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
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  1. 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
  2. Vampire25
    Mar 22, 2011
    8
    Angles is yet another success by The Strokes. Their first two albums were beyond great and First Impressions Of Earth I thought was even pretty good. And Angles is no exception. It sounds different from any other Strokes album. Every song sounds great and Julian's voice has never sounded more great. All In All, Angles is a great album and The Strokes have yet to fail. B+
  3. 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
  4. 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.
  5. A7sus4
    Mar 29, 2011
    8
    I think it's great from beginning to end; not a track I skip. It's got a classic strokes sound but with some really cool and interesting additional effects and arrangements. The vocals, instrumental performances, beats, harmonies, and melodies shine well in clearly distinguishable tracks that work well together as an album. It's short and sweet, like their first two records, I'm notI think it's great from beginning to end; not a track I skip. It's got a classic strokes sound but with some really cool and interesting additional effects and arrangements. The vocals, instrumental performances, beats, harmonies, and melodies shine well in clearly distinguishable tracks that work well together as an album. It's short and sweet, like their first two records, I'm not disappointed at all; a great improvement over the at times laborious FIOE.… Expand
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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.
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. Esteban
    Apr 9, 2011
    8
    It's a grower. when i first listened I have to admit I was disappointed. But, if given time it reveals the myriad of ideas contained within. This doesn't have the consistency of Is This It, but who wants a band to constantly repeat their hits? It sees Casablancas and Co taking some brave new directions and, if given time, will point all die-hard Strokes fans towards a bright new future.It's a grower. when i first listened I have to admit I was disappointed. But, if given time it reveals the myriad of ideas contained within. This doesn't have the consistency of Is This It, but who wants a band to constantly repeat their hits? It sees Casablancas and Co taking some brave new directions and, if given time, will point all die-hard Strokes fans towards a bright new future. We owe The Strokes that time, after what they've given us over the years. Taken For A Fool is the highlight... vintage Strokes.… Expand
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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!
  15. 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
  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. 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.
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. 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.
  21. 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
  22. 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
  23. ryanpoling
    Mar 27, 2011
    8
    The only complaint I have with this album is that all the good songs are crammed at the front, making it a downhill experience from when you start listening. All-in-all, this is a good album and a good sound for the Strokes. Any Strokes fan should be pleased.
  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. dittodelbalzo
    Mar 28, 2011
    10
    Best album in 5 years by the best band of all time. More of a grower than the previous, but that's a very cool thing. All of their music lasts, and they've never made a bad song. Check it out.
  26. Jules
    Mar 28, 2011
    8
    When I first popped this cd into my car I wanted to like it, I was desperate to like it! But... I just didn't. So I went home, turned the TV off, put away all distractions and just listened, truly listened. Wouldn't ya guess that this album grew on me like a wart. It spread through my body like a deadly disease, and I was hooked on Angles. After a long five year hiatus, The Strokes areWhen I first popped this cd into my car I wanted to like it, I was desperate to like it! But... I just didn't. So I went home, turned the TV off, put away all distractions and just listened, truly listened. Wouldn't ya guess that this album grew on me like a wart. It spread through my body like a deadly disease, and I was hooked on Angles. After a long five year hiatus, The Strokes are back at full strength with what some may argue their best album yet. Angles soars over previous albums Room on Fire and First Impressions of Earth in every imaginable way: lyrically, instrumentally and in general song writing.
    Many expected this album to return to the roots of Is This It, and Angles often does, with great tracks such as Undercover of Darkness and Taken for a Fool for example. But many other songs venture back to times of FIoE, Youre so Right and Metabolism for example, while songs like Call Me Back and Machu Pichu evoke complete new elements for The Strokes. Almost all of these songs hit hard and leave an impact (Taken for a Fool and Gratisfaction being the best examples), while songs like Two Kinds of Happiness and Metabolism are largely uneffective. This album is the first joint effort from the boys. While everyone truly tries their hardest to write songs, Jules (Life is Simple in the Moonlight) and Nick (Taken for a Fool) are the writers who truly impress.
    In the end, this is a great album, and a couple mediocre tracks stop it from being their best. While it doesn't live up to Is This It, it sure comes close, and is a must buy album.    … Expand
  27. 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."
  28. Philip
    Mar 23, 2011
    10
    I was disappointed with this album when I first listened to it. Now it's grown on me with a vengeance. I absolutely love it. Taken for a Fool is easily one of the best songs, with it's fantastic chorus. Games, the most unnerving departure from The Strokes' norm, is now one of my favourite songs. Life is Simple in the Moonlight has a unique atmosphere of distant sincerity and regret. Not toI was disappointed with this album when I first listened to it. Now it's grown on me with a vengeance. I absolutely love it. Taken for a Fool is easily one of the best songs, with it's fantastic chorus. Games, the most unnerving departure from The Strokes' norm, is now one of my favourite songs. Life is Simple in the Moonlight has a unique atmosphere of distant sincerity and regret. Not to mention Under Cover of Darkness, easily the best individual Strokes song since the Is This It era.… Expand
  29. 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
  30. innocentbystand
    Mar 26, 2011
    8
    To be honest Angles is much better and radio friendly than their previous effort, machu piccu and taken for a fool might be their best songs since Room on Fire era. On the other hand, "You're so right" is the worst thing they have ever done. Games and Metabolism is also little bit hard to get used to too, but they slowly grew on me, In general it's a good record, much better than ITo be honest Angles is much better and radio friendly than their previous effort, machu piccu and taken for a fool might be their best songs since Room on Fire era. On the other hand, "You're so right" is the worst thing they have ever done. Games and Metabolism is also little bit hard to get used to too, but they slowly grew on me, In general it's a good record, much better than I expected especially from a band had so many issues while recording this album... It's a bit short though. Hope we won't wait another 5 years before we hear next 10 strokes songs.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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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 »