The album title "The New Abnormal" is a reference to the present age of environmental disaster. “There were these huge fires in Los Angeles,” Julian about their time recording. “A lot of houses burned down but Shangri-La survived, by some miracle. That’s where the name of the album comes from, the extreme weather, the violence…”
Rumors of the album’s production began in July 2017, when Albert Hammond—father of The Strokes’ guitarist, Albert Hammond Jr.—mentioned that the band was in-studio with producer Rick Rubin in an interview with The West Australian. This rumor was quickly dispelled by Hammond Jr. in a since-deleted tweet, claiming: “Forgive Albert Sr he got prematurely excited. A lot of unknowns and nothing worth speaking about at this time.” He did concede, however, that “We met and played a few music ideas for Rick to feel out a vibe, but even a theoretical album plan would be years away, if at all.” Damage control continued with Julian joking on Twitter, saying:
"(What Albert Sr meant to say is we are working with NBA point guard Ricky Rubio on a new offense for our basketball league)"
Back in December 2018, the band announced a series of tour dates and a “global comeback” for 2019. The first event took place at The Wiltern in Los Angeles on May 13, where they performed a new song, titled “The Adults Are Talking.” The last concert of 2019 took place on New Year’s Eve at the Barclays Center in their hometown of Brooklyn, New York. They performed a new song titled “Ode to the Mets.” Julian Casablancas then confirmed:
"Yeah, we’ve got a new album coming out soon. 2020, here we come. The 2010s, whatever the fuck they’re called, we took ‘em off. And now we’ve been unfrozen and we’re back. If you really love someone, you’ll be frozen with them. You know what? I don’t know what I say generally, and I ramble a lot, but I lo"ve you guys, and it’s a real honor to share the stage and this night with you guys.
- via Rolling Stone (January 2020)
News around the album’s actual release began on February 7, 2020, when Albert Hammond Jr. tweeted: “You think you’ve been waiting. But the wait has just begun. Welcome to the new abnormal.” Similar videos and promotions began appearing on the band members’ social media pages and billboards around the world. Leaked ASCAP listings for “songs written by Julian Casablancas” also revealed the tracklist and various co-writers on the album, including pop-rock icon Billy Idol.
A few days later on February 10, 2020, the band played a live political rally in support of presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. A short musical snippet of “At the Door” played before the concert, foretelling of the song’s official release the next day, along with the music video and the upcoming album’s tracklist and album art. The band also performed a new song titled “Bad Decisions,” which was released the following Tuesday, February 18, 2020, along with its accompanying music video. According to Albert Hammond Jr.’s Twitter, this would be the first official single for the new record.
On April 6, 2020, the band released “Brooklyn Bridge to Chorus” as the final single preceding the album’s release.
The New Abnormal debuted at #8 on the Billboard 200 during the chart week of April 26, 2020 after selling approximately 35,000 album-equivalent units during its first week.
On March 14, 2021, The Strokes won their first-ever Grammy Award for Best Rock Album of the Year at the 63rd Grammy Awards.
The Adults Are Talking
The Strokes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They're complainin', overeducated
You are saying all the words I'm dreaming
Say it after me
Say it after me
They will blame us, crucify and shame us
We can't help it if we are a problem
We are tryin' hard to get your attention
I'm climbin' up your wall
Climbin' up your wall
Don't go there 'cause you'll never return
I know you think of me when you think of her
But then it don't make sense when you're tryin' hard
To do the right thing but without recompense
And then you did something wrong and you said it was great
And now you don't know how you could ever complain
Because you're all confused 'cause you want me to
But then you want me to do it the same as you
You were waitin' for the elevator
You were sayin' all the words I'm dreaming
No more askin' questions or excuses
Information's here
Here and everywhere
Don't go there 'cause you'll never return
I know you think of me when you think of her
But then it don't make sense when you're tryin' hard
To do the right thing but without recompense
And then you did something wrong and you said it was great
And now you don't know how you could ever complain
Because you're all confused 'cause you want me to
But then you want me to do it the same way as you, and, but
I don't, I don't want anything
I know it's not, it's not your fault
I don't want anyone
Always I do, it's not for you
Ah
Ooh
Stockholders
Same shit, a different lie
I'll get it right sometime
Oh, maybe not tonight
Oh, maybe not tonight
Oh, maybe not tonight
Oh, maybe not tonight
Oh, maybe not tonight
Hello?
