Angles
by The Strokes
  • Record Label: RCA
  • Release Date: Mar 22, 2011
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 266 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 216 out of 266
  2. Mixed: 41 out of 266
  3. Negative: 9 out of 266
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. frightopia
    Mar 19, 2023
    8
    Honestly a very solid album. It really did not have any bad songs and seemed a bit different than previous albums, which was a breath of fresh air.
  2. EmilianoxMQ
    Jul 27, 2020
    9
    The guitar here is wonderful. Makes like a minimalist sound. In spite of some songs, this would be the second best album.
  3. SatanaFollador
    Apr 10, 2020
    10
    I love This album, it's yo great af, like songs as Games or Under cover Of Darkness. Yes, 10/10
  4. davidpaulmesa
    Apr 6, 2020
    10
    The Strokes are a band that I didn't get into until 2010, so this was the first album I got to experience the release of. I don't know if that adds bias, but this album is almost every bit as interesting to listen to as FIOE, but with a lot of music that's just fun to dance to. All in all its easily my favorite Strokes album.
  5. drongodan
    Apr 1, 2020
    7
    Nothing particularly bad about the album but is defiantly the weakest for me. Fave tracks Undercover of Darkness & Two Kinds of Happiness
  6. darklatinbruh
    Jun 9, 2019
    7
    I mean, yeah, why not. If its got great tunes why not listen to it?
    Highlights; Under cover of Darkness, macchu pichu, life is simple in the moonlight.

    lowlights: two kinds of happiness
  7. MoralSupport
    May 23, 2018
    7
    Angles is an album that, at least for the strokes, is annoyingly catchy and hard to get out of your head. It's not "Is This It", but it does have it's moments. 7 out of the 10 songs on this LP are well crafted, intimate, and thoroughly enjoyable listens. However, Games, Metabolism, and You're So Right are, simply put, bad songs. They're hard to listen to. The lyrics aren't anything specialAngles is an album that, at least for the strokes, is annoyingly catchy and hard to get out of your head. It's not "Is This It", but it does have it's moments. 7 out of the 10 songs on this LP are well crafted, intimate, and thoroughly enjoyable listens. However, Games, Metabolism, and You're So Right are, simply put, bad songs. They're hard to listen to. The lyrics aren't anything special either, but what is done well on this album is enough to make Angles a worthy listen, if nothing else. Highlights are Machu Picchu and Life is Simple in the Moonlight.… Expand
  8. Mccusky
    Feb 1, 2018
    10
    One of the things that constantly surprises me about the strokes is the tightness of their sound. Some of the songs on Angles have an outrageous sound, guitars screech and squeal at their typical fast pace, rhythm, lead, bass bouncing around each other whilst Julian cooly carries the sound to another level. Great job with the production, some of the songs lack a little lyrical substanceOne of the things that constantly surprises me about the strokes is the tightness of their sound. Some of the songs on Angles have an outrageous sound, guitars screech and squeal at their typical fast pace, rhythm, lead, bass bouncing around each other whilst Julian cooly carries the sound to another level. Great job with the production, some of the songs lack a little lyrical substance but this is rare, Two kinds of happiness is somewhat straight forward song but its an absolute masterpiece, UCOD is terrific, unassuming. Angles is truly a wonderful work of modern art, bitter sweet with a hidden arrogance, swagger and bite. Rock on The Strokes!… Expand
  9. EmmeKira
    May 15, 2015
    7
    A good return to form.. and at the same time a good sign that the band is trying always something new. There are some killer tunes here (Taken for a Fool and Machu Pichu for example) and some great other songs as well (Under Cover of Darkness, Two Kinds of Happiness, Life is Simple in the Moonlight). All the other tracks are mostly good or ok, but what they lack is a cohesive idea thatA good return to form.. and at the same time a good sign that the band is trying always something new. There are some killer tunes here (Taken for a Fool and Machu Pichu for example) and some great other songs as well (Under Cover of Darkness, Two Kinds of Happiness, Life is Simple in the Moonlight). All the other tracks are mostly good or ok, but what they lack is a cohesive idea that holds them all tight. It's an album that does a lot of experimenting, but there doesn't seem to be an actual overall idea behind it, even though, as I said, most of the tracks are pretty fun to listen to.… Expand
  10. Neel12345
    Sep 25, 2014
    10
    Highly under rated, this album in the bomb digady and is cool beans. The albums got great songs on it that are as good as any other strokes songs. Buy this!
