Suit Your Suture

Much has been written in regard to the friction between band members during the recording of the fourth Strokes album, “Angles” — more than friction, the unconventional recording process where each member recorded their parts individually and isolated from each other. However, the results are as impressive as any of their previous efforts, even if the fraternal collaboration, once a staple of the band’s cohesive bond, was absent. The Strokes own a very particular sound aesthetic. They gave the world a 10-year head start to copy their sound, and biters never could. They know exactly what they’re doing.

Since 2006’s “First Impressions on Earth,” all but one of the Strokes have taken on a project of their own. Nick Valensi answers with a monogamous sentiment as to why he never pursued a side project, stating, “I’m of the opinion that you’re in a band and that’s what you do.” But his bandmates didn’t really share this sentiment.

Julian Casablancas, the most recent member to release a solo album, explored synths beyond anything the band ever did, working with Bright Eyes producer/Monsters of Folk member Mike Mogis. In “Phrazes for the Young,” we see a conceptual album that is more tightly woven into a single idea than anything the Strokes have recorded.

Albert Hammond Jr., the first to pursue a solo project and now with two albums under his belt, concentrated heavily on pop harmonies on his debut, “Friendly Fire.” On the same album, we hear a polished version of “In Transit,” a title track that was used in an early Strokes documentary by the same name.

Fab Moretti took a softer/mellower route as he formed Little Joy, a project that includes Binki Shapiro and Rodrigo Amarante. Moretti took a more prominent role, exploring with backup vocals, tenor guitar and songwriting.

Nikolai Fraiture formed his own band, Nickel Eye, as well, the least-known project of all the Strokes side projects. It’s also the folkiest sounding. Honestly, I found it to be the most difficult to digest, though some tracks can be rescued.

The most interesting aspect about listening to an album like “Angles” is trying to source all the distinct influences that shaped the record after we have been exposed to the individual efforts over the past several years. Even Valensi’s input can be pinned almost by subtractive formula — assuming all the artistic ingenuity crafted into the record that can’t be sourced is Valensi.

If you take all these singular stroke molecules, can you see who has the biggest influence on the overall sound of the band? Can you identify the individual influences on revisited albums: “Is This It?,” “Room and Fire” and “First Impressions on Earth”?

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