Yeah, boy, here we go
And a-one, and a-two, and a-three
Here we go, friends
Hold on, I can't-
Maybe that's kooky situation
So, let's go back to the old key, old tempo, everything
Okay
The lyrics to The Strokes's song "The Adults Are Talking" seem to be touching on the idea of being misunderstood and judged by others. The opening lines speak to the idea of being labeled as "sophisticated" and "overeducated," which can often lead to criticism and ostracism from others who may not understand a certain way of thinking or living. Despite this, the singer seems to find solace in the fact that the person they are speaking to can understand their words and thoughts, saying "You are saying all the words I'm dreaming / Say it after me."
The second half of the song delves into the idea of conflicted emotions and desires, highlighting the confusion and frustration that can come from trying to do the right thing without receiving any recognition or reward. The lines "And then you did something wrong and you said it was great / And now you don't know how you could ever complain / Because you're all confused 'cause you want me to / But then you want me to do it the same as you" speak to the complex and often contradictory nature of human relationships.
Overall, the song seems to be grappling with themes of miscommunication, misunderstanding, and the complexities of human relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
They've been sayin', "You're sophisticated"
People are complimenting us and saying we're smart and polished
They're complainin', overeducated
But others are whining that we're too educated and a little bit annoying for that reason
You are saying all the words I'm dreaming
You're reading my mind and saying everything I'm thinking
Say it after me
Say it after me
Repeat it with me, let's stay in sync
They will blame us, crucify and shame us
We can't help it if we are a problem
We are tryin' hard to get your attention
Others are going to attack us and try to make us feel bad, but we can't always help that we're causing disruptions because we're just trying to get people to notice us
I'm climbin' up your wall
Climbin' up your wall
I'm making a lot of effort to get closer to you and get your attention
Don't go there 'cause you'll never return
I know you think of me when you think of her
But then it don't make sense when you're tryin' hard
To do the right thing but without recompense
And then you did something wrong and you said it was great
And now you don't know how you could ever complain
Because you're all confused 'cause you want me to
But then you want me to do it the same as you
If you start going down this path again, you're going to regret it and never come back. I know you associate me with her, but it doesn't make sense why you're trying so hard to do what's right without getting anything in return. Then you did something wrong but convinced yourself it was good, and now you're confused because you want me to join you but also want me to be exactly like you.
You were waitin' for the elevator
You were sayin' all the words I'm dreaming
No more askin' questions or excuses
Information's here
Here and everywhere
I saw you waiting for the elevator and noticed that you were echoing everything I was thinking. Stop questioning and making excuses; the answer is here and everywhere.
I don't, I don't want anything
I know it's not, it's not your fault
I don't want anyone
Always I do, it's not for you
I don't want anything or anyone, and I know that's not your fault or something you can give me. This is something I want for myself, not for you.
Stockholders
Same shit, a different lie
I'll get it right sometime
Oh, maybe not tonight
Oh, maybe not tonight
Oh, maybe not tonight
Oh, maybe not tonight
Oh, maybe not tonight
Stockholders and businesspeople always say the same things that are never true. I'll eventually get it right, but maybe not tonight or anytime soon.
Hello?
Yeah, boy, here we go
And a-one, and a-two, and a-three
Here we go, friends
Hold on, I can't-
Maybe that's kooky situation
So, let's go back to the old key, old tempo, everything
Okay
Hello? Yes, let's get started. And a-one, and a-two, and a-three - here we go, friends! Wait, I can't quite follow you. Maybe this is a strange situation. Let's revert back to something more familiar and comfortable, okay?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Albert Jr. Hammond, Fabrizio Moretti, Julian Casablancas, Nick Valensi, Nikolai Fraiture
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind