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At the center of every album is a musical thesis. This thesis can be the driving force behind the album, a theme that interweaves songs together, or a feeling you are left with after the very last song plays. With some albums, the thesis is easy to find. On others, it is hidden and requires you to be more than a passive listener. These reviews are not about rating an album. Instead, it is about uncovering a musical thesis. 

The Strokes and I have not spent a lot of time together. Beyond radio hits and a few songs sneaking their way into a playlist handpicked for me by some algorithm, I have never given the band much thought. From afar, I understand their importance in an ongoing conversation about alternative and rock music. For me, the desire to dig deeper into their catalog has been there, but I never pulled the trigger.  

Something about The New Abnormal demanded that I understand and spend some time with this album. To prepare for this reaction, I listened to it fully three times through and spent some countless hours on individual tracks. Almost instantly, I understood what I was missing. My ears invited me to a new music obsession.   

In countless ways, this is a rock album born of this moment. No longer the most popular genre in the world, rock music stands on the precipice of a music landscape that is constantly changing and evolving. This invites experimentation and opportunities to push the boundaries of the genre into the next frontier. I think we will credit albums such as this one with helping change the conversation.  

This is an introspective record focused on the journey of life. It does not answer all the questions it poses. That is not the mission here. It represents something new and profound. What happens from here will be fascinating. Who finds influence in this record excites me more than the collection of songs themselves.  

Make no mistake, I do not think this album is Nevermind or Ten. I will never argue that it should be one of the greatest albums of all time. The Strokes are not the only rock band in the world right now, layering new and fascinating sounds over deep lyrics (Jack White and Car Seat Headrest are also helping change the very nature of the genre). But The Strokes could have produced another album in the same vein as their first few records and saved experimentation for various side projects. Instead, it was those side projects that have seemed to unleash a creative side that has found its way back to the mothership. It makes me excited about the future of the genre, and the future of this band. In a landscape that seems to overlook rock and roll, it is enthralling to find something that gives me hope.  

Be good to each other,  

Nathan  

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