Is This It - The Strokes

Released in 2001 Is This It is debut from much hyped New York Garage rockers The Strokes. Admittedly I found the whole thing very hard to swallow when it was released but upon reflection this album has a deserved place on the Critical Junctions roster.

Its influence has led, good or bad, to a resurgence in the garage rock scene and indeed the revitalisation of the Post Punk ethic of rip it up and start again. The album has gone Platinum around the world and is often in top 100 album lists of all time.

It spawned a plethora of hit singles such as Someday, Last Night and the anthemic Hard To Explain. Standout album track’s include. Soma, Try your Luck and Barely Legal.

The Modern Age was the first release the band ever put out as an EP and it appears on the album. A catchy song that’s you could almost swear Lou Reed was singing!! Hard To Explain was their first single and it whipped the music press into a salivating frenzy for the release of Is This It. They album is filled with simple hooks and driving beats and the signature distorted vocals of Julian Casablancas.

They have been called the saviours of rock and roll, the new Rolling Stones and bizarrely the second coming of the Velvet Underground. But what they are are very good songwriters who create simple raw songs that keep your toes tapping until they cramp up and freeze.

Track Listing

1. Is This It

2. The Modern Age

3. Soma

4. Barely Legal

5. Alone Together

6. Someday

7. Last Night

8. Hard To Explain

9. New York City Cops

10. Trying Your Luck

11. Take It Or Leave It