Album Reviews
Movies
Concert Reviews

Top 10
Resources
Contact Us

When I first heard "Last Night" by The Strokes, I thought I was being struck by the first wave of a brand new British invasion.  But though their bouncy beats and devil-may-care haircuts first struck pay dirt in England, these boyhood buddies are no British blokes. They are New York's latest pride and joy.  Their freshman effort, Is This It is one of the first signs that the world wants to have fun again, and that New Yorker's are recovering from that one infamous September mourning of 2001. 

In many ways, Is This It is a stroke of genius.  In other ways, it falls far short of such a stroke.  At the very least, the music of The Strokes is refreshing.  Part punk-punch, part funk-lunge, it leaps at you like a long lost loved one, holding much promise for post-pop, post 9/11 culture, and delivering to all except those who yearn for something deeper.  Different strokes for different blokes, but when it comes to my music, I prefer to jump into the deep end. 

I can almost hear the woeful plight of every despised member of England's working-class personae non gratae in every one of Albert Hammond Jr.'s punishing guitar chords. Enter Valensi.  As Nick Valensi reaches out to touch the stinging strings of his guitar, the solos that ensue bite the hands that feeds them. His aim is so precise, his lead runs are so precariously balanced, and his guitar solos attack so suddenly that you honestly don't know what has just hit you. 

By the raw punk feel they have managed to capture in Is This It, it's is hard to imagine that they've never worked a day in the steel mills of London. Judging by his raspy, angst-ridden crooning, it's hard to believe that the band's rough-hewn vocalist, songwriter and frontman, Julian Casablancas, has never been a homeless orphan.  The urgency of Casablancas' delivery, while governed by a decidedly lighter and much less socially-conscious aim, is every bit as true as that of Elvis Costello himself.  But in all honesty, that's where the comparison ends.  Elvis Costello was the silver-tongued master of lyrical eloquence.  Though he was born with silver spoon in mouth, Casablancas' has yet to utter one silver-tongued tidbit. 

The music flows, but the lyrics are woefully wanting.  The only thing that vaguely waxes poetic and reflects lyrical wit on Is This It is the sixth track, "Alone, Together."  This is also the closest the band comes to revealing their psychological and spiritual natures.  "Alone We Stand/divided we fall" is the dour conclusion Casablancas comes to as he plaintively reflects on the desultory, vapid nature of a dying relationship.  This is the only point in the album where one gets the sense that Casablancas is being real.  At this point I want to offer him some treatment or at least one of my cleanest Kleenex.  I'm also keenly aware of the limits of talk therapy and the benefits of rock therapy.  So I am confident that if Casablancas keeps writing and singing cathartic songs like this, much of his sorrow will be successfully sublimated. 

Though Is This It is softened by post-retro new wave, soul, and mod rock nuances, the music is never artificially sweetened.  It is a freshly baked, bittersweet treat for every ear to behold.  Would I call this an artistic statement?  Well, let's just say the music speaks much louder than the words.  How about a non-British invasion without the lyrical persuasion.  While borrowing heavily from the best of the past, the music thrusts the band forward, a step ahead of bands like Nickelback, Creed, and Hoobastank. As for the lyrics... Is This It? 

Bruce L. Thiessen, Ph.D., 
a.k.a. Dr. B. L. T., The Rock Doc/Song Shrink 
Licensed psychologist 

Rating: Music:   Lyrics:  Overall: