The New Abnormal

Melancholia At Its Magical Best – ‘ODE TO THE METS’ By THE STROKES

Posted on by JL

13 March 2021

ODE TO THE METS is the closing beauty on the brilliant 2020 longplayer
THE NEW ABNORMAL by New York City darlings THE STROKES. A truly
stupendous ballad that makes the hair in the back of my neck stand up
every single time I heard/hear this phenomenal pearl with a breathtaking
vocal exploit by JULIAN CASABLANCAS.

He started writing the lyrics after the 2016 National League Wild Card Game (baseball)
lost by his favorite team New York Mets. Over the years the title remained unchanged
but is not actually about the baseball team. It’s a reverie you can relate to the way you want yourself.

It’s melancholia at its magical best. I heard Ode To The Mets about a million times
so far and will listen to it about a million times more. It’s one of those rare genial
songs you just can’t get tired of.

The lines of the final part…

“Gone now are the old times
Forgotten, time to hold on the railing
The Rubik’s Cube isn’t solving for us
Old friends, long forgotten
They all wait at the bottom of
The ocean now has swallowed
The only thing that’s left is us
So pardon the silence that you’re hearing
Is turnin’ into a deafening
Painful, shameful roar”

The diamond…

THE STROKES: Facebook

The New Abnormal
in full…

TURN UP THE VOLUME’s 10 Knockout Albums Of The Year (So Far)…

Posted on by JL

The best longplayers so far in this science-fiction-like 2020. Ten cracking records that kept Turn Up The Volume safe at home, camping next to his vibrating speakers. Let’s roll…

‘Hot Slick’ by PINS (Manchester, UK)

These bad girls with ponytails will turn your summer into a daily party. Hot stuff for ravers, disco freaks, and funky night owls. Boogie in wonderland and move like it’s 1999 again.
Live for today, plan for tomorrow but go gaga right now, right here to this sweaty slick…

Stream/buy here…


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‘Dead Lips’ by DEAD LIPS (Los Angeles / Oklahoma, US)

When coolness meets outlandishness then all motherfuckers have to go. Surprising super team Deap Vally and The Flaming Lips dont’ talk shit, they surprise us with a gloomy-moody longplayer that makes you happy. Femejism battling the Pink Robots. Top stuff!

Stream/buy here…


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‘Bejahung’ by ELEFANT (Ghost Town, Belgium)

Sound-exploring desperadoes who open your doors of perception. Sonic crusaders who evolved into one of the most fascinating bands in this universe. Isolate yourself in your private quarantine and listen with disinfected headphones. Once in a lifetime experience!

Stream/buy here…


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‘Self-Surgery’ by MRS. PISS (US)

Keywords: bloodcurdling shrieks, goth inferno, pitch-black nightmares, underground hysteria, gloom & doom sisters in crime, bone-chilling frenzy, hellish commotion. These princesses of darkness take you on a razorblade roller coaster. Keep a sharp lookout!

Stream/buy here..


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‘Every Bad’ by PORRIDGE RADIO (Brighton, UK)

This up and coming gunslingers swing from amplified pop to emo punk and back
with glowing passion. Anarchic and sweet, chaotic and intense, zealous, and plainspoken with future indie star Dana Margolin as the driving force backed by a tremendous band. Without a shadow of a doubt on their way to world domination.

Stream/buy here…


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‘Epidemic’ by UNRULY GIRLS (Italy)

A head-twisting extravaganza of high-tech trash. A mind-blowing record with a diversified melting pot of jaw-dropping knockouts and petrifying brainfuckers as if you are listening to several albums at the same time. Alert your poor neighbours before you press play!

Stream/buy here…


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‘The Doctrine Of Infinite Kindness’ by THE MIGHTY ORCHID KING (St. Albans, UK)

A bold, existential, bizarro piece of psychedelic work. A sonic visualization of Stanley Kubrick‘s spectacular sci-fi vision ‘2020: A Space Odyssey. Otherworldly, metaphysical, mindboggling and rainbow-colored. Lose yourself in their nature caring stratosphere.

Stream/buy here…


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‘Trust No One’ by IZZY AND THE BLACK TREES (Poland)

Flamboyant and red-hot rock band out of Poland turning up the heat with sharp-edged riffs, jagged licks, hammering drums, and frontwoman Izzy‘s feverish vox in the middle.
A record serving a versatile cocktail of high-energy jackhammers and charged reveries.

