The Strokes’ New Album Reality Awaits Is Here

Everyone was mad about the Auto-Tune. I wasn’t mad about the Auto-Tune. Sure, Julian Casablancas kind of sounds like a malfunctioning robot, but what sucked about “Going Shopping” and “Falling Out Of Love” is how utterly forgettable they were. The Strokes are one of this century's most important rock bands because they can make a song sound simultaneously lazy and masterful. Today the Strokes' seventh album is out, and fortunately it's not all as uninspired as its advance singles.On the other hand, opener “Psycho Shit” is an over-the-top, in-your-face explosion that tries too hard. Its unbridled bombardment isn't an ideal introduction to this Rick Rubin-produced followup to 2020's The New Abnormal, unless the band is trying to turn away the casual fans who discovered them through “The Adults Are Talking” on TikTok. Ironically, the very next song, “Dine N’ Dash,” is one of the most perfect slices of polished, clean indie rock the band has offered yet.When they come through with songs like “Dine N’ Dash,” you just have to forgive them for the bullshit. The guitar tone is a gut-punch. Casablancas has that convincing fragility in his voice, which is completely without Auto-Tune. He mum...