The Strokes are back, and they are taking their time to hurt. After teasing fans with raw, unfinished jams since 2021, the New York icons have finally unleashed “Falling out of Love,” the second single from their highly anticipated upcoming album, Reality Awaits. Clocking in at over six minutes, this isn’t your typical indie-rock anthem. It’s a sprawling, melancholic ballad where Julian Casablancas delivers a haunting performance through heavy Auto-Tune filters, creating a soundscape that feels both futuristic and deeply lonely.
Produced by the “sonic guru” Rick Rubin, the track proves that the band has moved far beyond the garage-rock revival of the early 2000s. The album, set for release on June 26, features striking cover art by Richard Prince, utilizing his controversial Cowboys series—a gritty, recontextualized look at the American “Marlboro Man” mythos that perfectly mirrors the band’s current aesthetic of disillusioned Americana.
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