Is This It

Alright album!

I like this one OK. The Strokes have a sound I like but don't love. Still, seems pretty worthy of 3 stars. Would listen again, but not sure I would stay on a station that was playing any of the tunes...

Vinegar strokes.

its not bad but i dont feel like its exceptional either

Helt ok om man vill resa tillbaka i tiden då denna typ av musik spelades överallt... Men ur ett mindre subjektivt perspektiv så är det ett tajt album med ett sound som representerar den genren bra.

hmm....

Hadn't listened to this Strokes album its alright but I still do not think the Strokes are not much for me.

Listened before

geit eso

I don't know why but I just don't like The Strokes at all.

Its okay. Is this the start of my white boy era ?

A bit repetitive

This is the most bog standard album from the 00s, incredibly monotonous and tiresome. Nothing special.

Trochę monotonna? Równocześnie zbyt intensywna. Ma piosenki, które znam i które mi siedzą, ale inne gdzieś się gubią. Chcę być bardziej obecna, ten album tego nie ułatwił, ale ma spoko okładkę. Lubię ten czerwony tytuł.

Is that it? Take it or leave it? I will leave it thanks

never got into this sound. all sounds pretty samey to me

Не особо. Как-то такой тип рока вообще не оставляет никаких впечатлений у меня. Есть одна песня, которую слышал ранее (sometimes)

simple, direct, bar chord extravaganza with muted drums, which for it's time was probably insane the vocals are a mixed bag, the riffs really only appear on a few songs the drums really changed the game at the time its a time capsule for skinny tiny shirts and a lot of fucking chainsmoking it doesn't really say much but it feels very youthful the singles do a lot of carrying on this thing though. you don't really hear any riffs until SOMA, and that song has vocal issues imo i always wondered why the shitty "electric guitar" midi VSTs sounded like that shit, and i found the reason, it's the fuckin weird guitar tone on Alone, Together. That's what's to blame lmao. the guitar on the right side sounds like fuckin cheap shit. the solo at the end of that song really sends it home. it would've been a good closer, but instead we get some vocal clipping at the end. after a while, the vocals being run through an amp get a bit tiring, but it's obvious that this album doesn't work without it. Last Nite is an enigma, because people love this song but i really think his vocals on it are insaaaane. They're wonky and very odd. They're almost forced as if he's trying to sing like some old blues dude. But the instrumental palette just carries. People love this shit. I think the best song that encapsulates the strokes is "Hard to Explain", with better guitar tones, a little more electronic drum hits, better melodic vocal phrases, a speedier tempo, and a more solid bass foundation. It's the best song on here imo. on take it or leave it, i'll take the instrumentation and leave his vocals behind. but whatever man at this point you gotta just accept this whole thing as it is, influential? yeah, i guess. please fuck all the way off with the horrible vocal melodic phrasing on "when it started" the way he strains for the high notes on the verses is jokes. i don't think you NEED to listen to this shit before you die. I think it's fine, and while it might've inspired millions afterwards, i think in the grand scheme of music, it's just fine. the time capsule known as the Someday video just wraps up the whole vibe. doesn't it? it's a product of it's time. You just had to fuckin be there. i would be cool with never having to hear this again though.

I really am trying to separate the album fy hie much of a nazi assaulting fucking rich twat Casablanca is…but also. It’s just boring, pretentious and monotonous…brings nothing new to the table. Sounds like an odor album made with daddy’s money.

More less

06/30 Boring and generic

tate mcrae

C'était du riz blanc sans épices. C'était des pâtes sans beurre et sans sel. C'était du tofu cuit à la vapeur. Alors je ne sais pas si ce truc a été influent ou quoi. Si l'on en croit l'extrait de Wikipédia, c'est le cas et franchement, je suis très très curieux de voir les avis des autres utilisateurs à son sujet. Pour moi, c'était absolument barbant. Déjà, la pochette fait pas envie, les trucs avec des gens tout nus mais en noir et blanc pour faire artistique, non merci. Mais si c'était que ça, encore, ça irait. Mais non, il fallait que ça soit le groupe le plus ennuyeux du monde. Je saurais même pas décrire comment c'était tellement c'était osef. Du rock des années 2000. Voilà. J'ai pas mieux. Mais attention, pas du bon, non, là on parle d'un truc tellement entendu mille fois qu'on en tomberait presque malade, qui est beaucoup trop sage pour son bien et qui manque cruellement de niaque. C'est censé être du rock, on est censés être en 2001, alors pourquoi on se farcirait un groupe aussi inutile, alors que 2001, c'est aussi la sortie d'albums avec plus de personnalité. Alors pourquoi ? Est-ce que ça a vraiment été si influent que ça dans les années 2000, alors qu'à ce stade, les White Stripes sortaient déjà leur troisième album et représentent largement plus la quintessence de l'époque, avec dix fois plus de personnalité ? Non, vraiment, je me suis ennuyé. Ce sera pas un 1, parce que c'était quand même mieux que du Georges Michael et à priori, ce ne sont pas des nazis, donc on va rester à 2.

Really think this album is quite overrated. It's got really repetitive song structures, with most the songs being built off the same boring straight quaver chords. All the drum parts are very similar. The main thing I appreciate about this is the production and its influence in general, but even the production leads to a muddying of the already minimal melodies, which just leads to it feeling even less catchy and less danceable. It just doesn't really have anything that hooks me in, other than maybe Julian's more distorted voice being pretty cool. Overall, though, I'd much rather listen to one of the albums that this inspired, like Twin Fantasy or maybe even Geese, if you agree they seem to show some Strokes influence. But yeah, lack of melodies, lack of interesting structures, lack of striking lyrics, even the guitar tones aren't that cool, it's mainly the idea of it and the vocals that feeling influential. Not a fan. For the sake of this challenge, I'm giving this 2 stars, because I really don't enjoy it, but on my AOTY page it's a 66 due to the influence on stuff I do like.

This felt uninspired, like they were just going through the motions. It felt flat and none of it will stay with me.

The strokes were here at a time and i think that was good. Idk if it’s still good and idk if they’re still here?

The Strokes just never really landed to me.

Eu esperava algo mais revolucionário

Det er 25 år siden sist jeg hørte denne plata. Det blir 25 år til neste gang. Det er bare kjedelig, og Casablancas distorta vokal er fjottirriterende.

Radio friendly rock. Not bad, not exceptional. The voice of the singer, or the way it was mixed, was a bit annoying.

2/5 Favorite Song: Is This It

as soon as this came up i said “noooo… ugh” out loud. i think the strokes are so boring. ive heard this album already and the only song i liked was “trying your luck” and i dont even remember why i liked it.

Maybe I'm just really burnt out on 2000s indie rock but I've never gotten the hype around the Strokes. They just sound kind of generic to me, none of the songs on this album were interesting or stood out in my opinion. They also do that intentionally lo-fi vocal thing that's like the music equivalent of buying pre-ripped jeans from Walmart, I hate it so much and have no idea why bands in this era did it all the time. Just not something I was particularly impressed by or care to give a relisten to.

At first, I thought I never listened to The Strokes before. But then I realised this is the sound I heard everywhere during the Indie/Hipster boom after 2000. I like that I can actually hear out the baseline from the mix, most of the time. I didn't mind this album, but I have zero emotional or cultural connection to the sound and themes this album represents. To be fair, I feel a bit weird about it. Like it brings up a certain nostalgia that I should be familiar with but I never actually lived it. I would have given this a 3, but now changing my mind to a 2, because of this forced nostalgia factor.

There are some enjoyable moments of punchy indie-rock-power-pop music on here, but the overall sound is the vacuous nothingness of the 2000s mainstream. The vocalist is highly irritating and most most of the songs make me sad to be alive, not in a profound way. I'll happily never hear from this brash period of indie rock again. 2*

Kept thinking I was listening to the same song. Doesn’t feel like an all time great to me. The last song is cool tho.

But samey. Characteristic sound. Not my favourite

This is certainly from a moment in time. That album cover didn't age so well. I remember when this came out. I didn't like it much then and I'm not so sure I like it any better now.

I was around 20 when this came out and it totally missed me, no one I knew was on top of it. Listening to the whole thing for the first time today.. I do not see why it was popular and I have read some explanations. I just don't buy it. No hooks, annoying vocals (why do some compare them to Lou Reed??). I actually like some later Strokes stuff but this is the pits in my opinion!

35 minutes of Julian Casablancas' dull droning monotone mumblings? No thanks.

pretty meh. the biggest not bad but not good. I mean I liked a few songs, but Idk, I wouldn't listen to the whole album again

Not bad, not good either. It’s just not so interesting and doesn’t captivate or tell a story.

Mid

I've never seen The Strokes live. So do they sing all their songs through a megaphone? Then why do all their tracks sound like the vocal is being played over a short wave radio crystal speaker? It would be ok for one track, but a whole album?! If they want to record in a tin box then good for them. Not for me.

3/10

Fun but overall the songs sound kinda similar, still enjoyable though

I might have heard of The Strokes before, but it didn’t really stick with me. I’ve listened to the album, but I wouldn’t buy it...

No me encanta

This album's title was honestly my reaction to this album. The most hyped band of the 2000s kicked off the new millennium with this apparently unmissable debut. Going into this album, I had only ever heard "Reptilia" from their catalogue and thought it was a fine little piece of rough-and-ready garage rock. A full album of it was a harder sell. I mean, the entire middle section uses the same chords and the same structure, so there's a fair chunk of this album where songs are utterly indistinguishable. Julian Casablancas also hasn't found his voice yet, so he sounds unsure of his limits and of the best way to go about each song. Some might find it endearing for its apparent artistic spirit and dedication to the rock and roll spirit, but one look at the band's aesthetic says otherwise. Make no mistake, the Strokes were groomed to sound imperfect, and they were deliberately made to be unpolished, but attractive and marketable enough to sell millions. And they did! The first big band of the new millennium that couldn't have had a hit in the 90s. The press also bought this album hook, line and sinker, despite it not having enough substance to justify the hype. Not in my opinion anyway. All in all, this is a perfectly acceptable piece of commercial garage rock promoted as something bigger when it wasn't. You might like it for its simplicity, so listen for what you can find.

The sound is not interesting, the vocals or the lyrics don't stand out to me.

Enjoyable enough to listen to but doesn’t make a very big impression.

The Spotify bio describing this as being a refreshing departure from grunge/nu metal is an absolutely insane take to me. I don't know, to me this is extremely lame; "what if we took rock but made it not-cool?". The typa music that plays in the background while you fiddle around the FIFA 12 career mode, specifically the songs you get inbetween some Ghanian r'n'b and non-descript d'n'b from, idk, Holland. 2 stars instead of 1 solely because it was a breeze to listen through and it's not aggressively annoying or bad, it's just not fun.

Listened to it. I've rarely been prouder of my teenage self, who rightly concluded that this is a essentially a boring pastiche of late 70s New York Punk. There's nothing wrong with the songs and Last Nite is a good enough pop song.

I didn't like it much at all.

It's a strokes album. Just go find a hits playlist of theirs and make your life easier. Also I caught them copying Oasis and their bullshit elongate the last word of the line. They don't do it on every track but it's there. We see you. Hacks. I talked to someone about it and decided that if you were in a major city, NY, LA, or London and doing coke that you would be a The Strokes fan. Outside of that, someone told you they were good and you just believed them. You heard a few of their tunes and went eh not bad. They tricked you with the hits. This band is a mile wide and an inch deep. Their hits are decent, but the drop off is HUGE. Don't go thinking the deep cuts are there. They are not.

The low-fi indie rock craze of the early 00's started with The Strokes, right? It's a fine album. I've never really been a fan of them, but I can appreciate what they're doing. -- I just found out The Strokes is a nepo-band, built on the back of young insecure girls. the singer is the son of Casablancas modeling founder and Epstein friend- gross. Minus one star.

Close to a 3 tbh but eh not my thing

Yeah not my vibe icl. Just for something that’s fast tempo, short length in songs I don’t find it that catchy nor is there enough studio effects to really make it pop so to me it feels stripped back and doesn’t seem to have much going for it. Some guitar solos are pretty good and a couple decent songs. Also the strumming patterns and drum beats I find kinda annoying I know all this is a giant heaping hot take lol that’s just how I feel. Im not gonna vibe with everything that’s for sure and this one just doesn’t along with my soul or central nervous system or personality idk.

I had one of these songs on my playlist but that's it. I don't know if it's because this day felt like one of those days which you could skip because nothing happened but it wasn't such a big deal listening to this album. Sorry.

Last Nite is in one of those Weird Al polka medleys.

Remember when these guys were the next Big Thing? Snore.

It was too monotonous and boring, I don't like that. Rate 3/10

One or two bangers, but most importantly it gave us Alex Marquez ass picture in the future

I’ve always liked Last Nite so was ultimately expecting more from this. Bit of a let down.

Meh. Maybe it’s just because my wife was mean to me yesterday. But I don’t think so. Got bored before I finished the whole album.

The strokes probably up there with the pioneers of that era, the good old indie era. I can see why they are in here. Was such a huge era for this sort of music. Someday and last nite absolute bangers. Hard to explain and take it or leave it, is probably the only other songs I was a fan of. I find this album very samey, vocals and guitar riffs, as well as the drums. Feel like it could do with some backing vocals to take the edge off in some songs. Also quite hard to listen to sometimes. It’s probably a one and done album for me. But props to the strokes. Middle of the road for me. Think the cover is getting more attention.

i had 2 songs already added however listening to this album made me realise i need to remove them.. also is the album cover the ass cheeks , the knee , or like the shoulder or none 0 added 2 removed

Blech. Boring.

Should have liked this more I thought, but didn't.

It was alright. I’m not the biggest fan of the vocal fry effect they add. Last Nite was the only memorable song and its spelling is cringe as hell so -10 points for that.

I was sure this was going to be a one star album because I really didn't like it at first, particularly not the vocals There were a couple of tracks later on that are a bit better. Not my bag, but not a total disaster

370/1089 - howdy. ig showed me pictures of you even tho i try to focus on art and human-like animals and people fighting … so i thought i’d say a respectful platonic “hello, physical pal.” (maybe) - the end. 🫡returning to self-imposed solitude🌷🦩

Apt title.

i mean its alright but some song are decent and some are confusing if u look at the lyrics

This album is good, maybe even very good...but it's one of those records that I don't see what all the fuss is about. The songwriting is solid albeit a little repetitive, the vocals are also solid but have a ton of range, the guitar, drum, and bass work is solid but also somewhat repetitive and uninspired at times. It almost makes me think...is this it?

Pretty bland and boring sounding. No real change in pace at any point, most songs are consisting of drums, an e-guitar strumming and some distorted vocals. Pretty underwhelming tbh.

I never heard of this band before. A few tracks were interesting. Most were rather annoying to listen to.

I don’t think I like this band. It’s fine. But kind of boring. Every song sounds very similar. The way the guitarist plays, is all the same. Sloppy down strokes. No inspiring riffs. I think the vocalist carries the songs but his vocals aren’t good. It sounds like he is bored so I am bored.

Forgot how happy the strokes are

Each song starts with the same exact chords.

Strokes sound is their sound and they dont stray from it much

el album favorito del varón con mas desapego emocional que existe. obviamente se la da de espiritual.

I didn’t really like it it was a bit too agreasive for me . 2/5

i like this album. it’s not my usual vibe or what i gravitate towards but that’s the point of this whole thing. i’ve listened to the strokes before and i’ve been interested in listening to more of them so this was a nice chance to explore. even though it’s not my usual i enjoyed listening nonetheless and there’s none that i would hate to listen to again. none made it to my playlist because this genre of music in general isn’t exhilarating for me lol. the second half of the album picked up for me with songs such as last nite, hard to explain, new york city cops, and trying your luck

Um ok so I don’t think this is my type of album. It sounded like an album the alt/punk boy would listen to in high school thinking they are so cool and in an effort to show them you’re also cool you end up in their car listening to them wax poetic about whatever - lyrics, guitar riffs, the storytelling, etc. when all you want to do is start making out to get them to stop talking. Also for sure something Mystic Spiral would have come up with -especially New York City Cops and Take It or Leave It. Whiny boy bands going on about how women annoy them is not the vibe.

I’ve never cared for or about this band, largely because they seemed fake. It’s also a time and place thing for me, they were too mainstream for where my tastes were (and mostly still are.) Aside from Last Nite, I wasn’t familiar with the album. How did anyone make it through this album with that terrible opener? What I hear is a Velvet Underground influence filtered through late 90s indie rock. I’d rather listen to the Velvets or actual indie rock. Last Nite is still catchy, and Hard to Explain was nice. They should have kept New York City Cops on the album. Otherwise not very memorable to me. Not a keeper.

Not bad, not exciting but okay

Every song is the same and none are note worthy. Why is this on the list... 1,5

Very tinny, awkward sounding album. Similar sounding songs played over multiple times, avoid.

Lyssnade inte hela, inte min typ tror jag

Was not a fan of this album personally

These lazy sounding New Yorkers who took the world by storm in the 2000's with their effortlessly simple songs were never on my must see or listen list at the time. I've played this several times over the years, but its never made me go Wow. Unlike fellow New Yorkers, Interpol who's debut is so much better. But this was just merely average.

The last album released 2020 is 5 stars, here they have just played for some months.

Should probs listen again, didn’t really absorb

Two albums in a row here on 1001 that have been pretty good. Like the title track. The rest is a bit same samie, but ok.

I feel like this album gets a ton of hype, but it's just bland same-y early 2000s rock. It's not terrible, but certainly not great either.

Really monotonous, the constant strumming is almost headache inducing. The lyrics are charming, but the arrangement of the vocals makes them barely audible. Honestly i expected more especially from the hype ive heared about this album and since i do like their newer songs.

Didn’t feel it.

obnoxious, just like it was in 01/02

Everything sounds the same. After short intros that sound a lottle bit different, when reaching the refrain it is the same sound as the previous song. Sonically the voice sits to far in the back to listen to the lyrics.

Just meh. Not very interesting, at least for me

Fun but vapid.

Really liked, "New York City Cops" But maybe, not my type of album

I remember how big this album was when it came out. Copycats popped up overnight but never really bothered to listen to it. ‘Last Nite’ is a tune but the rest of it is bland as fuck. As I was listening to it I kept asking myself; ‘Is this it?’

Used to love this one when I was a wee lad. Knowing what The Strokes are about now I find this kind of boring and pretentious. The hit still hit and I'll throw this one on when summer hits for sure.

A little boring and repetitive, very of a time and place. It's fine music, just not my jam.

What an album cover. One highlight song and then just your usual stuff from that period. Prob alright to hear live.

Enjoyes a d recognised maybe 1 tune, and the rest were mostly a blur. It ain't it

Hmmm well alright, at first I wasn’t too sure about this album but it’s growing on me a bit as it goes along. It’s some sort of lo-fi rock music and I can’t help but think that there are many other bands that have come before who pull it off much better than this. Although a bit too friendly sounding, it still sounds fun. A lot of the guitar work is also lacking balls and is a bit one dimensional but they do play competently through some mildly interesting arrangements. I think this album might click with further listens but for now I’m a bit ambivalent about its inclusion on this list but it’s ok enough to not be a complete write-off for now.

Basic rock

It’s a pretty good album. I just never got into the strokes outside the hits. But it’s fine.

One song that everyone knows and a droning tone that makes all the other songs blend into one.

Whyyyy is this on the list? It sounds like he's singing into a tin can the whole time. Nonetheless, I liked Someday and Hard to Explain.

one of the more palatable albums but still not my style

meh.

I hadn't knowingly heard any of The Strokes music before. I'd wrongly assumed from their name that they were a punk band - not one of my favourite genres. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they're a rock band Musically this is a good album. It has the rhythms and guitar playing you'd expect from a rock band. Unfortunately not quite so memorable that as I write this 12 hours after listening I don't recall any stand out tracks. What spoiled it for me was the vocals. The lyrics were fine, but their delivery was odd. I don't know if it's just this album or a band style, but the vocals on every track sounded like they were being sung through the inner sleeve of a toilet roll with the end covered in tissue paper. Not quite full kazoo but getting there. I found this fuzziness distracted me from fully enjoying the album. This album was ok to listen to, but in my opinion not up with the upper echelons of the all time greats.

Not too bothered.

So incredibly monotonous. That singer can fuck right off too. It JUST gets a two because some of the songs towards the end of the album I enjoyed a bit, like Trying Your Luck. I suppose repetitive doesn't matter as much when what is being repeated isn't terrible. Very generous 2.

It's...alright? Reeeeeally don't get why this is so well regarded. Extremely simple, repetitive, and at times, grating. I even tried to focus on the lyrics, thinking that must be the appeal -- but the mixing is such that it's almost always incomprehensible. I don't know. Not for me, I guess. Fave tracks: - Someday - Alone, Together - When It Started - Trying Your Luck - Take It Or Leave It

Shit

Some catchy tunes, but mostly felt like noise. Not my cup of tea.

Couple of good songs that sound just like the rest of the album. Not that impressed

To be honest, I never truly understood the appeal of early Strokes. Everything sounds the same to me, and this to me is one of the overhyped, overrated albums of all time. I'd rather be listening to the Arctic Monkeys.

This was pretty good. Overhyped at the time - being lauded by the music press and teenagers put most folk over a certain age off. Anyone with even a slight interest in music could see how unoriginal they were and how their entire presentation by their masters was cliché after cliché. That said, I quite enjoyed it. I really liked New York City Cops. Wouldn’t revisit it, but it was entertaining enough.

This is tough because I fondly remember nights listening to Last Nite and Someday and singing along unabashedly, but the album is just OK.

I genuinely could tell you nothing about this, it largely went in one ear and out the other. I did remember “Someday” and “Last Nite” as the two “hits” from this album, but I couldn’t tell you anything else about it.

This was an okay album, can't say it turned me into a fan. I recognized two songs.

Iconic cover on crap music

It's not my music

WTF... for a second I thought this album would be my first 1 star, but two stars is great for them.

Someday caught my ear like it did everyone else's. Still not for me, so it's about a 2.7 for me. My guess is this gets a 3.08 for user rating.

This list really likes mid "aughts" indie/alt rock a lot. I have tried really hard to appreciate it. I tried to have an open mind, but I still don't see why everyone likes it so much. None of this clicks for me at all.

I’ve been told this is a hot take, but I just don’t care for this.

2.5

A really tedious listen with the constant droning guitar chord

Didn't much care for them when they came out. The album is fine. Their hits aren't bad, but just overplayed.

oh, this actually is it?

I never got into this band. I guess we'll see what old man me thinks.. Yep, I remember the Last Nite song. Hard To Explain was ok. This just doesn't get my loins moist. 2.5.

I think I get what they were going for with the retro sound, but I couldn't really get into this.

The Dostojevski of Rock music (derogatory). I hate the album cover, always have. Putting women's body parts on covers is outdated, makes me uncomfortable. This whole album is incel paradise. Whining about how everyone else is stupid and wrong (title track), using drugs as escapism and being annoyed when their behavior is pointed out to them (Soma; Alone, Together). They are making young adult angst songs that are contrarian without merit (New York City Cops), the protagonist is a gaslighting asshole boyfriend who is unable to communicate with his girlfriend (Last Nite, Trying your Luck), only caring about conservative ideas when they stand in the way of him getting laid (Hard To Explain). I know exactly the type of guy who'd like this album, and I don’t like him very much. I don’t want to hear about guy problems anymore. These songs are sonically and lyrically so mediocre und uninteresting that it's pissing me off - what album by a woman was omitted for this? His voice sounds like he's drunk at a karaoke bar, just wailing and slurring and carefully constructing a certain carelessness that does nothing for me. Themes: The discrepancy between modern day angst vs. dancing the pain away („Still, I will try my best“ - Someday). The darker sides of escapism and cutting ones vulnerability.

I’m not a big punk fan. I can appreciate the album, but it’s not really for me. I did like “Alone, Together” most of all the songs.

As overrated as it was when I first heard it. Only interesting to someone who didn't listen to New York music of 1975 to 1980(ish). And that albim cover? Jeez.

Not my genre

The opening song was terrible. It only got slightly better and I didn’t really enjoy this album. I liked Last Nite and that’s about it.

Never enjoyed these guys. Nothing other than I find their music incredibly dreary. Sorry, not sorry.

This was boring. Some catchy stuff here and there, but really not that interesting.

Didn't like it much at the time, and prefer „The new Abnormal“ by far.

Yikes.

Ben niet perse heel hyped

Ok

This felt like basic radio rock: nothing overly groundbreaking, but also quality craft. But personally I just wasn’t feeling it - not something I would choose to play much again.

I’m not a hater but this album feels so outdated

Boring

Pretty boring in my opinion.

Someday und Is This It sind durchaus ganz cool, der Rest ist mir zu hart

Ehhhh. There's like 2 or 3 popular songs but this is really all just the same song remixed like 16 times. Good background music. Still fun tho.

Same song every time

thought i'd like it more

I really don’t like to listen to the strokes. I don’t like the wealthy art school vibe, I don’t like the put-on chill guy listlessness. I don’t like the way it’s recorded, I don’t like the distorted vocals or the jangly guitars. The experience of listening is one star to me. But also I made the mistake of reading reviews before doing my own. It stands out how much people viewed albums from this time as representing a rock revival. I was still pretty young when this one came out, still enjoyed radio butt rock etc. If I had been five years older at the time I bet this would have felt like a breath of fresh air. Still sucks though.

When the first song started I didn't like the music, when the vocals started I liked it even less. I had previously heard the song "Last Nite" but even the familiarity of that didn't make it listenable. I didn't much care for this at all.

I think there's a reason that they had nearly no success outside the English-speaking countries. They are simply too generic, with no real appeal to them. I can't understand the hype.

Ich habe beim Hören nicht wirklich bemerkt, wo ein Lied aufhört und wo das nächste anfängt. Es klingt nicht schlecht, nur halt etwas monoton.

Det er sku ikke lige min kop te men point for album cover.

Lyrics were cool. But the music itself - not my jam! 🥲 The instruments were a bit too overpowering for my tastes - both in terms of its volume and texture! Album rating: ⭐⭐

I remember this being a thing when it came out. I didn’t apply too much interest in this as I found it to be nothing special. I was right. It all sounded the same. I didn’t get this.

Was alright

point9.

Having seen this on loats of "best albums ever" and "iconic rock" and so on for twenty to thirty years, I've finally listened to it and, let me tell you, the album name hit it on the head. Is this it? It's so much of the same old indie rock scene, and nothing here stands out as anything worth coming back to. It's not awful, but it's not good.

Is this it… my sentiments exactly

I dunno, it somehow feels like a bad imitation of something which could have been good

Completely an avarage album - no reason to be in 1001 album selection

Well, I have completely missed the Strokes in the early 2000s, too soft sounding maybe...Finally I got to listen to the song Reptilia (on the following album) which made me discover this band with a very unique sound and interesting guitar interplay. Is This It, has 2-3 good songs, no more...

Raised on alternative rock, I completely snubbed The Strokes when they came to fame. To me, everything had already been done in the genre, and the essential quality of this band was that they played a part in ending the Britpop movement. And yet, I was never objectively indifferent to The Stroke’s sound, so this is exactly the kind of album that this project allows me to revisit with a fresh perspective. Well, I think I preferred their next album, especially the excellent « The End Has No End ». While some moments are exciting, « Is This It » as a whole feels more flat to me, lacking the intensity I was hoping for. Their sound, though, really stands out and really makes me want to like them. But throughout the album, I keep waiting for something to click, and it rarely does. All in all, I feel more disappointed than really negative.

Supposed to like this, tried to like it, didn't like it. Not my type of rock. Too...light? Whiny?

2,5

Just not really for me

i like a few strokes songs but not sure why this is on the list

Honestly, I think you have to be young to be impressed with this. There’s nothing new here. Feels on par with Lenny Kravitz, in terms of authenticity. They listened to their parents’ records and tried to imitate. But this is just pop music. Anyone who says the word “punk” needs to be slapped in the mouth.

I didn't love the album. Most the songs sounded the same, and I don't love that sound. Songs I liked: Is this it, someday, last nite, hard to explain

Background music

there are probably 4 standout tracks for me, the rest unfortunately i couldn't get all that into. I'll also acknowledge im just not a fan of julian casablanca's vocals. alone together to hard to explain is a good 3 song stretch though.

2.45

Last Nite

A bit boring, sounds a bit like English bands as Kooks or Artic Monkeys, only the tunes are quite forgettable.

Now That's What I Call Fifa Music! I know I'm definitely in the minority but what's the appeal here? It's quite monotonous. It's probably on purpose but the vocals are distorted, mixed so far back and drowned out by the instruments, it makes the words unintelligible at times. There are some decent riffs scattered throughout the album and I really like that the catchy basslines are so high in the mix and you don't have to go looking for it. The problem I have is the absolutely relentless strummy guitar which is a problem for indie music in general (yes I called indie a genre, you know what I mean). The game you can play is "when will the relentless strummy guitar change key"? Count along. The first 8 will always be the same, but when in the next 24 strums will it change? Could be the next 8 or maybe they'll keep it the same until there's 8 left and they decide to change the key and the last 4 notes are a bit different. Part of me wants to give this a three because I know this is a well loved album. But I'm also that miserable contrarian who enjoys disliking things that others love. I wish the cool riffs were the central parts of the songs. The two best songs are the two most popular 'Someday' and 'Last Nite'. I don't know if that's because they're familiar or they are simply the best written tracks. There's not enough variance going on here and by the end of the album I was just wanting it to end. It's a two.

I missed most music of the '00's when it happened but it was a thinner decade than I realised if this is one of it's stand out albums. There's some nice tuneage & at times I was feeling it'll improve on another listen but I really cba. I did find the vocals irritatingly weak & I'm astonished that a group with the resources & influence these guys had could settle for such poor production quality. After hovering between a 2 & 3 the latter has landed me on a 2

Boring and simple. The hits were okay, but I wouldn't relisten.

I admittedly didn’t give this a very close listen, because I just listened to it a couple of months ago for the first time and didn’t like it, and I liked it even less this time. Way too same same for me. Doesn’t go anywhere as my dad says.

This one is characterized by monotony. I got bored listening to it

Seems old by today's music

такое се

I liked this album! This is the first time I’m listening to most of these songs, but I can imagine these ones wouldn’t stay in high rotation for long, so not sure I’d be adding them to my playlist but I definitely appreciate this album for what it is!

It's just ok

I actually got a pit in my stomach. The cover gave me Killers energy and I felt sick. I was relieved to remember that this is the Strokes and I have enjoyed a few of their songs. I am haunted by the spectre of the Killers. I have “hid” their songs on Spotify and the “DJ” feature still tries to play them. Anyway. This has to better than that. Low bar. Man, that bass is audible. Pretty good song. Simple melody and the bass is super cool. Ehhh. Noooo. Not. Not good. That’s not a double negative. I’m just trying to convey conversational rhythm. Very hard as a poor writer on an iPhone keyboard. I knew I hated the modern age. When the vocals elevate themselves out of that signature, fuzzy, murmuring croak, it’s pretty exhilarating. Reminiscent of the Doors somehow? Soma is a great example of this. One of the worst phrases to ever hit the lexicon, “Barely Legal,” is not a terrible song. Bah. A lame section near the end kind of tears it apart. Didn’t love this. This one is better. When they go the melodic route with more vocal variation, it works for me. Although. The riff here is getting a little tropical. It has an eye towards the beach. Come back to me. The moaning. Man. This wicked riff to start Alone, together is excellent, and then the momentum is halted by the croaking. Middling. Oh this is a popular one. Full on beach riffs now. Practicing Santeria. Although. Damn. It is infectious. It’s nice to have some drive in the vocals and any song that drags that out, is fine by me. Hmmm. From the super cool electronic beginning enters a Coldplay riff. Jesus this one sucks. Undulating verses. Feels like motion sickness. Drivel. New York City Cops??? What the sweet hell is this chorus? Terrible. A funny start AGAIN ruined. Starting to get upset at this. I mean I don’t have any investment in the intelligence of the NYPD, but I do have an investment in choruses that don’t suck big time. Please save this. I don’t know if “Trying your Luck” saved anything, but it was fine. Reminded me of the hit game show “press your luck” and the 2003 remake “Whammy,” which was fun because people got confetti and stuff dumped on their heads while losing devastating amounts of money. Why do they say North America doesn’t have culture? Well this really is the question isn’t it. Take it? Or leave it. Eh. Much of this album feels very familiar. I assume that means this album HAS made a big impact on music and therefore requires listening just due to its influence. With that being said, it’s one of those painful mixed bags for me. There’s little to despise for the most part, and sadly, there was also very little to love. The second “side” really wore out its welcome too as I became less tolerant of the same sounding vocals and riffs. All of this leaves me with a mediocre review of a somewhat mediocre album. I think I’ll leave it, thank you. 2-2.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Is This It, Soma, Last Nite

Was this it? I suppose it's not as bad as all that, but I can't put aside the 'torn skinny jeans' vibe that this gives off. Feels like an act, a fake, put on to make sales. Probably that's very unfair, but I can't feel any emotion in the music.

what the freak ever honestly. i find the “lo-fi” effect of julian casablanca’s voice on most strokes tracks so irritating—it makes his vocals sound incredibly one-note, boring, trite. what is the artistic value of this choice? to me it comes across as an attempt at sounding Cool For Cool’s Sake and obfuscating the very boring reality of his melodies/vocal quality. it also makes the songs sound VERY samey—”take it or leave it” for example could have stood out (i like his shouting during the chorus) but that dumbass effect flattens out any variety. again the super compressed production does not appeal to me on a personal level. i don't like the shrill guitar, the snare/hi-hat (?), all these SHARP sounds. also i know that they are doing the compression thing because they're trying to imitate the velvet underground which i find really embarrassing cos um…this ain't the velvets. it's goofy cos the velvets and the stooges retained that effect because of the equipment they were using—they purposely emphasized it of course but their music ultimately HAD to sound like that because that was kinda their only option due to the technology available at the time. so artificially recreating it for aesthetic effect is stupid and shallow to me. the other song that stood out to me musically was “barely legal” but the lyrics suck so i can't commit to calling it a favorite… btw i did not go into this trying to be a hater!! but at the end of the day the strokes are only worth anything TO ME because of the one time nick valensi (?), in an attempt to praise “girls & boys” as a song, described blur as “a kind of homosexual band.” p.s. the one song on this album that i do actually like is “new york city cops” which got pulled after 9/11 from all subsequent pressings i think. just another thing those terrorists took from us along with comfortable airports…

Sigh...I wanted to like this, since they seem like such a renowned and influential band. The production is well done, with an old-timey garage rock feel. But like...I just don't care about it at all. The drums are boring, the guitars seem to do nothing but straight 16th strumming the whole time, the vocals are all passed through a narrow band filter that makes them sit behind the mix. It just doesn't excite me at all. And it doesn't sound authentic to me, it sounds like "we spent a whole bunch of money and polish to make this sound like a garage record" with no soul at all.

Good rock album for the most part. The songs sound a bit the same as I got further into the album. Hard driving drums, guitar and feedback vocals. Nothing really hit home as a masterpiece or outstanding track on the album. On the whole, it's fine, but just not my cup of tea I guess. 2/5 Highlight songs: Soma Someday

Generic forgettable brit-rock.