Stream/buy here…


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‘Five Things’ by SMALLTOWN TIGERS (Pisa, Italy)

Imagine The Stooges having an earsplitting fight with The Runaways while the Ramones are sniffing glue in the producer room and you know what is coming your way, straight in the face. Eight firecrackers, eight uppercuts, eight smoking guns, and lots of middle-fingers.

Stream/buy here…


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‘Rough And Rowdy Ways’ by Bob Dylan (US)

What can I say? Best singer/songwriter/poet/storyteller of all time (in my big book).

Stream here…

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Also thumbs up for…

‘925’ by SORRY  
‘Container’ by THE WANTS
‘Exquisite’ by MEKONS 
‘The New Abnormal‘ by THE STROKES
‘England Is A Garden’ by CORNERSHOP 
‘Type II’ by SEX SWING

Have a great summer, music junkies…

Sixth LP ‘THE NEW ABNORMAL’ By THE STROKES Out Today – Gripping Piece Of Work …

Posted on by JL

10 April 2020

Seven years after Comedown Machine New York City‘s rockers THE STROKES are
back with their sixth longplayer called ‘THE NEW ABNORMAL’. A gripping piece of
work with, overall, moody and melancholic sentiments. Don’t expect a series of
explosive crackers, nope, most tracks sound like introspective meditations, both
smooth and wholehearted with Julian Casablancas‘s characteristic voice up front.

The Rick Rubin produced record gets better with every spin.

NME wrote: “There’s plenty to praise on the record, even though the listener has been certified as a second thought. Like its cover, the Jean-Michel Basquiat artwork ‘Bird On Money’, it’s spiky but quite stunning. This is a cool album, the kind you begrudgingly grow to love, even if it never cared about you. And isn’t that quintessentially The Strokes? ” Full review here. Score 4/5.

Album in full…

.
Singles/clips…

– BAD DECISIONS –

– AT THE DOOR –

THE STROKES: Facebook

THE STROKES Drop Another Cut From New Longplayer – Here’s ‘BROOKLYN BRIDGE TO CHORUS’…

Posted on by JL

New sonic impulses…

Ripping NYC rockers THE STROKES launch their new album THE NEW ABNORMAL
this Friday on 10 April. Their first full length since their 2013 LP Comedown Machine.
After sharing extensive power ballad & lead single ‘At The Door‘ and upbeat stunner
‘Bad Decisions’ the band unleashed another new cut called ‘BROOKLYN BRIDGE TO CHORUS’. A sticky vintage Strokes crackerjack.

Listen here…

THE STROKES: Facebook


Out 10th April

THE STROKES Drop Zippy Track From New Album – Here’s ‘BAD DECISIONS’…

Posted on by JL

New sonic impulses…

18 February 2020

THE STROKES recently announced the release of a new album, titled
THE NEW ABNORMAL – out 10 April – their first longplayer since their
2013 LP Comedown Machine.

After revealing extensive power ballad lead single ‘AT THE DOOR’ the band
dropped another cut called ‘BAD DECISIONS’. An upbeat stunner with great
guitars and again fervent Julian Casablancas vocals. Yep, the New York City
stars still rock in their own distinctive way.

Here’s the surprising retro clip…

THE STROKES: Facebook


New album ‘THE NEW ABNORMAL‘ out 10 April. Pre-order facilities here.

THE STROKES Release Brand New Single ‘AT THE DOOR’ From Upcoming Album…

Posted on by JL

New sonic impulses…

11 February 2020

THE STROKES just released lead single ‘AT THE DOOR’ from their new longplayer, titled THE NEW ABNORMAL – out 10 April – their first since 2013 LP Comedown Machine.

‘At The Door’ is an extensive power ballad at first driven by a simple synth sound with Julian Casablancas‘ gripping and heartfelt voice causing goosebumps when the passionate chorus kicks in. The last two minutes turn into a sort of dark, electronic symphony. A surprising but highly arresting piece.

Here’s the fascinating, animated video clip…

THE STROKES: Facebook


New album ‘THE NEW ABNORMAL‘ out 10 April. Pre-order facilities here.