Alive and kicking!

The two musical acts today have just released new studio albums that showcase all is alive and well, music-wise. After an extended hiatus, the garage rock darling, The Strokes, are back with a set of surprising songs that has enjoyed constant play while I drive. And as for electro-rock legends, Depeche Mode, its  album shows you can’t place the band in the retro-music bin just yet.

The Strokes — Comedown Machine (RCA Records). Formed in 2001 and regarded as one of the great bands from that era, the new CD sees the band taking its original garage sound to something that genuinely innovates. It’s a mix of synth-pop, and new wave that harks back to the ’70s and ’80s while sounding fresh and exciting. Julian Casablancas fronts the band, and it’s amazing how each track sounds different, while recalling some song or band of yesteryears. On one track, it could be New Order revisited, on another  song Take On Me, on still another, the Velvet Underground updated. Tap Out, All the Way and One Way Trigger are three of the best songs to open a CD with, while Welcome to Japan is my favorite. And yes, Julian is the son of Elite Model Management founder, John Casablancas.

Depeche Mode — Delta Machine (Venusnote/Columbia Records). Formed in 1980, this is the band’s 13th studio album, and it’s proof positive that the band has not lost its edge, ready to push the music into dark corners with shafts of blinding light. Dark, brooding, menacing even, this is the most popular electro-pop band of all time, showing the band members can still bare their teeth... and fangs! It may not be for everyone, as electronica and industrial rock have taken on a sunnier countenance today, thanks to the DJ remixes; but tracks like Soft Touch/Raw Nerve still sparkle, while Sooth My Soul reminds me of a rougher Roxy Music track. And then there are songs like Heaven, which would have sat well in a Nick Cave album. If a modern gothic film needed a soundtrack, this is it.