The Strokes, 'Under Cover Of Darkness': Review

The Strokes’ guitarist Nick Valensi got it right when he said recently that, whatever the band chose to re-emerge with this year, they would inevitably find themselves battling “’Chinese Democracy’ syndrome”. That is, after five year wait, even if The Strokes released a comeback song that made ‘Last Nite’ sound like the ‘The Ketchup Song’, somehow it would still never be enough to please everyone.

And that’s probably an adequate mindset to adopt heading into ‘Under Cover Of Darkness’, the song The Strokes have chosen to make their return with. It can’t, in anyway, ever be enough. It can’t be The One.

But, it must be said, it’s a gloriously fine effort.

Released as a free download on thestrokes.com, the first single from the band’s new album ‘Angles’ finds the five-piece in an unusual position: one that makes them sound both incitingly familiar and a beguilingly unknown at the same time. Almost like a long lost friend whose returned from a long voyage, but only come back more wiser than you remember.

The jangly guitars of Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr blossom with all the summery care-free warmth of the band's debut 'Is This It', only now with an industrial edge to them as well, which makes 'Under Cover Of Darkness' feel like the bridge between 'Is This It' and their last album, 2006's 'First Impressions Of Earth'.

Following reports of inter-band rivalry, Julian Casablancas's vocals also seem surprisingly relaxed and comfortable in their surroundings again – a position, arguably, they haven't found themselves in since the early days when The Strokes were all about writing three minute pop songs rather than stalled solo careers and separate recording studios.

Yes, 'Under Cover Of Darkness' won't please everyone, but with one eye on the past and the other on the future, it comes very close.

You can check out the song below, and don’t forget to let us know your thoughts in the comment form.

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The Strokes - 'Under Cover Of Darkness':