Is This It

It‘s fine

Ihan Jees rallattelua ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great early 2000s rock revival rock

4.5

Álbum muito bom e perfeito para começar a ouvir the strokes

One of the pillars of my youth

A pretty well constructed album. Some fairly generic indie beats for the time but overall strong. 4/5

Upper four stars

This is gritty and it rocks. Pioneers of the post-punk revival that was to come. I look forward to this becoming one of my favorite albums

It’s

Great length. I first listened to this album late 2020 when they were getting buzz from the New Abnormal album. Back then I had only saved the hits. Those songs are great but I have no memories associated with them because I was doing literally nothing at home. The rest of the album is also good, except the last three songs which were kind of boring. Interesting to read about them replacing a song because of 9/11.

Every song on this album sounds the same. No thoughts but I do feel like a sheep rating every album a 3/5. Whoopsies. 3/5.

I think the strokes are genuinely one of the best modern artists(idk how I feel ab the new hella autotunes stuff but excluding that). I have even more appreciation for Julian Casablancas after seeing him live. I just think everyone likes the Strokes. I feel like no matter who I am driving around or hanging out with, I can play the strokes and nobody will complain, and I will be happy. And I think thats a pretty fucking great statement to make about music. Also the new abnormal was like the first album I can remember listening to back to front when it came out I and loved that shit and I still love that shit. This album has some bangers too.

Only early 2000s album on the list that isn’t dogshit

7.5/10

Luv it

06/30 Boring and generic

Many of the individual tracks on this album are fairly weak, but the consistent and enjoyable style creates an listening experience that is better than the sum of its parts. Slightly overrated, but still excellent.

The Strokes is my favourite band dude I've listened to this thing countless times! I also got a vinyl (with the ass cover!!!) on a street market in Vienna from a cool guy who had a cigarette in his mouth the whole time I was talking to him and making a purchase. I've listened to this the morning of my sister's marriage and the night before, I've listened to it on my birthday, I've listened to it while doing big university art projects sitting on the floor through the whole night and so on and so on. There's literally no chance for an objective review I love love love every strokes album!

Another one that is almost impossible to listen to from overwhelming nostalgia. This was a hit from the first second. The filtering on the vocals is a little much. Not a five star but definitely a great record. Doesn't ask for anything just kinda dumb.

Banger after banger

When I think of indie sleaze I think of the Strokes.

Sometimes you listen to an album and are surprised by how much you like it. That is this album for me. It's basically the ideal rock album

I think a live concert with this band would be really good but the album is not quite the same. 3 stars or C+.

Awesome sound! What an album!

As a cliche millennial who watched both The OC and One Tree Hill when they were on air, I'm actually shocked to realize I've never listened to this album in full (though after a quick google, it seems like neither show had any of their songs featured which is wild). Anyway, it's not surprising I really enjoyed it. It reminds me of the Libertines (another nostalgic favourite band I'm excited to eventually get through this challenge) and I will definitely be exploring more of their catalogue after this.

Although it's not an album I listen to often (not on last ten years anyway)..it's an important one for me when it was released. A daily listen for me in the weeks after it came out. Its really refreshing to read this today and I'm reminded how great this is. 5/5

One of the best debut albums ever made. The melody writing is genius, slam full of songs that sound like they've been around forever. I absolutely love the vocal affects and rough production, also shout out the lyricism on here it's fantastic and often overlooked 5$

Simple but effective - full of bangers

Fantastic album. Concise, catchy, and a sound that’s instantly nostalgic

What a time it was for a really specific brand of soft-boy sexism. The sound is fine, I would have enjoyed this a lot as a teen when -importantly- my brain hadn't developed properly and I just enjoyed vague indie sounds and pseudo-sexy vibes; but honestly now it repulses me.. Barely Legal? What the fuck is that, like honestly? This is what passed for okay music in 2001? Even the fact Last Nite is spelt Last Nite. Grow the fuck up, this isn't MSN. There are also evil little lyrics in here "pretend to be nice so I can be mean" - girl, that's gaslighting 101. This whole album feels like the diary of an (older) boy that my friend would have been in a horribly toxic relationship with and I'd be screaming DUMP HIM!!!! g2g - Nil pois. (p.s. my toe is INVOLUNTARILY tapping and that is because I was hard-wired to enjoy this music when I was younger and didn't know better music was out there, and obviously it is skins-core which obviously we were all obsessed with and I don't exist in a vacuum).

HOT TAKE ALERT this album is massively overrated. Like, it's good enough indie guitar music, I enjoy it, there are a few tracks I think are really great, but I really feel like The Strokes were such a product of hype and having lots of money for PR rather than real talent - as evidenced by the fact they never really made anything good again other than the occasional song. In a just world Liars would have been the weirdo 2000s New York band who revolutionised music. I'd give it three and a half stars but I'm feeling hot and bothered today (and not in a sexy slap of the bum way) so it gets a grumpy three.

35 minutes, no chaff or filler at all.

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.

Great early 2000's rock vibe. They have this low key bittersweet energy like watching old VHS tapes of your teenage years going by and reflecting on how you both are and aren't that person now. The guitar hooks and riffs pull many of the songs along and the frayed distorted vocals fit in perfectly. The singles are all great and the rest of the songs previously unknown to me all hit well.

Sounds so ahead of its time I seriously thought this came out in 2012 - this is a pre-9/11 album what the fuck???

Exactly as brilliant as it's reputation. It's nice to listen to something on this list that just oozes fun

Fantastic album.

I really enjoyed this album. It's very fun to listen to. I've heard songs by The Strokes before. After listening and paying attention, I appreciate the sound of this album a lot more. This great album's been around long enough that there's nothing else to be said about it that hasn't already been said. I'm glad I revisited this album through this site.

🧡

They tapped it!

Love the strokes kinda crazy that we just got the album after I just saw them last week in concert, what a great show! Perfect 10/10 album no skips every song is perfect! I’m going to rank the tracks for my favorite and even the lowest ranked ones are still incredible songs Track Ranking 1. Hard To Explain 2. The Modern Age 3. Someday 4. Barely Legal 5. Take It Or Leave It 6. Last Nite 7. Is This It 8. Soma 9. Alone, Together 10. Trying Your Luck 11. When It Started

The Strokes are easily my favorite band to emerge since 2000, and I believe their debut Is This It stands as one of the great rock debuts of all time. Their sound on this album is gritty with no frills. Yet it delivers punchy melodies and hook laden guitar lines that stick with you long after listening. The dual guitars featuring Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr on lead and rhythm interplay with the vocal and bass lines so successfully. The songs Someday, Last Nite and Hard to Explain demonstrate this so well -- the driving rhythm give an energy that the lead and vocals seemingly dance across. It's hard to pick favorites from this album because there are so many strong tracks. I even have a hard time picking out weak tracks. When It Started which was added to the album late after New York City Cops was dropped in the wake of 9/11 is a surprisingly strong addition. The Strokes built on the sound established on Is This It on their future albums, and what a great launch point to start from.

The Strokes are a band I’ve wanted to check out for awhile, so I was excited to see their debut appear here and was pleased with the results. This is just so well done from front to back, such an impressive debut. The Strokes have a great feel for their sound from the start and it allows every element and track to fit pretty seamlessly. The energy level of the guitars, drums, and vocals is beautifully balanced on each track, allowing the record to be fun and gritty while maintaining a cleanliness that keeps it just in control enough at all times. I couldn’t have asked for much more. The biggest standouts happened to be the biggest hits in this case, for me. Definitely will return to this and looking forward to hearing more from them, no notes. 1 listen Favorite Tracks: Last Nite, Someday, The Modern Age, Hard To Explain

Expectation: -> I feel that I should know this band and maybe do but don't realize it? After listening: -> Wow this band is popular. I'm quite familiar with and enjoy the top two songs listed below. Somehow, though, I've never hit the like button on Spotify. Those two have about 1.5 billion streams in sum. Very impressive. This is a cohesive project and is very well done. Though I would not say this is my favorite rock style, I can see why they are beloved. Track ranking: Last Nite Someday Modern Hard To Is This It Started Legal Alone Take It Luck Soma

This is right up my alley, Last Nite is one of the best. I have only really heard their radio songs, but all of these are very good.

Liked this more than I thought I would. I remember when it came out, their singles were everywhere...couldn't avoid them. Overplayed, wasn't into it...my default mindset at the time was that anything on the radio was, at least, suspect...and probably not very good. But this is a tight album. I listened twice yesterday....didn't really pay attention to the lyrics, honestly didn't care about them. They have good grooves and beats. The two guitars work well together. This is an album all above mood and feeling and groove. I think they were at the right place and the right time to "save rock n roll" but they never could be a giant stadium act. It's music for small clubs. And that's fine, it works really well. I eye-rolled when I saw it come up by actually really enjoyed it.

