The Guardian
·Jul 2026
The Strokes: Reality Awaits review – a perfect marriage of mayhem and melody on their best album in years
The Strokes’ seventh album, Reality Awaits, is praised for combining the experimental, eccentric qualities of Julian Casablancas’s work with The Voidz and the band’s own minimalist pop sensibility. The review highlights Casablancas’s energetic and often humorous performances, Nick Valensi’s guitar work, and the record’s playful, tuneful production. While the ambling closer Tyrants of the Mellow Moon is criticized as unwieldy and overly dependent on Auto-Tuned vocals, the album is ultimately presented as one of The Strokes’ most nimble and enjoyable releases in years, suggesting renewed creative potential for the band.