Retro: a term used to describe the culture of the past. This one word is what we’ve always seemed The Strokes were carrying atop their banner as a band. They seemed to be fine with it and for the most part, we as fans were too. Then something happened shortly after Room On Fire, they began to evolve.

So, the result of a band, who once prided themselves on sustaining the sound of the past, and has thus evolved was First Impressions of Earth. The Strokes were no longer the same, (not that they should be) but visually, where was the band to go whence we left them sometime after Jake Scott’s close-up heavy shot for “Reptilia”? Our first taste was the catastrophe we call “Juicebox“. Yes we said it then and we continue to agree with our initial reaction, we were worried. So as the next, somewhat better, shots came for “Heart In A Cage” and the first version of “You Only Live Once,” we felt more at ease, but you could tell that something wasn’t sitting right.

Well, now we have Warren Fu’s newest take on the boys “You Only Live Once” and we see what it is that we were missing all along. The Past. The shot is an almost period piece that takes us into the heavens and into a different galaxy altogether. It’s what we (at least, those of us around at that time) were into in the 70’s. Space. 2001. Star Wars. And although the shot centers around the late 70’s and/or 80’s, the look is still a cleaned up, nicer look, and we’re ok with that. It’s a slicker looking past that deviates from the Strokes other takes, but that’s cool, because it gives us somewhat of the same, in a different perspective. Nice.

While “You Only Live Once” didn’t seem quite “retro” upon first listen, this shot changes the landscape we once thought to be a waste. Don’t be fooled, however, as Fu also takes us (and the Strokes) back to familiar territory with the adaptation of well chosen films to salute as music videos. There was Tron for “12:51” and Koyaanisqatsi for “Hard To Explain” both of which were shot by the consummate Roman Coppola. ((The latter of which is personally my favorite in the catalog of both Strokes videos and songs.)) Now with “You Only Live Once” we have a nice nod to Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. The key to all of these, though isn’t only the film chosen as inspiration mind you. It’s how each was interpereted and used individually by the directors to go along with the band and the song. So, a big thank you to Mr. Fu for bringing us back The Strokes of old, even if only for a brief moment. Now we wait in anticipation to see what you’ve got for us next.

(Larger Version) Via Imeem