The Strokes - Is This It [2001]

Is This It is the debut album from the five member group, The Strokes, and is in my opinion, one of the best albums ever made. While that may sound like quite a pretentious claim, it is without a doubt justified in this case. Full of insightful lyrics about everyday life, laid over the relaxed, yet engaging music, the combination is flawless. Despite the laid back impression the album gives off at first, there is an underlying urgency to the music which nearly reaches anxiety at some points. This incredible helping of emotion drives Is This It far above other music of this style (including later albums by the band) and, for me, ascertains it as some of the most quality music of the decade.

Another quality of Is This It that I enjoy is the somewhat do-it-yourself sound. What I mean by that is you can actually hear the band behind the music; it doesn't sound overproduced at all. The guitars are infectious and the basslines will have you nodding your head along. The drumming fits into the music perfectly and Casablancas' vocals are raw and natural. Rather than having any one member stand out, each member of The Strokes' work blends together so well, almost intuitively, to produce their very distinctive sound.

One critique I would make is that the vocals on this album, while unique from any other band's vocal style, can get a bit monotonous at points (especially on Barely Legal) and don't vary much throughout the album. That being said, Casablancas' mouth-too-close-to-the-microphone style distorted singing is just what the music needs, and it never gets excessively tedious.

Is This It is a nearly perfect collection of songs, and an imperative album for any music lover. Personal favorites include the title track, Hard To Explain, and Someday, but each song contributes to the masterpiece as a whole. This album is a classic. Front man Julian Casablanca puts it very well in an interview with Rolling Stone: "[As] a songwriter, you play a few chords and sing a melody that's been done a thousand times, and now you're a singer-songwriter. I think it takes a little more than that to do something that matters." Well Julian, Is This It is just that.

Genre: Indie Rock
For Fans Of: The White Stripes, Arctic Monkeys, Bloc Party
Contact: Website
Tracklisting:
1. Is This It
2. The Modern Age
3. Soma
4. Barely Legal
5. Someday
6. Alone, Together
7. Last Nite
8. Hard to Explain
9. New York City Cops
10. Trying Your Luck
11. Take It or Leave It


-T