The Strokes have made their first single of their first album in 5 years 'Angels' available for free download last night (no pun intended) which caused their website to crash and seemingly every alternative music lover getting excited to the bone. The news of the Strokes recording a new album caused excitement already. Every piece of news made fans all across the internet believe more and more that this is really going to happen. And bam! There's the first track! Everyone needed to hear it first and everyone needed to have an opinion about it and everyone need to tell the world how much they love it and how much the Strokes have been missed. Did we all really? And with we all I mean everyone who isn't the Strokes number one fan.
With all the media attention from professional music sites, blogs and the amateurs alike, there really was no escaping from this news. One thing first, I like the Strokes. A good few years back I've seen them live and it was really enjoyable. I have really nothing against them, they make good music. But I can't say I really missed them. Nor do I understand why they are treated like Gods of rock n roll, why it's them who changed the world, basically what's so special about them. They are 5 scruffy boys from New York who picked up a guitar, and very well so, know how to rock and know how to write a straight forward tune. No bullshit, simply rock. Scruffy boys got themselves nice appartments and nicer girlfriends obviously, made some pretentious and in some cases possibly questionable solo efforts. Nothing wrong with that. Maybe they are a cult band. But did we all really need to collectively count down the minutes until we could all download the song 'Under Cover Of Darkness'? Did we really? Or haven't we all kind of fallen into the hands of a clever media attack in which we all took part whether we were aware of it or not. In fact, and I'm aware of that, by writing his blog I too give attention the to new single and new album of The Strokes. Who said publicity is expensive? This piece is paid for by my boss. The Strokes have launched a massive media attack upon us and it barely cost them anything, except possible loss of sale for their single, which will undoubtly pay itself back (it's common these days, it's good marketing). And whether they deserve it or not, we all know: The Strokes are back.
Personally I've heard 'Under Cover Of Darkness' only once, in a hurry, this morning and not completely. It's The Strokes, undeniable. It's catchy, it stayed in my head until I switched on my walkman this morning, about 15 minutes after hearing it. But am I in a total Strokes craze? No. But then I never was. It's good though.
