A Stroke of Luck

Since they got together in 1998, indie rockers The Strokes have risen to the top of the mainstream music. However, a five-year break for lead singer Julian Casablancas and guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. to pursue solo careers left the band in a rut that they are finally emerging from.

According to The Stokes official website, the band is kicking off their upcoming International tour in New York City on April 4, following the Mar 22 release of their comeback album "Angles." They are also headlining, along with Kings of Leon and Kanye West at the Coachella music festival in Indio, California on April 14. Frontman, Casablancas wrote all of the music on the band's debut album "Is This It" which was named the second best album of the 00's by Rolling Stone Magazine. Their fourth album "Angles" was a collaborative effort by all members of the band, resulting in a new, unique sound. However, this new technique led to disconnection throughout the album, according to music website steriogum.com.

Their new hit single "Under The Cover of Darkness" made it on the Billboard.com's list of top rock songs. Making it their first Billboard chart appearance since their third album "First Impressions of Earth," which was released in 2006.

On past albums the band had constant arguments during the recording process. This caused Casablancas to stay on the road promoting his solo album "Phrazes For The Young," during the band's recording of "Angles." This allowed others a say in the artistic direction of the new album. However, the process remained difficult and Hammond admitted himself to rehab for drug use shortly after they began recording sessions, according to The New York Times.

Recording resumed and Hammond was back to work, just one month after finishing his treatment. This left him absent-minded and he experienced withdrawals during the recording of "Angles," causing new sounds to emerge throughout the album. The Stroke's overall sound went from their trademark "downtown cool" to something deeper and even warm hearted, according to Spin Magazine.

The album was recorded in Avatar studios in Manhattan, and re-recorded at Hammond's upstate New York home in order to achieve the new sound, after the band agreed that their new tracks sounded boring. They reworked them, integrating some influences rooted in reggae and electro-pop. Reporter Buz Scoppa of Paste Magazine wrote; "Angles" is "an album as warm as it is cool."

The Strokes have experienced conflict and added stress over the last five years, and it shows in their music they are currently producing. In Jan, Hammond told Rolling Stone Magazine reporter, David Fricke, "We want to come back strong but slowly, so we can grow live and also make new music. We want to release albums quicker." This delighted fans throughout the world, who anxiously awaited the new tracks and agree the temporary break was a bad decision for the band, according to Rolling Stone Magazine.