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The
Strokes seem to have named their debut album what they
did in response to the incredible hype leading up to
its release. While virtually unnoticed in the US for
quite some time, the Strokes managed to build a substantial
fanbase in England and elsewhere in the UK. A while
after the record's release, the band was soon joined
by fellow indie rockers the Hives, the White Stripes,
and the Vines in what is being deemed as a "garage-rock
revival".
Upon
first hearing the record, listeners will immediately
notice the parallels between the Strokes and fellow
New Yorkers, the Velvet Underground and Television.
Singer Julian Casablancas takes a lot of his vocal cues
directly from Lou Reed, and at times the intertwining
guitar work of Albert Hammond Jr. and Nick Valensi is
equally reminiscent of the late 60's rock stylings.
While the band pays homage to their proto-punk predecessors,
they have enough of an original approach to sound fresh
and enough pop-appeal to draw in anyone who gives them
a listen.
"Is
This It" opens the record with a lulling guitar
melody and quirky bassline. It then moves to "The
Modern Age", which is a nostalgic revisit to late
60's guitar rock. The album later progresses to more
tracks with seductive pop-hooks like "Someday"
and "Last Night", both of which were singles.
Towards the end, the CD begins to lag slightly. While
the closing tracks are all still listenable, they don't
work as well as the earlier songs.
While
the Strokes draw heavily from past bands, they manage
to come off as a believeable substitute for today's
generation. They have attitude, pop-sensibility, and
overall appeal. It's true that they happened to come
along as a seemingly manufactured band, but when you
look at the mainstream pop of today, you'll be glad
they're at least striving for a change.
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