The Strokes ready to reveal 4th Album Angles to the world

So the last week has provided a lot of new information about The Strokes forthcoming fourth record, which sees the band releasing new material for the first time since January 2006.

What we know so far

The Strokes fourth record is due out 21st March (UK) and 22nd March (US) (more international dates here) entitled Angles Albert explained the slightly odd name in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine

It’s what the record sounds like. It comes from five different people

The tracklisting is as follows

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

Under Cover of Darkness is the first single to be released, online sources has speculated this will be heard on February 9th.

Taken For A Fool was as Strokes fans may remember mentioned in the Inside The Studio video the band posted last year when Nikolai played a bass line section (whether this actually part of the song or a joke time will tell)

The album sessions began early last year with producer Joe Chiccarelli but the band decided to regroup and re-record songs at Albert’s studio.

David Fricke the author of the Rolling Stone article calls Taken for a Fool, Life Is Simple and Under Cover of Darkness “reassuring displays of the Strokes’ feral-garage dynamics” whilst Machu Picchu “mimics the staccato beep of synthesizers, then becomes a rough wall of jangle over a hip-hop grind”….Call Me Back “is striking ballad suspense, disrupted by a psychedelic-seizure bridge”

Don’t know about you guys but these teasers have just made my brain explode, sounds like the album will be a good mix of the ‘classic’ Strokes sound whilst the band continues experimenting with their sound in the same way FIOE started to.

In an interview with Myspace Nick was honest about the bands problems.

The mood was and continues to be light and fun and playful, with mild undertones of hostility and resentment which is just the way of this band. When we hang out and when we work on stuff, it’s great but I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t elements of hostility there. Undertones of hostility and resentment.

But don’t despair Strokes fans Nick really wants to record another album as soon as possible

I really want to just get in a room with the band and share ideas. We really haven’t done that yet. I’ve been trying to rally the troops again. I don’t know exactly when we’re gonna do that. I’ve got a lot of ideas and Julian was telling me he’s got a lot of ideas. So hopefully we’ll do that soon and it won’t be another five years before the next album comes out.

Nikolai has spoken about the album as well with Spin Magazine

Describing You’re So Right has having a “harder vibe… The production is different than we’re used to. It’s one of those songs that will be more difficult to replicate live. Julian is doing a lot of background vocals and playing with those tracks as instruments come in and out.”

As a fan I’m anxious to hear the new record, it has a lot to live up to but I firmly trust the guys vision and even if things aren’t all hugs and kisses between them for whatever reason I’m still convinced they will always bring 100% to every album and every live show.

++

Check out the full interviews for more information

Albert and Nick talk to Rolling Stone
Nick talks to Myspace
Nikolai talks to Spin Magazine