Bra

I follow you down till the sound of my music preference will haunt you type shit Τζούλιαν, κάλμα.

God s

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.

suprisingly good? i was scared at first, in my head i thought - not another white guy singing classical-ish rock in the 2000s. but it was good, it was playfull and deep

Loved it

Review: This was a very good album. The consistency up until the last song was extremely impressive. This style of rock is so good I feel like I have never heard a group do it like The Strokes. The distortion of the vocals mixed with the amazing guitar performances create amazing songs that easily made it into my playlist. My favorite songs were This Modern Age and Someday. They just stood out slightly more to me than the other very similar songs. I am very glad I listened to this without knowing anything about them because it made it that much more fun.

One of my struggles with this album is that all of the songs sound so alike. So much so that sometimes I wonder if the same song has been on for ten minutes. Aside from that, The Strokes do know how to create something pretty catchy. I actually do like the distortion on the vocals; I think it fits their style really well. I can appreciate some of the guitar riffs, but they are pretty simple and something that you might learn in your very first week or two of picking up a guitar. Alas, they are pretty nice to listen to and get kind of lost in. This album has a lot of very specific things that I like and appreciate, but for me it would be hard to have on repeat.

A enjoyable listen

This is some pretty good garage rock, all things considered, really hammers home the authenticity of the music. However, it doesn't really excel at anything other than that. Quite a few of the songs are catchy, and the themes are very focused, but not a ton going on. Still, for what it is, very good. 8.5/10

4.5 4x great album

Banger 8.77/10 5/5

I don't mind The Strokes at all, they've got some great hits. Do I like this album though? It's pretty good, although a little repetitive. I'd like to hear their sound evolve and expand throughout, but it's mostly the same. Some decent, big tracks like "Last Nite" and "Someday". A high 3, but not quite a 4.

I love selfless

Room on Fire is definitely a better album than this one, but this one is still pretty solid!

Not my fav but Repitilia is fun!

These guys have some great songs - this album is full of them. They have this unique sort of indie like who gives a shit rock sound that's pretty fun.

Pretty much the definition of a 4/5. Does it do anything special? No, but it's good rock, so I can't complain.

very fitting of the time. I like some of their other albums more though

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

(10/10) What a perfect little record. Proof that you don't need to try too hard to make something truly timeless with unlimited replay value. The secret is the simplicity. The songs are all rather short with very sticky hooks and a taste for quality guitar structure and brilliant solos. Casablancas' voice is the perfect blend of "I couldn't care less" and "I need you to listen to me". Truly, one of the greatest debut albums of all time.

già fatto minchia

Heard a million times but still a classic!

So good. They're incredibly tight musically and the energy keeps up throughout the whole album.

Were they the saviours of rock 'n roll? I mean it's no Marquee Moon, but what is? Not terrible, occasionally good, sometimes irritating.

6/10 Best songs: Alone Together I knew a lot of people very into the Strokes back in the day. Personally, I never got into them, despite being very into indie rock. Having listened to this album now I find that nothing has changed. It's a perfectly cromulent album - good music (strong bass/guitars in particular) that becomes very sonically repetitive by the end of the album, vocals that just don't work for me, and barely discernable lyrics. It ends up sounding a bit interchangeable with other indie(?) rock/alt rock bands of the time to be honest. Not awful, but it's telling that the album cover is the thing about the album that stands out the most.

Standouts Someday Last Nite

Sounds good to my ears 👍. The strokes are probably one of the last good rock and roll band. (Or not idk much bands from the 10's) I dont think its a masterpiece like the press at the time. its a tinny overrated but idc. Great cover tho/5

🙂

Absolute pish

Loved it as a teenager, loved it in my twenties, loved it in my thirties, looking forward to the next decade of continuing to love this album. 100% just as good as it was on my first ever CD player.

not bad, glad to have been introduced to the Strokes this way, autoplay played Call It Fate, Call It Karma right after, loved that song.

I can tell a lot of indie was inspired from this album

I love this album - it is so damn catchy, timeless and also nostalgic.

That microphone fuzz should be another member of the band.

Comme d’habitude, album des strokes hyper frais, vraie signature vocale/ musicale, rock et tres pop a la fois. Super album, j’ai adoré. Premier album studio du groupe considere comme une œuvre majeure du rock.

Lleno de clásicos, un par de canciones que son meh, y escucharlo en orden me ha parecido raro.

Some absolute classics on this album. I hadn’t listened to the whole thing before, and I found I really liked it, not just the songs I already knew. There’s not a whole lot of variation across the album, but it was still great to listen to. Fav song: Last Nite Least fav: Is This It

Pretty good album with some British bangers in there. A lot of similarity between songs but because it’s short and sweet that didn’t grate on me. Specific rating - 4.1 Fav song - someday Least fav- New York City cops

Literally the worst time in history to have a song about how dumb New York cops are. Favourite song: Last Nite Least: Take It Or Leave It

Nice bum

Such an extremely solid album, listened to it walking through time square. So much of the strokes discography is tied to New York for me.

10/10

Great Songs: Soma, Someday, Last Nite Good Songs: Is This It, The Modern Age, Barely Legal, Alone Together, Hard To Explain, New York City Cops, Trying Your Luck, Take It Or Leave It Mid Songs: Bad Songs:

Cool in a way that is unattainable in the modern day

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?

In no way do I mean that this album sounds dated, but I was taken by how emblematic it is of a very particular early-mid 2000s sound. Though at 2001, I guess they were at the forefront of creating said sound. Last Nite still doing numbers in my house after all this time.

ok so there are a lot of amazing songs on here and it was a lot of fun to listen to, but I was hoping for maybe a little bit more for such a generation and genre defining album. Also my fave songs are from their much maligned third album which might have more to do with actually experiencing that one in real time, but also You Only Live Once and Heart In A Cage are just that good. Still, Hard To Explain, Someday, New York City Cops all insane and this is a great listen. Also kinda insane I think some random songs from their most recent album are their most streamed songs?

The Strokes just never really landed to me.

Estuvo bueno. Es un gran albúm

Sick

It all sounded pretty much the same, but I liked the sound, so.... yeah, good shit.

This one is way better than I remember it being, mostly killer material with minimal filler. Really catchy too. NYCP not being on the main version is a travesty tho. Highlights-Is This It, The Modern Age, Barely Legal, Someday, Last Nite, Hard To Explain, New York City Cops, Take It or Leave It

Overall like kinda mid, wish I could give it half stars. The first song was great.

I don’t know quite why I love this album so much, but I just do. Listening back, it doesn’t really have a bad track on it, with perhaps ‘Soma’ the only one I don’t totally love. And even though the production is a bit thin (a lack of bass on this record has always annoyed me), it doesn’t matter, because the guitar interplay is fantastic, the rhythm section (when you can hear them) are tight, and Casablancas’ vocals up front are sneering, silly and brilliant. Definitely my favourite memory from the early 21st century

a teenage classic for me. gritty vocals and aesthetic won't appeal to all but it's still undeniably full of bangers.

Entertaining debut, not their best album IMO.

Generational staple. Pivotal moment in Rock history.

This album is one long song. The Strokes have a pleasant sound, though.

Extremely breezy album. So tight and catchy. It's a definer of the indie rock scene at the time, and its influence holds today. This album convinced me to listen to the rest of The Strokes' discography, and there's a ton of great stuff there. This album's a near 5 for me, though I know it's already a classic.

Not bad but it's a bit samey after a while.

Eu esperava algo mais revolucionário

Awesome album, I really like it as its kinda more leaning to my type of genre.

Solid all the way through. Good vibes and a few excellent songs.

Matt: background music. Rose: some good songs, cohesive album but not everything is a banger.

Not a perfect album, but still pretty great. Favorite songs: someday, last nite, take it or leave it

A couple awesome songs, and the rest are good be not great. Solid 4.

I say the right thing but act the wrong way

No me gustan the strokes

good, not rly my taste

Groovy, parecem que eles criaram um som muito próprio deles, mais aberto, deixam muito espaço. Me surpreendi como os instrumentos tem um papel importante aqui, interagindo com os vocais.

I tell you about a stroke (it's my pebnis)

Classic Best song: Hard to explain

sooooo leng and dreamy and ethereal

Enjoyed the album, pretty nostalgic as a 90s kid

solid. no standouts

I liked some of this recording. don't recall ever hearing any of it before.

Enjoyed, if not a little samey at times. The vocal effect was a hair grating, but largely had fun with the vibe.

This is a really great album. I have heard of a few of the songs before, surprised at how many. I think this is a really big deal to me music-wise as it really grabs an urban rough kind of feel. And the music is fantastic in itself

made me joyful

No mi estilo de álbum, se lo dedicaría a mariola. 2,5/10

Really enjoyed this! Never really listened to the strokes, but it was a so nice to listen to Julian sing. His voice is so great and can rough it up perfectly when needed. Love how it gets more and more sex pistols throughout. Very obvious inspiration from Iggy Pop which is heavily appreciated and they still make their own which is hard to do when they have so many similarities. Music is very different for everybody, but I think this is an album everyone can like. Recommend Late night, some day, the modern age, New York City cops and soma Would listen again!

