in the middle of the campaign, and he hasn't yet returned. Then the release date was pushed back by a month, from June 26 to July 24. Now Hammond has offered a rationale for that moved.
In an interaction with a fan on Twitter/X — since deleted, but referenced on Reddit — Hammond said the Strokes pushed back Reality Awaits' digital release date because they wanted it to coincide with the vinyl release date. That makes sense; presumably vinyl will now account for a decent chunk of their first-week sales total. Who knows why they didn't plan to do it this way in the first place. Hammond also reportedly said the music on the new album reminds him of a "weird, young band." And speaking of young artists, he has a song out today with Kennyhoopla.
Kennyhoopla came onto my radar when he was collaborating with Travis Barker on searing pop-punk. Over the past five years, he's cycled through indie rock modes: evoking Beach Fossils, going shoegaze, or working with Bloc Party. The latter band is an obvious reference point for the anthemic dance punk of "NEW AMERICA//," his new collab with Hammond out today.
We're told the Juneteenth release date is intentional. "NEW AMERICA//" is about the longstanding patterns and divides that keep America recycling its past rather than moving forward. Have a listen below.
English (US) · 