Tag Archives: the strokes

Review: The Strokes

Posted on April 2, 2011 | 3 Comments


The Strokes
Madison Square Garden, Manhattan
April 1, 2011

Forget all that you’ve read. Julian Casablancas, Albert Hammond Jr., Nikolai Fraiture, Nick Valensi, and Fabrizio Moretti are boxing in the title fight of a lifetime. Weighing in at (most likely) a collective 800 pounds of unwashed hair, Fender equipment, and general insanity, The Strokes tore Madison Square Garden down to the ground and built it up again. Like a bruised fighter who gets battered for a few bloody rounds only to rise up and win with an impassioned blow, New York’s garage rock kings just sent a massive “Fuck You” to every spiritless critic who has scorned them since their return to the spotlight. The Strokes belong to New York City and we belong to them, with all of our night owls, bar rats, starving artists, and party girls. They make their music for us. The same blood runs through our veins. With that, tonight was as much of a “Thank You” as it was a “Fuck You”. Oh, and Elvis Costello was there, too. Continue reading →

→ 3 Comments

Posted in Articles, Show Reviews

Tagged , , , , ,

Album: “Angles” – The Strokes

Posted on March 14, 2011 | Leave a comment


Angles – The Strokes
By Ky DiGregorio

What do fine wine, the iPad 2, sushi, and the 1998 remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho all have in common? They’re all just like the new Strokes’ album, Angles, obviously. Like a good red wine and Steve Jobs’ newest toy, some bands get better with age and technical sophistication, but some bands are better in raw form (like sushi) and left alone (like how Psycho should have been). The Strokes are all ends of the spectrum, in some twisted way. The guys have grown up over the past five years, during a hiatus following their third record, First Impressions of Earth, and they seem to be more Married With Children than 24-Hour Party People nowadays. Did it ruin their “sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll” reputation and carefree songwriting, though? Some might argue so, but that’s quite shallow. Angles is exactly what it should be: A follow-up as good as Is This It. Continue reading →

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Album Reviews, Articles

Tagged , , , , , ,

Video: “Under Cover Of Darkness” – The Strokes

Posted on March 2, 2011 | Leave a comment

God knows I’m not the only one who has been anxiously awaiting this moment. On the heels of a single release, radio interviews, album art, track listings, a B-Side release, all a part of a well-crafted full-force-attack-style return, The Strokes are back with a new music video – the first since 2006. Much like the song’s style, which nods at very early Strokes songs (possibly standing alone as the only song off of Angles that will sound like the “old stuff”), the video for “Under Cover Of Darkness” is a blast from the past. The guys stylishly pay homage to former music videos and performances (the quick cutting clip of the “You Only Live Once” video, the Casablancas microphone stand throw from the live “Last Nite” video) while making an epic return to rock music inside of… an opera house. What else?

→ Leave a comment

Posted in General, Music News

Tagged , , ,

News: You Never Give Me Your Tickets – A Ticketmaster Conspiracy

Posted on February 26, 2011 | Leave a comment

Your favorite band is going on tour and you need tickets. Maybe it’s a pop-star on their first string of arena headlining shows, or maybe it’s the reunion tour of that favorite classic rock band from your childhood. Maybe it’s that one-time star-studded farewell concert, one that you’ll remember forever. You took off work, skipped class, snuck off to an Internet café, and set your alarm early to wait by the computer for the opening of the ticket sales. But alas, it’s 10:00:30am, just seconds after clicking “refresh”, and the Ticketmaster event page is a tease and a cold hard bitch. She’s here to take your money, essentially, but not before crushing your spirit. “Sold out”, she says. But how? Doesn’t it seem… impossible? Continue reading →

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Articles, Features, General, Music News

Tagged , , , , , ,

Upcoming Show: The Strokes

Posted on February 23, 2011 | Leave a comment

Five-piece garage rock revival group, The Strokes, are set to play their first hometown show since 2006 on their upcoming tour, headling Madison Square Garden. The band’s fourth album, Angles, a follow up to their last release, 2006′s First Impressions of Earth, is set to be released on March 21st, and includes the new highly anticipated single “Under Cover Of Darkness”.

Songs to check out: “Last Nite“, “You Only Live Once“, “Reptilia“

The Strokes
April 1st
Madison Square Garden
Buy Tickets (On sale 2/25)

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Music News, Upcoming Shows

Tagged , ,

Single: “Under Cover Of Darkness – The Strokes

Posted on February 9, 2011 | Leave a comment


After five long years since their last release, The Strokes finally dropped the first single from their fourth album, Angles. For a while, no one thought any new material from these guys would even see the light of day, after numerous delays and the rumored tension in the band. In fact, I don’t think I even believed that I would be hearing new material from them today until I actually pressed the play button (and I’m a huge fan).

The verdict: absence makes the heart grow fonder. For me at least. Continue reading →

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Album Reviews, Articles, Features, General, Music News

Tagged , , , , ,

News: Coachella Line-Up Announced

Posted on January 19, 2011 | Leave a comment

Indio, California’s Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival has released its official line-up for 2011, the festival’s twelfth year in operation. The three day event, held between April 15th and 17th, will feature performances by Kanye West, The Black Keys, Arcade Fire, Bright Eyes, Death From Above 1979, Mumford & Sons, Ms. Lauryn Hill, and NYC natives The Strokes and Sleigh Bells.

Click here to view the official Coachella website.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in General, Music News

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

News: Strokes Bassist Talks Release Date

Posted on January 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Bassist of The Strokes, Nikolai Fraiture, has officially confirmed to BBC’s Radio 1 that the group’s fourth, highly anticipated album will see a March 2011 release. The new and still untitled album, a follow up to 2006′s First Impressions Of Earth, has been delayed multiple times since the start of its production. Fraiture, along with frontman Julian Casablancas, were the first members of The Strokes to announce the completion of the record via their personal twitter accounts, though very few official statements have been released from the band or their label regarding the album. After a long hiatus from recording and live performances, the NYC natives are finally jumping back into things with the fourth album and talks of a “world tour”. But did they ever really leave?

→ Leave a comment

Posted in General, Music News

Tagged , , , , ,

News: The Strokes move closer to album release

Posted on November 28, 2010 | Leave a comment


“Will they? Won’t they? Will they? Won’t they?”

Confusion has been the only thing circulating through the minds of fans of New York rockers The Strokes over the past two years. With denied speculation of possible release dates, numerous delays, and rumored tension between band members, it seemed that a fourth album from the Manhattan hometown rock heroes would never actually come into existence. Until now.
Continue reading →

→ Leave a comment

Posted in General, Music News

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,