The Strokes - Is This It (Album Review)

 

The Strokes - Is This It

(2001)


My copies: 2014 reissue by RCA and 2023 remastered reissue on clear vinyl with orange and blue splatter by RCA and Sony Music Commercial Music Group.


 The impression Is This It left on independent rock music can never be understated. While most of the big names in 80s and 90s alternative were breaking up or changing gears, The Strokes helped usher in an era that would be referred to as “rock-revival,” a movement during the early 2000s in New York that spawned hundreds of indie-rock bands. It’s true The Strokes made use of privileged backgrounds (they were touring the world before their debut even released) to boost their influence, but at least their music had the chops to back it up. 

The title track perfectly eases listeners into the sound. The guitars are syncopated, cleverly composed and just slightly obscured. The pace isn’t frantic, the vocals aren’t dramatic and the drums aren’t explosive though everything is tightly wound. Casablancas croons as if he hasn’t a single care in the world, and his particularly hazy vocal production would influence hundreds of clones. They decide to get serious on “The Modern Age,” with an upbeat atmosphere and sharp solo, though Casablancas shows an emotional side in the choruses. They tackle Television and other post-punk sounds more directly on “Soma” proving that they have an ear for infectious guitar melodies. The rhythm section isn’t particularly groundbreaking, but the simplicity compliments their relatively lo-fi sound. 

The drunken, sleazeball persona is dialed up to the max on “Barely Legal”: a bubbly piece of guitar pop that calls back to the early days of garage rock. “Someday” carries the most sentimental mood, also spotlighting Casablanas’ genuine singing talents. The lead and rhythm guitars work so smoothly together in the mix that they could make almost any composition sound cool. “Alone, Together” is a particularly rigid series of riffs, smoothing out into furious drumming and soloing. They’ve taken the unhinged edge of The Velvet Underground and melted away what the uninitiated would call the “fat” - the experimental side of early, grimey rock has been torn away and replaced by extremely satisfying payoffs. 

“Last Nite” is the big hit; one that clearly phones things in more obviously than the other tracks, with bouncing ska riffs and a flashy solo, though Casablancas’ charisma could melt the hearts of even the most self-serious rock purists. The sequenced drums on “Hard To Explain” perfectly compliment bright, crackling guitars and another emotional vocal performance. “New York City Cops” is playful, charming and aggressive: far more interesting than the squeaky clean “When It Started” which replaced the former in America following the 9/11 attacks. 

The schtick gets a little tired into “Trying Your Luck” when you realize the album’s tone is largely unchanging. Though it can be boring on repeat listens, they are at least consistent in a favorable way, and the writing never fails. By “Take It Or Leave It” you realize the album is more like a collection of smartly written singles. There’s no concept, no fluff or bullshit: just eleven structurally infallible garage rock/pop hits with almost interchangeable levels of appeal. It truly feels like you could have selected any track to be the big single and it would have stuck. With these positives comes the truth that the record isn’t very sonically interesting, and gets away with this by being the pinnacle of early 2000s rock songwriting. Sure, their production suits the style amazingly well, but the tones are not new or revolutionary; rather they are remembered because they are attached to insanely catchy songs. 

The debut Strokes album will go down in history as one of the most groundbreaking records of the early 2000s. While it isn’t as thought provoking as some of their undersung contemporaries, it certainly has many timeless qualities.


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