The Strokes’ debut is all at once a combination of the Velvet Underground and Frankenstein-like assembly of the CBGB’s crowd, yet they always sound like themselves and never like they’re pretending. Is This It is a deliciously lo-fi neo-punk classic. Julian Casablancas’ vocals sound like they’ve been recorded in a subway payphone. They’re also shredded, tough and tender. “Last Nite... read more
Description:Is This It is the debut studio album by American indie rock band The Strokes. Recorded at Transporterraum in New York City with producer Gordon Raphael, the album was first released on July 30, 2001 in Australia, with RCA Records as the primary label. The record entered the UK Albums Chart at number two and peaked at number 33 on the Is This It is the debut studio album by American indie rock band The Strokes. Recorded at Transporterraum in New York City with producer Gordon Raphael, the album was first released on July 30, 2001 in Australia, with RCA Records as the primary label. The record entered the UK Albums Chart at number two and peaked at number 33 on the U.S. Billboard 200, going on to achieve platinum status in several markets. "Hard to Explain", "Last Nite", and "Someday" were released as singles.
For the album, The Strokes strived to capture a simple rock sound that was not significantly enhanced in the studio. Building on the work of their 2001 debut EP, The Modern Age, the band members molded compositions largely through live takes during the recording sessions, while lyricist Julian Casablancas continued to detail the lives and relationships of urban youth. Following the completion of Is This It, The Strokes embarked on a promotional world tour before its release. The album's cover photograph courted controversy for being too sexually explicit and was replaced for the U.S. market. The American track listing was also amended in light of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Promoted by the music press for a melodic pop-influenced sound, The Strokes garnered critical acclaim and commercial attention. Is This It was praised for its charisma and rhythm, which often referenced the works of 1970s garage rock bands. The record is considered crucial in the development of other alternative bands and of the post-millennial music industry. It has featured in several publications' lists of the best albums of the 2000s and the best albums of all time.... (more)(less)
Manufacturer : RCA Release date : 30 July 2001 EAN: 0078636810126 UPC: 078636810126
"The track listing prior to the American release had included a song called "New York City Cops," which painted the department in a less-than-flattering light as it chronicled a real incident in the city. However, after the attacks, the U.S. release was pushed from September 25 to October 9 and "New York City Cops" was replaced with the song "When It Started."
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The Flagship added this to a list 1 year, 5 months ago
""The objective of Is This It, said Strokes singer Julian Casablancas, "was to be really cool and non-mainstream, and be really popular." Recorded literally under the street of New York, this blast of guitar-combo racket passionately reconciled those seemingly contradictory aspirations, and accomplished both.""
“The Strokes’ debut is all at once a combination of the Velvet Underground and Frankenstein-like assembly of the CBGB’s crowd, yet they always sound like themselves and never like they’re pretending. Is This It is a deliciously lo-fi neo-punk classic. Julian Casablancas’ vocals sound like they’ve been recorded in a subway payphone. They’re also shredded, tough and tender. “Last Nite” plays like a Ramones tribute, “Is This It” is slightly Television-esque, “Hard to Explain” bounces along on a nearly Blondie-esque bit of punk-pop. And the entire package is given a grimy sheen that’s reminiscent of White Light/White Heat. It’s no wonder that when they debuted in 2001 they became the indie pin-ups de jour. I remember rushing out to get this right after I heard “Las” read more
orelhasvp added this to a list 4 years, 2 months ago
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