tha_dvd_man

What do you guys think of these folks, The Strokes? I only discovered them earlier this week to be honest, and really like a lot of their songs, so I'm considering buying "Is This It?". But I also hear/see a bit of hate for this band, and it seems to mostly stem from their supposed lack of originality and that they've ripped off a bunch of bands, etc etc. Quite honestly I really don't care about that, since I seem to like their songs, and that's that. But what do you guys think of them, and considering I like these guys (at least most of the songs off of "Is This It"), are there any other bands--and albums--I should be looking into instead/also?

Ginwen

Cool. If you like it, buy it. Music is very subjective, and you really shouldn't worry about what other people think. Whether they are original or not, if you like it, I think that's good enough. So good that you are planning on getting it whatever else people think.

I bought that CD a little bit ago, but personally, it just doesn't do much for me--I've probably listened to it twice.

I bought the White Stripes at the same time I bought the Strokes, and listen to that CD all the time.

Yancey

You should buy the Strokes record -- a good album of hookish, poppy guitar rock.

RevLiver

I like The Strokes, but I don't think they're greatest. Just very good. A lot of the hate I've seen is sort of a backlash against the hype they had a year ago. If you like the songs, get the CD, as they have a very consistent sound.

tha_dvd_man

Thanks guys. Yeah, I wasn't necessarily looking for you to make the decision of buying this CD for me (I already ordered the import version for $12), I just wanted to know what you folks thought about their supposed lack of originality and so on, and which of these bands/albums who they "ripped off" that I should consider checking out if I like Is This It. This really is my very first foray into this genre.

Jepthah

A rare bird: a singles band whose singles are genius. The album as a whole leaves me kind of cold but they're OK overall.

In the future I think they could get better if they don't burn out.

Yancey

If you like it, I would suggest checking out the Velvet Underground if you haven't already (I would vote for their third album, which is self-titled), as well as a late 70s New York band called Television. Television and the Strokes don't sound too much like each other, but they are both fairly poppy guitar bands with a lo-fi aesthetic, but Television has an amazing guitar player, Tom Verlaine, who comes up with some gorgeous solos. If you are inclined, get their debut, Marquee Moon.

demonio

their 15 minutes was up about a half hour ago.

Gdrlv

I second this recommendation. I love the Velvets, and this is probably my favorite album of theirs.

fallow

and slightly jealous that you beat me to the punch.

I enjoy The Strokes because I think it is just genuinely good rock. It has good hooks and energy...I understand the originality debate, but really, does any of it matter? It's fun...that's what should count.

You might be interested in using The Strokes as a jumping board into bands like The Velvet Underground, Television, and eventually bands like The 13th Floor Elevators. It has a different feel, but I think you can draw some parallels.

TELEVISION ROCKS! - my own break out of an otherwise serious tone (!!)

DrRingDing

yes, the strokes are a highly derivative band. they do sound a lot like VU, Television, et al. but there is no band right now that is making this style of music, and, frankly, i think the Strokes Is This It? is a darn good album. i like it a lot, despite the derivative nature of their style.
-di doctor-

Yancey

Here's one of the best pieces I've seen on the Strokes. It's by my mentor and one of my best friends, Ira Robbins:

http://www.trouserpress.com/entry_90s.php?a=strokes

atlantamoi

Oh man, yeah... Television is GREAT. Good tip Yancey. I'm another who thinks the Strokes are a good band. I truly wish this kind of music was the norm...

Jepthah

It really disappointed me to hear Mr. Casablancas of the Strokes diss Television (speaking influentially) in an interview. They are really as great as the hype--brilliant and influential. Marquee Moon is a work of genius and the rest of their small catalogue is wonderful too.

tha_dvd_man

Well I'm buying Marquee Moon tomorrow. From what I've heard of it so far (by completely legal means, of course), I like it. How are their later albums?

mike1978

"Adventure," the other Television studio album from the 70s, is decent. It's not as good as "Marquee Moon" (one of my favorite albums), but it is certainly worth picking up. I have never heard the live Televison album but you may want to look into that, too. The 1992 self-titled reunion album has maybe 2-3 good songs, and even those are fairly weak.

Tom Verlaine's first solo album (self-titled) is also worth a listen. I believe it was just reissued on CD a few weeks ago. His second album, "Dreamtime," has a few decent songs but sounds dated. Everything after that is, in my opinion, not worth listening to. Richard Lloyd has also put out some solo albums, but I haven't heard any of them.

atlantamoi

Mike1978, I totally agree with your Television comments. "Adventure" is not bad, but it's not "Marquee Moon".
The Richard Lloyd solo albums are okay, but I wouldn't strongly recommend them. He blisters his guitar all over Matthew Sweet's "Girlfriend" recording... one of the reasons it's still Sweets best disc (even though Lloyd was around for his next two albums as well).

Buford T Pusser

I like the Strokes album, but don't love it. The distorted vocals get a bit old. One of my wife's fave albums is Television's "Marquee Moon". I need to hear that one more.

Yancey

So, tha_dvd_man, did you pick up Television? If so, what do you think?

jonnyrocks

If you dig the Strokes album, you should totally pick up The Modern Age EP. It's three tracks that appeared on the album, except they have an even more raw sound (being that they were initially used as demos). IMO, the versions that appear on this EP are much better than their LP counterparts. I don't know if it's still in print, but I'm sure you would be able to find it somewhere.

Also, there's a pretty good band called The Libertines. Their album, Up the Bracket, is out as an import in the U.S., but I believe it should be released domestic sometime this month. They've drawn comparisons to the Strokes, which is pretty much unavoidable for lots of R&R bands nowadays, but it's a bit understandable in this case. They sound like a tighter and more polished British version of the Strokes, resulting in a Clash-like sound. And, speaking of the Clash, Mick Jones produced the album. I'm sure you could find mp3's out there for a bit of sampling. I highly recommend!

And in terms of the Velvet Underground, I'd recommend Loaded, simply because it was VU making a more commerical record while still maintaining their unique style. Their self-titled album remains my favorite, but Loaded should go well for any fan of the Strokes.

Captain Harlock

A friend of mine let me borrow the Strokes CD. I gave it a good hard listen for a couple days. I really didnt' care for it. Alot of the songs sounded indistinguishable from one another. A few were kind of catchey but for me it wasn't anything to write home about.

SAShepherd

Based on the comments here, I picked up "Marquee Moon" from the library. After one listen, I like it, but I don't think I'll feel compelled to buy it. The guitar work is great, but the songs don't grab me completely (maybe I was put off by their length, though don't seem long), and Verlaine's voice bugs me. This is not to say that it's better than "Is This It," but I enjoyed that album from the first listen.

Makes me appreciate Matthew Sweet's "Girlfriend" even more, though.

Tarantino

I, for one, loved the Strokes album. I bought it on a whim and listened to it every single day for a long time.

I dig the Strokes.

tha_dvd_man

Well I've had the album for a week now, and I know what most of you guys are talking about. It's a fun album with some catchy tunes, but musically it's pretty repetitive, and it's not very memorable. I've actually gotten a little tired of it at around the same time I'd usually begin to fully appreciate an album.

Still, I'm not going to sell it , and I got Marquee Moon because of this thread, which is a great album.