Is this finally it? The Strokes release new track...

They even went and took a new band photo for the new album... (via thestrokes.com)

The Strokes are the single biggest reason I fell in love with indie music.I was just an ignorant little 17yr old before Julian, Fab, Albert, Nick and Nikolai completely changed my world.

Is this it was followed by Room on Fire, and though most of us were a bit worried that it basically sounded like Is this it again? the music world let those misgivings slide - mostly because the music was still so goddam good. And then First Impressions of Earth landed in the middle of the decade and landed, well, with a clank and a thud.

So you can imagine how nervous I was when it was announced that they were giving a track away for free on their site .... that it was part of the new album Angles... which will come some time in 2011. The song is called Under Cover of Darkness and is streamed below:

The Strokes - Under Cover Of Darkness by thebluewalrus

My Thoughts: Oh wow this good. So so good.  Gone are the more astral tendencies of First Impressions, back are the good old fashioned meat and potatoes Strokes - Albert is all over his guitar solo and Nikolai's baseline rides up your spine. Most excitingly - Julian's lyrics - hint at a new direction, like he's mixed anger into his "look at how elegantly I don't give a fuck" vocals. I dont want to get carried away but I so do.....please let this be the sign that they are back.

Shhh, but I think this it .
Marlon