The Strokes
November 5th, 2003
By Archived Story
Two years ago, rock n’ roll was dead. Then along came five, young, and hip New Yorkers who busted onto the music scene carrying a “who gives a s*** mentality” behind them. A tightly knit group of friends, The Strokes reinvented the New York music scene with a blend of raunchy, emotion-soaked lyrics with two treble-heavy guitars, root-note bass lines and a steady drum beat.
They’ve done it again. Filling in as the poster-band for American rock n’ roll music, The Strokes followed the roots they crafted in their stellar debut, Is This It?, with their latest release Room on Fire.
Fans looking to see a change in sound will be disappointed. But that is a good thing. The Strokes basically continued It This It’s tradition by producing a 33 minute album with 11 songs, all bordering the 3 minute mark. Yet, this is exactly what The Strokes have come to embody – powerful but short rock songs that border the lines of punk and grunge.
Julian Casablancas’s voice shouts out in vibrant echoes, different than the cocky and monotone sound he exerted on Is This It. Choppier but artistically crafted, the vocals tie the songs together as if Casablancas is improvising the lyrics. Singing is second nature for Casablancas, and his lyrics, which he will not discuss, seem to hover around themes of failed relationships and your everyday random thoughts.
Thrown in your face immediately, the opening track “What Ever Happened?” begins with Casablancas asking, “I want to be forgotten, and I don’t want to be reminded.” The almost extreme-pop nature of the song gives it a similar resemblance to the roller coaster buildups from “Last Night.”
The album’s first single “12:51” begins comparable to an average Strokes song, then rockets into a pinball frenzy, introducing a prominent guitar and keyboard melody with Casablancas’ distorted vocals in the background.
The most surprising song on the album is “Out of Control,” which is possibly their best work to date. Best described as the soul of The Strokes, it creates a mellow, subdued Motown mood with a sound comparable to Jeff Buckley.
Stylish rockers with their trendy ’70s-throwback look, personify the spirit of a rock n’ roll band. The whole package is complete as Julian, Fab, Nick, Albert, and Nikolai come together again to create a second album that is gloriously comparable to the album that originally placed them in the spotlight.