  11. DarkBates
    Nov 11, 2013
    9
    Underestimated and misunderstood. I love this album, the rhythm, the instruments... cool! I think this is one of their best. The julian's voice in this album give me some orgasms. God!
  12. EpicPinkBanana
    Mar 22, 2013
    8
    Machu Picchu's opening line is ''I'm putting your patience to the test'', and they sure did. After 5 years the Strokes are back. A lot has changed. The Strokes already showed their 'dark side' on the mediocre First Impressions of Earth but really have given themselves some space to grow with this album. This turned out great. In most songs they retain the classic Strokes sound, whileMachu Picchu's opening line is ''I'm putting your patience to the test'', and they sure did. After 5 years the Strokes are back. A lot has changed. The Strokes already showed their 'dark side' on the mediocre First Impressions of Earth but really have given themselves some space to grow with this album. This turned out great. In most songs they retain the classic Strokes sound, while adding something fresh. The Strokes pulled it off extremely well considered what impossible situation they are in. If they would make an ''Is This It-remake'' everybody would complain about how they hadn't grown in 10 years, if they experiment with new sounds, everyone will complain about how unlike Is This It it is. Angles really got a lot of hate, but it's a great album. It will grow on you, I promise.… Expand
  13. jeneboe
    Jul 21, 2012
    9
    I applaud The Strokes for switching things up and integrating different sound elements into some of their songs. At first, I only liked a few of the songs on the album and thought the rest were all right, but it has definitely grown on me. I absolutely love the album now. 'Angles' definitely takes some risks, but anyone who liked 'Is This It' will surely enjoy the band's newestI applaud The Strokes for switching things up and integrating different sound elements into some of their songs. At first, I only liked a few of the songs on the album and thought the rest were all right, but it has definitely grown on me. I absolutely love the album now. 'Angles' definitely takes some risks, but anyone who liked 'Is This It' will surely enjoy the band's newest album--it grows on you!
    Favorite tracks: Taken for a Fool -and- Life is Simple in the Moonlight    … Expand
  14. Mab_987
    Jul 6, 2012
    8
    In my opinion this is almost as good as Is This It, if not better. I love how many different styles they try out, from new wave to electronica to classic Strokes. I only give this an 8 because Call Me Back and Metabolism are just boring filler tracks. But every other track is great.
  15. Ricko
    May 24, 2012
    7
    After the bones of 5 years away the creators of Is This It return with their 4th album. Let's face it - The Strokes are never going to recapture the form that saw them deliver "Is This It" or even it's follow up "Room on Fire". It's a pity but I believe it to be a fact. With that in mind you have to take this album completley on it's own merits otherwise it will suffer in comparison. AllAfter the bones of 5 years away the creators of Is This It return with their 4th album. Let's face it - The Strokes are never going to recapture the form that saw them deliver "Is This It" or even it's follow up "Room on Fire". It's a pity but I believe it to be a fact. With that in mind you have to take this album completley on it's own merits otherwise it will suffer in comparison. All in all it's reasonably good. At 10 tracks its short enough that it manages not to have any bad tracks. This was a major fault of First Impressions Of Earth - too long leading to too much filler. Having no bad tracks doesn't mean its a great album though. It's got a couple of brilliant tracks and several good ideas but it's also got some strange moments that don't really go anywhere and manage to just thread water. Taking the best of this record with the best of First Impressions.... could have resulted in a really great record but instead what we're left with is 2 good enough records. Under Cover of Darkness is brilliant though - as good as anything they've ever done. I don't hold high hopes for their future albums however when the times comes for them to release a Best Of (which should be a brilliant record), Angles will have a couple of contributions.… Expand
  16. RenegadeNorman
    Dec 30, 2011
    9
    Over time the album has grown on me. I can now say that a majority of the album is near-perfect. There might be one forgettable song, but the rest makes up for it. "Machu Picchu", "You're So Right", "Taken for a Fool", "Gratisfaction", and "Under Cover of Darkness" are the highlights of the album. It is definitely worth the 5 year wait.
  17. clashclashclash
    Dec 24, 2011
    10
    I give this album a 8/10, but had to give it a 10 on MetaCritic to make up for the amateur music fans who gave it low reviews. No matter how much you hate The Strokes, a 3/10 is just unacceptable. Have you been hanging out on Pitchfork too much? Come on.. last place to take review advice. Anyways, this album (as i mentioned 8/10) is very solid. They take a poppier, more colorful directionI give this album a 8/10, but had to give it a 10 on MetaCritic to make up for the amateur music fans who gave it low reviews. No matter how much you hate The Strokes, a 3/10 is just unacceptable. Have you been hanging out on Pitchfork too much? Come on.. last place to take review advice. Anyways, this album (as i mentioned 8/10) is very solid. They take a poppier, more colorful direction with it, but they make it work. The great thing about any Strokes album is that there's no such thing as a bad song. They are incapable of making a bad song because with a combination of Albert Hammond Jr. and Nick Valensi on guitars, you are set.. Angles can be almost completely listened to from beginning to end without a skip. I say almost because You're So Right. Never let Nikolai push his songs into a Strokes album. I think that was a great lesson for everybody. So this is what keeps it from being another flawless album. As mentioned before, You're So Right is one thing that keeps it from perfection. To have a flawless album, every single song has to be great, and being The Strokes, you are already set to incredibly high standards after ITI and ROF.

    The other thing holding it back from a flawless score is the fact that certain songs in the album don't have the Strokes touch. Take Games and Call Me Back for example. Great songs, but they are songs other bands could potentially make. They would work if they were on an Arctic Monkeys or White Stripes album, but your entire music depends on your certain style. The fact that so many try to imitate them and fail is what makes the Strokes so unique. So, when you have songs like Games and Call Me Back, you're just making songs that other bands can make. So this is the fast and simplified version of the review, but you get the gist of it. It's a great album with really intricate guitar play and the usually tightly timed Strokes style in most songs, but it just misses the beat on a few occasions, which keeps it from being flawless.

    (8/10) PS. After a good 8 months, UCOD is sounding better than before. Go listen to it again.    … Expand
  18. JawsPapi87
    Oct 3, 2011
    7
    Angles has grown on me, going from a B- to a straight A. It was such a great decision to change their style a little bit after the somewhat disappointing First Impressions of Earth. Overall, Angles comes together beautifully and is one of the most underrated and unfairly overlooked albums of the past few years
  19. papalazarou
    Aug 31, 2011
    8
    With the strokes being the best band on the planet at the moment I should have been looking forward to this album, but then I remembered their last attempt at an album, and what a colossal failure it was. When I first listened to the album I have to admit I wasn't too impressed, A couple tracks "under the cover of darkness" and "Gratisfaction" stood out, but the rest i thought were lazyWith the strokes being the best band on the planet at the moment I should have been looking forward to this album, but then I remembered their last attempt at an album, and what a colossal failure it was. When I first listened to the album I have to admit I wasn't too impressed, A couple tracks "under the cover of darkness" and "Gratisfaction" stood out, but the rest i thought were lazy attempts at riff driven indie-rock. That was what I thought, but I was wrong. Give this album the full attention it deserves and it will reward you. I grows on you, and after the third time of listening i thought "Wow, this really is a good album". "Machu Picchu" quickly became my favourite song from the record. "Taken for a fool" hit me as a superb song and "Life Is simple in the moonlight" became a very apt final track to a now brilliant album.
    I warn you don't judge a book by a cover, or, more relevant to this album, after reading it only once.    … Expand
  20. j30
    Jul 20, 2011
    9
    From the opening bass line of Machu Picchu I was blown away. This is a return to form from a band I thought would never see the studio again (First Impressions of Earth sounds like a breakup album). Julian Casablancas being more open and not overseeing everything the band was doing was just the ticket. Listening to their previous albums before this one, I honestly believe this is theirFrom the opening bass line of Machu Picchu I was blown away. This is a return to form from a band I thought would never see the studio again (First Impressions of Earth sounds like a breakup album). Julian Casablancas being more open and not overseeing everything the band was doing was just the ticket. Listening to their previous albums before this one, I honestly believe this is their best album since Is This It and could be the best rock album of the year. I don't understand why fans are so disappointed in an album that captures everything we love about The Strokes. Under the Cover of Darkness and Taken for a Fool sounds like they could have come off of Is This It. The rest sounds like a better version of Room on Fire. It feels like Phoenix's Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, it catches you from the beginning and never lets go. The perfect summer album.… Expand
  21. Clampy
    Jul 19, 2011
    10
    First heard this when I was on the plane, and stumbled across it when amidst deep boredom. An electrically absorbing and impressively composed slice of indie culture. Not really indie, though. Best track is Machu Picchu, and the other truly memorable ones are Taken for a Fool and Gratisfaction.