The album jogs along nicely in an indie rock kind of way. Frequent airplay of the singles from this album haven’t helped me, I find a little all a little predictable these days. Nice to hear this album in its entirety which is a first for me, but not one I’d instantly gravitate towards. If there were half marks it’ll 2.5!

Test

miten vitussa minulla on kurvikkaampi perse kun tuolla VITTU VIHAAN VALKOIHOISIA!!!!! cuban heart.... Let me be the wind, which is in each corner, Let me be the moon, Let me be the sun, Let me be the time, dancing in this song, Let me be the music, that lights the heart up. 39 days till asscember... yes we are doing it... joo 3.84 koska nostalgiabaittia kolme-nelikymppisille elämään kyltyneille hipstereille jotka tän sivuston löytänyt. vaimon perse liian läski, himoaa niitä alikehittyneitä pikkupeppuja, kuten albumikoverissa. ''Love this album as much today as I did when I bought it 20 years ago.'' puolet top kommenteista tuonkaltaista syvällistä ajattelun virtaa taas kerran... noh tarpeeksi hyviä biisejä kakkoseen the modern age

Inoffensive, competently-produced music. Multiple listens did not leave an impression on me, unfortunately in this case the album cover was the most memorable thing here. It's fine as background noise but overall I think this is just mid.

Once you hear the first song you've heard them all. It's not too bad ig. 2.5

I don't know if this was supposed to be the album's style, but everything sounded muffled. I did not enjoy it

Nice album cover. Good music but not as good as I remember it, starting to think there’s something up with my memory…

Every song sounds the same. I would not choose to listen to this, and if it came up I would turn it off.

1. thiz - 1 2. age - 1 3. zoma - 1.5 4. legal - 1 5. zomeday - 2 6. alone - 1.5 7. night - 2 8. ezplain - 1 9. copz - 1 10. luck - 1.5 11. leave - 1

Two well known very B-list pop tunes and a whole lotta meh.

Nope, that definitely wasn't it.

Okay. Unremarkable.

Strum strum strum. Bruv bruh bruv

Poon

I’m not one song recognised. Not really an album I personally would rush back to but maybe one that needs a little more time on rotation for me to enjoy.

Guess it's got that velvet underground and 70s punk influence but I found it lacked the edge and experimentation compared to those earlier groups Production bit too clean for its own good as well and the songs just didn't really interest me

Rock n roll for the anemic and uninspired

This is it, unfortunately.

Iconic, but doesn't match my taste in music.

i like it so far, sounds like the pixies, maybe a little bit of indie rock? the whole album reminds me of a song but i just cant figure out which one.... nvm i figured it out i dont want to talk about it the guitar parts are good its so indie helpl not bad but nothing special, just generic i guess my favorite song: none of them really stood out to me on the first listen

eh. nothing special here. never really was a fan of The Strokes.

Типикал индюшка

Is it just me or did every song sound eerily similar?

Boring indie that sounds like every sitcom intro. Can see how it was influntial, but not necessarily in a good way.

I finally listened to the naked hip album... and kept wonder Is This It?

1 full listen (+ some casual repeats of a couple of songs). Sounds mostly fluffy to me. Like if The Killers’ Hot Fuss (which I assume was inspired by this/the band) was robbed of its infectous energy. Not sure if the distorted vocals are a feature or a fault but they don’t exactly help its case, in any case. Some decent songs (The Modern Age, Barely Legal) but overall just so monotone—lyrically, vocally, sonically.

It's not that great.

Eh, all Strokes songs sound so similar. Not my thing.

I get why the British love this. Sounds like their rock. I find it underwhelming and bland. Been 30 minutes of the same vocals and backing to me

2 good songs but doesn't grab me as a whole

I remember when everyone in the LES was buzzing about this band. Never got the hype. Honestly, I think you have to be young to be impressed with this. There’s nothing new here. Feels on par with Lenny Kravitz, in terms of authenticity. They listened to their parents’ records and tried to imitate. But this is just pop music. Anyone who says the word “punk” needs to be slapped in the mouth.

I mean, its fine? The music just seems super basic, and the distortion filter on the vocals just wasn’t right, it was getting repetitive over the album. IDK I didn’t really “feel” anything while listening to this album.

2.5 accent kills be me

Ok rock, just not my thing

Hooky pop rock but I don’t like the lyrics

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm Dit is voor mij echt een soort prototype standaard rock. Met andere woorden, hier gebeurt weinig spannends, de muziek is ok I guess, de teksten springen er niet uit en elk nummer klinkt vrijwel hetzelfde. Is er dan niets waar ik echt blij van word bij dit album? Ohnee hoor! Het duurt namelijk maar 36 minuten in totaal! Daarnaast irriteer ik me er ook niet echt aan, maar je kan mij echt niet vertellen waar het ene nummer begint of ophoudt of dat 1 nummer echt zo bijzonder is. Weet je wat het is? Different strokes for different folks, I guess... FAVO: Last Nite

Not only does every song sound basically the same, but it sounds like a dozen other bands at the same time. I don't know who was copying who and I don't care, it's not interesting.

Not into it. Seems like the distortion on the vocal is doing the heavy lifting. Probably better in context. 2.7

Meh.

Always need generic modern rock

Not for me. I get why my kids would enjoy it.

Another one of those albums where 'Alternative' is a poor excuse for 'no variation'. I mean, why produce an album at all when you only have ideas for one song?!? *annoyed sigh* 2/5

Just not feeling it, they were never in my wheel house when this stuff was new, and hasn't really grown on me since. Some catchy stuff in a few song for sure, but just not understanding the hype.

Normally I like the Strokes, but not feeling it this time

Yawn.

Not my jam.

Not my cup of tea.

ugh. Did not enjoy this album at all.

I see from a little background reading The Strokes were leaders of the early 2000's post-punk movement. This album did not do much for me. Very upbeat and guitar heavy, which is great but it just didn't keep my interest.

Typical late 90's POP....I do not call this Rock. I can do without....I did enjoy Trying your Luck!

