The Strokes perform new song 'Ode to the Mets', confirm new 2020 album at New Year’s Eve show in New York
The Strokes performed at the New Year’s Eve show at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, Tuesday night with a surprise announcement that the band has "been unfrozen and now we're back", from the words of frontman Julian Casablancas.
During the encore, the band enticed the crowd as to what they wanted to hear next and the crowd chanted for a song from their fourth studio album 'Angles', which led to an exciting twist. Casablancas seemingly enjoying toying with the audience said, "I don't want to do a song from 'Angles'" and followed up with a bomb, "What about a new song?"
He added to the suspense by stating they will be releasing a new album "coming out soon". 'Angles' hadn't seen much love from the band before as the recording sessions were fractured with the absence of Casablancas.
The Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. was also dealing with drug addiction during the recording of the album resulting in his absence as well from recording sessions. There had been much speculation that the band had split up or were on a hiatus, especially considering their last album 'Comedown Machine' released way back in 2013 and was followed by only an EP in 2016 titled 'Future Present Past'.
The news of a new song and new album was indeed a shockingly pleasant surprise and is evident by the loud cheers and screams of the crowd at the New Year's Eve show. The new song they performed is called 'Ode to the Mets,' according to Stereogum.
It was a slower song with a straightforward musical backing and a mystic melancholic opening guitar riff with Casablancas drawing attention to his vocals, perhaps a hint at an album with more personal or deeper lyrics for 2020.
You can watch a clip of the live show, the announcement and new song here.