The Strokes are back with a new single, “Going Shopping,” from their upcoming album “Reality Awaits,” set to release on June 26, 2026. This will be the band’s seventh album, following a six year hiatus after “The New Abnormal,” which received praise from critics for their return to the garage rock sound that made them popular. This album even won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album in 2021. And now, with the announcement of “Reality Awaits” and the new single release, we have a glimpse at the direction of where this album will go.
After a first listen, I noticed how different the style of sound is compared to “The New Abnormal.” Comparing singles from both albums, “Going Shopping” comes across as cleaner and more stripped-back, drawing on a jungle-pop influence with its polished guitar tone. “Bad Decisions”, from “The New Abnormal”, is more akin to their older style, specifically from their first three albums, focusing more on their raw and high-energy garage style
My first impression of the new single is how good the band sounded after all these years, to hear that they are all able to play together to make refreshing new music, especially for guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., respectively. Melodic riffs really give energy to the topical indie-rock sound The Strokes were going for with this single.
Lyrically, the song dwells on themes of modern consumerism and disillusionment with the world. I was a little disappointed by the lack of depth in the lyrics, which is not a major issue. I think a song like this could have been a better chance to show the maturity of the frontman, with Julian Casablancas’ songwriting, especially after the band’s 2026 Coachella performance, where they projected a montage criticizing the United States’ involvement in other countries and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). I just thought The Strokes would have more to say.
My only major gripe comes from the lead vocalist, Julian Casablancas. Casablancas’s usage of Auto-Tune brings the song down. The issue isn’t with the Auto-Tune itself: Casablancas often incorporates vocal effects, mainly distorting his vocals, to create a more retro sound that fans are familiar with. This effect is also popular with bands like The Killers and Arctic Monkeys. However, Casablancas chooses to pitch his AutoTune so high that it drowns out all lyrics and coherent sentences.
The problem stems from Casablancas’s choice of effect on this song: the robotic, mellow vocals actively fight against the song’s harmony. I can’t help but feel that Casablanca’s normal singing delivery and inflections would’ve suited this song better.
Overall, I think “Going Shopping” is a disappointing single for a highly anticipated album and fails in comparison to other singles put out by The Strokes in the past. But regardless, I’m still excited about this album and still look forward to listening on release day. Even if the album doesn’t hold up to my expectations, it wouldn’t take away from the incredible work The Strokes have done in their discovery.
