The Strokes - Classic or Duds?

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(Am: "See, this is another variation on 'meh!' I KNOW I'M RIGHT!")

The Strokes Are Back In Action!

March 26, 2009 12:48 PM
For the first time in ages, the Strokes are back in New York, hard at work on album number four in their midtown studio. "We have three songs," Julian Casablancas tells the S.S., three weeks into the sessions. "I would say it's going great. We have a lot of work to do, though."

It's been more than three years since First Impressions of Earth, and what's helping the process is good vibes and honesty. "It feels like we're new," says Casablancas. "We didn't used to be honest — there would always be minifeuds over stupid shit. Now, if Nick (Valensi) and Fab (Moretti) or anyone are saying they like it fast or slow, we'll talk about it, as opposed to saying, 'Well, I never liked you sister.'"

Casablancas says that they've resisted jamming on old tunes; instead they're forging ahead. "Some of the new stuff has a Seventies vibe, like Thin Lizzy or Elvis Costello," he says. "But then some of it is bizarre music from the future that we're trying to tone down to sound catchy. So we're trapped between the future and the Seventies."

If there really are bands that are "so much more deserving of the media attention and critical accolades" than the Strokes, then apparently I need to listen to more rock bands.

I didn't need to learn that they've "advanced" by listening to Elvis Costello.

Is This It is one of the greatest albums ever made, and Room on Fire is one of the worst. First Impressions was a bit better, but I only listened to it maybe four times before moving on to other stuff. The way rock music is going I wouldn't surprised if album #4 turns out to be as wretched as that new Franz Ferdinand album. Strokeman mentioning "bizarre music from the future" is definitely not a good sign. :(

The first album is, indeed, pretty darn classic. That being said these guys have given off the impression of being more about style and attitude than about content, and now that the zeitgeist has moved on without them (and in fact uses them as a sort of cultural time capsule for the early part of this decade) their transition between albums and styles is that much harder - if that makes any sense.

future v catchy is the new artistic integrity v radio friendly

Is This It is one of the greatest albums ever made, and Room on Fire is one of the worst.

I can't tell the difference, except that ROF is slightly more assured.

future v catchy is the new artistic integrity v radio friendly

Taking Sides: The songs on Animal Collective that you actually enjoy listening to v.s. the inaccessible tracks that you are saddened to skip because you know this music is just too ahead of it's time for your reactionary ears.

Room On Fire>Is This It>>>>>First Impressions

i've never heard the third album in full, but 'juicebox' is my third fave single of theirs (after modern & explain)

Taking Sides: listening to Animal Collective v.s. shoveling bees down your dick v.s. listening to The Strokes.

Strokes >>> dick >>> AC

How big are the bees?

Won "Best Band" on the Isle of Wight, seven years running.

I really shouldn't have laffed.

I don't understand the Room on Fire hatred. I think it's more or less the equal of Is This It?, and Under Control is their best song. First Impressions on the other hand was very dreary, with the exception of Evening Sun.

First Impressions is too long, but take out some of the weaker songs and it's my favorite Strokes album. You Only Live Once, Electricityscape, and Red Light are all a+.
Also, Room on Fire is a really good second album: basically sounds like the debut, but with a few twists here and there.

ROF might suffer slightly because there's no 'hard to explain', but for me there's no perceivable drop-off to speak of. i liked them both a lot. i probably heard a total of 4 tracks off 1st impressions - one was great (you only live once?), a couple of other decent ones and then that abomination they released as the first single.

"12:51" is my favorite Strokes song, no question.

12:51 is just as catchy as anything off the debut.

I do agree that ROF is pretty close to the debut in terms of quality : "12:51" and "the end has no end" are great.
FIOE was awful to my hears (except "only live once").

^ agree, never gave FIOE much chance tho

true. me neither. but it sounded like such an awful mess (and that video where they went all hard rock. don't remember the title of the track).

"juicebox" - that was it. not very good at all.

no no, not "juicebox". one of the singles they released later. black/white. classic rock postures. horrible.

heart in cage when they were as big as buildings!
i like all the metal-y guitar leads, though.

oh yeah sorry, i was posting to myself re: first single "abomination"

FIOE needed to be like 3-5 songs shorter, with the chaff saved for julian's eventual solo album or something.