In all honesty, I have not been following the Strokes since they became hipster darlings at the onset of their debut. So what I see as progressive movement from a band of mush-mouths and muted guitars to a band way more polished and produced may actually be a more natural progression than I am otherwise willing to witness firsthand. Because I wasn't even that big a fan of the debut...So instead of the post-punk riffage that made up "Is This It?" the sounds are more dynamic. And instead of the muddled vocal, Casablancas is way out front with a huge melodic presence. The first track has a Duran Duran vibe, another sound like a Radiohead demo. The best example is "Two Kinds Of Happiness"- which comes off like the best Cars in the verse but lets go as frantic awesomeness in the chorus. That and "Gratisfaction" are over-the-top pop goodness that should propel the group to a wider audience.
And while none of these tracks may make it on to my year end Top 10 list, I was pleasantly surprised by the growth of the Strokes and I would have to assume the band's fans are going to rave over it. (3 of 5 stars)
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