The Strokes have been recording their new album without Julian Casablancas, their frontman has revealed.
Casablancas, who has been the principal songwriter on the band’s previous three records, has said he left his bandmates alone in the studio because he did not want to interfere. “I think they did a good job,” he told ABC News. “Just tracking the songs. It’s been nice to get my hands on it. I’m pretty opinionated. Nothing pushy to the point of it’s my way or no way, but I’ll hear a song and be like, ‘Hmmm, it feels like the bass should be like something different’. Whereas if I feel like I wasn’t in the room then they could just kind of spread their wings.”
The new approach is unlikely to yield a change of sound for the band, with Casablancas stating he believes the new LP will sound similar to ‘First Impressions Of Earth‘, although he did say he would like to add his own twist when he begins work on the new material: “(the new album) sounds probably more like the last record,” he said. “But I think I might funk it up a little.”
According to reports, the new album is set for a September release.