The Strokes are the poster child of modern indie/garage rock, exploding onto the scene with their stylistic and unapologetic debut album, Is This It? To that end, no, that was not it for the Strokes. The album put theme all over the airwaves, especially their lead single, track 7, Last Nite. The album sold over 2 million copies worldwide, going certified platinum in the US. Today, I want to explore what makes the sound so unique.

Vocals and Lyrics

First of all, you have to address the vocals; they are something that sticks with the band for their career, making their sound instantly recognizable. All of the lead singer, Julian Casablancas,’s vocals are pumped through a voice box, creating a raw, techy feeling. This vocal distortion is stronger in some songs than others, but it is extremely clear in track 2, The Modern Age.

The actual lyrics of the album are of note as well. While in prior album reviews, I have lauded various artists for legitimately deep or meaningful lyrics, I think the Strokes shine here for the opposite reason. The Strokes resonated with their primarily teenage audience by writing lyrics aimed at them. Songs on the album such as track 4, Barely Legal, or track 6, Alone, Together, talk about average teenage struggles of attending parties, relationship struggles, and misery in melodramatic loneliness.

Instrumentals

This is where the Strokes truly shine. The combination of catchy guitar riffs, groovy bass lines, and precise drumming makes the album pop. They manage to have a clean sound while simultaneously giving off a fun, loose, and relaxed vibe. The guitar shines nowhere better than on the lead single and most played song from the album, Last Nite. In the opening track, Is This It?, you can hear a surprisingly groovy bass line, almost like it was played by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Rating

Overall, the great instrumentals in combination with catchy and well-aimed lyrics make the album a modern classic; this earns it a rating of 8.5/10!