  22. quirlontilt
    Jul 2, 2011
    9
    Overall the album has some great songs, "Taken for a fool" is an absolute winner with amazingly catchy riffs and a great melodic chorus, "Under cover of Darkness", "Gratisfaction" and "Macchu Picchu" are also really catchy interesting songs, however I felt that most of the rest of the songs were unfortunately noticeably lacking something.
  23. Binki
    Jun 12, 2011
    8
    Really great album. Of course it is not an "Is this it" 2 but it's a good album for sure. The Strokes have changed in ten years but their still one of the best band of this decade. "Taken for a fool" and "Macchu Pichu" are the masterpieces of this album. "Life is simple in the moonlight" is one of their best tracks ever.
  24. JCGuerrero
    Jun 1, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This album merges both the essential character of the Strokes but also excellence in creativity retrieves the album Is this It. I love this album. There are traces of the style of the band Muse in Metabolism, can repair.… Expand
  25. Luccaass
    May 18, 2011
    10
    A fantastic album, drawing from unique elements and showcasing Casablancas's voice as well as the bands' songwriting. In each song you can find the musical growth of this incredible band.
  26. SexxLaws
    Apr 28, 2011
    10
    This album is SO 80S! AND I **** LOVE THE ENTIRE THING! It is very catchy, really. I don't see what everybody is complaining about- what's so wrong about the **** album, it is very interesting, very different than their previous sound but still reminiscent. I **** love this band, and I **** love the synth pop sounds they came up with. Even though they were struggling during the recordingThis album is SO 80S! AND I **** LOVE THE ENTIRE THING! It is very catchy, really. I don't see what everybody is complaining about- what's so wrong about the **** album, it is very interesting, very different than their previous sound but still reminiscent. I **** love this band, and I **** love the synth pop sounds they came up with. Even though they were struggling during the recording of this album, I still enjoy the tone of this album, they did a great job and I hope they do another album very soon.… Expand
  27. PuffyPat
    Apr 26, 2011
    8
    While this is by far not their best stuff, Angles still delivered exactly what I needed from The Strokes. Granted not all the tracks are amazing there are many stand out tracks that keep me coming back for more. Under Cover of Darkness and Taken for a Fool are just classic Strokes while Machu Picchu has a refreshing reggae feel. There isn't a single track on this album that is trulyWhile this is by far not their best stuff, Angles still delivered exactly what I needed from The Strokes. Granted not all the tracks are amazing there are many stand out tracks that keep me coming back for more. Under Cover of Darkness and Taken for a Fool are just classic Strokes while Machu Picchu has a refreshing reggae feel. There isn't a single track on this album that is truly disappointing. Overall this album was well worth the many listens I've given it, and the many more to come.… Expand
  28. Exogenesis
    Apr 23, 2011
    8
    I don't understand the negative reviews for Angles, it is a fantastic reboot for one of the greatest bands of the century so far, machu picchu, under the cover of darkness and taken for a fool are all stand-outs
  29. Cmurd23
    Apr 12, 2011
    8
    If you like The Strokes the you'll like this album. Its upbeat and fun. Standouts include "Machu Picchu," "Two Kinds of Happiness," "Taken for a Fool," and "Metabolism."
  30. Watermelon789
    Apr 11, 2011
    8
    The new album is a very neat pack. Good music with a variation on it , the bands music feels somewhat different . Under cover of Darkness is the best on it,Life is Simple in the Moonlight great,Call me back is melodic. Keep it going Strokes.
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

20
#20 Most Discussed Album of 2011
62
#62 Most Shared Album of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
71

Generally favorable reviews - based on 41 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 41
  3. Negative: 1 out of 41
  1. Filter
    May 10, 2011
    60
    The result is mixed and at times strained, but a spark still lies within.
    Read full review
  2. American Songwriter
    May 2, 2011
    60
    When all is said and done, Angles could make for an exciting introduction to a new chapter for The Strokes, or it could be a disappointing swan song.
    Read full review
  3. Q Magazine
    May 2, 2011
    80
    Angles fits 10 songs into a brisk 34 minutes and doesn't waste time gunning for gravitas. [Apr 2011, p.92]
See all critic reviews »