The Strokes "Is This It" (2001)
One of the wave of garage rock revival bands (also known as the 'the' bands, e.g. the Strokes, the Datsuns, the Hives, the
White Stripes etc.) and another of those bands given the plaudit of
"Saving rock n roll". I don't know about that, rock just seems to
naturally ebb and flow rather than "die" or need "Saving".
This is an enjoyable album though. It's compact (under 40 minutes) and
gives definite nods to its influences, Velvet Underground, and the first
wave of bands influenced by them. Definitely Julian Casablancas' vocals
owe a debt to Lou Reed. I detect a bit of 'Lust for Life' era Iggy
Pop too, particularly in the rhythms of "Someday". "Hard to Explain" is a bit of a favourite of mine and always kind of brings Weezer (of all things) to mind.
Most of the songs have a propulsive rhythm to them, even something like
"Alone, Together" which is a slower tempo track has an unrelenting
beat behind it and the guitars keep pace. The twisty turny interplay
between the two guitars does offer a bit of a point of difference
between the Strokes and some of their more rhythmically straight-ahead
Rawk contemporaries.
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