Arriving a relatively quick two years after
Angles,
Comedown Machine reunites
the Strokes with producer
Gus Oberg, but the results sound a lot less slick and overwrought. Instead,
Oberg provides a clean, intimate sound that feels like a natural progression for the band, with a mix of chugging guitars and synths that feels more organic and less like blatant '80s worship (and also bears a striking similarity to
Julian Casablancas' solo album
Phrazes for the Young). Likewise, most of
Angles' uneven but entertaining tangents are smoothed away, making it one of
the Strokes' more consistent albums in some time. True to its name, however,
Comedown Machine is also some of the band's most subdued music: there are fewer uptempo songs than might be expected, and even when their amps are cranked,
the Strokes aren't exactly carefree. "All the Time"'s refrain of "You're livin' too fast" is a far cry from "Room on Fire"'s "Please don't slow me down if I'm going too fast," and on the album's most quintessential rocker, "50/50,"
Casablancas snarls "Don't judge me" over artfully mussed guitars in a way that feels more defensive than defiant. For most of
Comedown Machine, the band uses some of its prettiest melodies -- and some impressive falsetto vocals -- to craft a vulnerable, quietly confrontational mood on songs like "Tap Out" and "Slow Animals," which has an almost soulful roundness to its melody as
Casablancas wonders, "Is it gone?" They venture deeper into this softer territory on the album's title track, which rivals
First Impressions of Earth's "Ask Me Anything" in its dreamy introspection, and on "Chances," which boasts soft-focus keyboards that flirt with chillwave. At times, the band's precise playing and
Oberg's pristine production border on airless and only emphasize the fact that
the Strokes left the reckless charm of
Is This It behind years ago. However, their flair for hooks and melodies is as strong as ever, particularly on "Partners in Crime," "Welcome to Japan," and "One Way Trigger," which sets pre-life crisis laments to a perky keyboard riff reminiscent of
a-ha's "Take on Me."
The Strokes' most mature music yet,
Comedown Machine is a solidly enjoyable album, even if it lacks some of the band's previous spark. [An LP version was also released.] ~ Heather Phares