When I was a teenager listening to The Jesus and Marychain and The Primitives my mum used to shake her head at me and say, "that just sounds like the 60s. Why do young people want to listen to that? Why not listen to something original". But they were my 60s sounding stuff. I didn't want to just listen to old stuff. When this album came out I realised I was now just a little bit more like my mum. But if you're 10+ years younger than me maybe this was/is exciting.

These guys always sounded to me like they had listened to other bands and kind of tried to recreate the sound. All style no substance.

First Listen: It feels like one continuous song throughout the whole album which can be a great thing. Easy flow, but to me there was not a single memorable song within the whole album. I can’t say that I had a favorite one or that I disliked any of them. I might want to go back and listen to this album again… Second Listen: Sick guitar solo from track 2 “The Modern Age!” Nice discordant ending. Frequent abrupt track endings. I fell asleep halfway through second listen…

I’ve heard of the Strokes but couldn’t name a single song of theirs. Turns out I knew “Last Nite”… but that’s it. And all the rest are the same. I’d rather just listen to The Buzzcocks.

I can see how they probably had fun writing and playing this but I find it a bit grating tonally.

Added 4 songs to my liked songs. They have their own sound, broken mic singing. Bass pops out. Bobblehead 01 Collage alternative pop for sure.

Mäßiger Post Punk.

2/5. Really a mellow album compared to the Reptilia Strokes that I grew up with. Not my favorite, but still a few good moments.

Seems very much of it's time. Very one note.

First track is 99% ASMR. Thats about all I got for this album, not much to talk about. Its artistic for sure.

Not really my thing.

"Is This It" is an apt title for one of the most overrated albums of recent memory.

I loved punk rock in the 80’s but this I found the lyrics boring as well as the music itself

Never heard of them before…

Meh.

Most of it was the same

I like the hits. Otherwise, a little too homogeneous for me.

mid af

There was a big hype around The Strokes when they were around back in the days. As someone who grew up with older rock music I always wondered what my contemporaries found in them. Didn't they just sound like a little updated version of The Kinks and other bands? Now, years later after I got recommended this album, I still stand by my opinion. The music is solid albeit surprise free. I'd rather listen to some old school stuff.

Is this it? The mythology surrounding this album has hounded me since the beginning of my foray into music fandom and there have been times where I would just dismiss it outright as a blown-up make believe that doesn't hold water; a stab at a trend that was done better some twenty-five, almost thirty years before. And, for the most part, that stance I've taken with this album becomes solidified with each passing song as it blends into one supposedly monolithic thing whilst offering some glimmers of differentiation that redeems that particular song. So I'm going to allow this to pass me by. I respect its legacy and its place amongst music lovers from that time but this isn't it for me. Favorites: The Modern Age, Soma, Alone, Together, Last Nite, Hard to Explain.

Meh.

Not a fan of the radio-distortion on the lead singer in almost all the songs.

meh

looks like garage rock's not my thing

bad

Hard to listen to an entire album with the same processed vocals. Last Night is the big hit. Basic rock with a hint of punk.

Quit before the end. It felt like being hammered over the head with the same song on repeat, and while there's sometimes something to tap your foot to (I was on a treadmill), there's a huge void at the center of the album where a better vocalist should be. Just embarrassing. Straining so hard to sound like Lou Reed, but no amount of distortion or effects could fix it. Always liked the album cover, though.

Ok

better than I remember but still a bit wet

I just can't get on board with this. I didn't like it 20 years ago either. It's sounds like it could be ok, but the singer's voice is so grating to me I can't get past it.

Räminä rokkia, jäbä laulaa jonkun peltipurkin läpi ja korvista vuotaa veri.

Yuck

I didn't like it

Each song sounds exactly the goddamn same as the last.

This was fine but not something I’d go back to. This style of music all sounds the same to me - I just don’t really connect with it.

Lively, Lo-Fi, garage band jam but not my cup of tea.

too rowdy for me

Pelkoni substanssin täydellisestä puuttumisesta korvautui lopulta varovaisella nautinnolla. Yhtään huippukappaletta levy ei sisällä, mikä selittää arvosanan, mutta ei tämä toivotontakaan ole.

Arrête de crier tu m'épuises le coco

Album title sums up my thoughts here. My commute finished before the album did, but I doubt I missed anything by not listening to the end, cause you know... generic, samey songs and all. Two telescopes so they might uncover a new sound. 🔭🔭

I did listen to this some 20 years ago and I wasn’t impressed. Today I am about 2% more impressed. This deserves a solid 2.

Not my thing but ok

Soo, it's not what I'm used to listen to so I guess my ears didn't expect this kind of music which is of course fine, but I don't know if it's because I'm not used to listen to that kind of music or smthg else but this album didn't give me any amazing discovery, a lot of the songs seems the same sometime I actually didn't noticed that I finished a song and it was already another track, they dont seem to make me feel any emotions, any pleasure, but not any digust either. I just think this album is made for other people, maybe with people with taste u may say eheh, but not for me :) As for my fav track I think one of the only one that I enjoyed more that the other would be "Alone, Together" !!

Man, this is a band I have tried to get into so many times over the years, and it has just been impossible. This album came out when I was in high school, a time when I loved all things music, but this bad, just never did it for me. I intently listen to the album this time around, and my complaint remains that everything just sounds the same. Very whiny and kind of dull. I think I’m the only person on earth who feels that way.

Some highlights but it’s literally like the same thing every track. Standout tracks were the ones that are popular

4/10

Don't like the jagged, dischordant guitar (Arctic Monkeys, Muse) or the silly 40s radio vocal effects.

All the hype around this album- “it’s changed music forever”- how? All I heard was screaming from the back of his throat- something I could have done at age three. VERY unimpressed and disappointed. I’d heard amazing things about this and I really do not get it. One positive is some of the music?

All the hype and retrowaxing about this album... ...this is *it*? 3/10 snoozefest with little unique to offer - 2 stars.

Don’t mind The Strokes, this is not their best.

A bit boring, I really don't like this vocal style