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31/01/2005 The Strokes - the rock band to watch in 2005
Todd Sikorski writes:
The Strokes have been much hyped - but deservedly so. The band - singer Julian Casablancas, guitarists Albert Hammond Jr and Nick Valensi, bassist Nikolai Fraiture, and drummer Fab Moretti — are a throwback to the great New York guitar bands like Television and the Velvet Underground, though their sound is remarkably fresh, as a listen to either of their releases, 2001’s Is This It? or 2003’s Room On Fire, reveals. The Strokes' first release, Is This It? was highly acclaimed, especially by the British press, though you wonder, at first listen, what all the fuss was about: the CD is only 35 minutes long and it's relatively straightforward guitar-driven rock. Subsequent listens reveal a fine band who can write outstanding songs. Once you get used to Casablancas’ unique singing style, you can see every song as a near-perfect complement to the next, and there's simply no filler. Standouts are the driving 'The Modern Age,' which features the band at their best, with precise drumming by Moretti and great guitar work by Hammond and Valensi, and 'Hard To Explain,' which features an inspired vocal by Casablancas, echoing the chugging guitar. Room On Fire is similar: the band wisely stuck to much the same formula, though it has some surprises. Once again, they kept the length of the CD under 40 minutes, and it's still guitar-driven. The last few songs show a band willing to try something different: 'Under Control' is an interesting soul-inflected song and 'The Way It Is' has a punk influence. Every song is memorable in its own way. Some buyers thought Room On Fire was not as strong as the Strokes' debut, but it's still a worthy listen. The Strokes' headlining of the 2004 V Festival attracted rave reviews, but they wisely aborted a live album release: they're clearly musicians who want to release only high quality material. Their immense promise make The Strokes the band to watch in 2005. Watch this space. © Todd Sikorski 2005
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