2000s memories - major nostalgia factor going on here. 5 stars.

Iconic from start to finish and helped define an era of music. The first two The Strokes albums were truly massive and brilliant. There's lots of hidden complexity in these tricks, mixed in with simple and direct hooks. Just great.

i thought the album cover meant i was about to hear some weird instruments, but overall it's just good.

Fun good time album. One of the better records to come out in the early 2000's

hate how much I unironically love this album

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.

For ei debyskive! Ingen lavpunkt. Full pott!

Rock for jenter som skulle ønske de likte rock. Var aldri fan back in the days, men det et jo et hyggelig album og pluss for at det er kort og godt.

Klink femmer. 11 bangers. Kudos til produsenten for et det deilige soundet. Ingen tvil om at magien ble litt borte da de gikk over til mer polert lydbilde.

Kort og godt. Høres veldig likt ut over hele fjøla, med spartansk gitar, ivrig tromming og vrengt vokal. Har en viss sjarm, men dette når ikke helt gjennom.

This was an important album in that it broke through the pop music that was dominating the charts and ushered in a wave of garage rock bands. Without that context though, this album is... ok. They figured out a formula they liked and just hammered it over and over. The basslines occasionally stand out, but the vocals kinda sound the same for most of the album, as do the stabbing guitars. Staccato riffs are great, but not when that's about all you play.

Enjoyed the album, some very heartful moments and some absolute bangers.

Fuck this antisemitic cunt

Masterpiece

This was so hyped at the time that didn’t give it a chance. I eventually listened to it years later and of course loved it. Still do.

un 5

goooood

Is This It - The Strokes, Indie Rock, 2001 - USA, 29.5.26 The Strokes' debut album is a energetic blend of old meets new - the grittiness and more DIY feel of an album you feel like you'd hear back in the booming days of 70s rock with the likes of The Doors, with a sprinkle of punk elements. Yet, lyrically in particular, the sound is modern, opening the doors to a new era of rock and indie in the 2000s, to the likes of The Libertines and Arctic Monkeys. I suppose, in essence, that's a definition of timeless. The overall sound is simple, but in a way that makes you want to listen closer. Lyrically, Casablancas talks of the lives, relationships and struggles of urban youth, namely in New York, but it's accessible enough that it immediately gave me flashbacks to the gritty adolescent shows of Channel 4 in its hayday - Skins, Misfits, Inbetweeners. Overall, this album just takes the awards for ~cool~.

It has a feeling that I like - and I am not speaking (only) about the cover now.

Solid Rock & Roll, defined.

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

If you give me all this albums now, I will be left with very bad one when we continue. It's only 277! Slow down! You just can't deny the power of this album, and you immediately feel how much of game changer it was back then. When you try to describe the elements you realize it's basically what makes a great rock album. Great riffs and relation between two guitars, massive and smart bass lines, powerful drumming and a very good and unique vocalist. But what you have to add here is the attitude. And of course, the songwriting. It's 35 minutes of incredible music, and I think truly that everyone can love this album. So panchy, catchy and moving. Gotta love it. Can't give it less than a 5.

Perfect, no skips.

I was always more of an Interpol guy but this one has grown on me as the years go by. I feel some (probably misplaced) generational pride in this. It’s so clear in its vision and hip in its sensibility it’s kind of crazy to consider that it came out within a couple years of albums that feel so much more dated – like Hybrid Theory, Gorillaz self-titled and Weezer’s The Green Album.

I like the Strokes. Not sure this is one of the 1,001 (1,089) albums I need to hear before I die, but I like actual rock bands. I get there's something unsavory about the idea of "Barely Legal" in the context of grooming....but this is Rock and Roll. If this was the 70s it would have been called "Clearly Underage". Someday and Last Night are the hits and I definitely thought Someday was the start of Last Night. They have "a sound". Last Night sounds nothing like Someday...it's just been a while since I've heard both of them. I prefer Someday. This album is amazing, Hard to Explain is a great song. This is one of the rare instances where an album is only 36 minutes long and I'm still wanting more.

Pleasant radio-friendly rock but can't say that much about it. Unlike the album cover, the sound is a bit "meh" and predictable. Too plain (bass pumping out 8ths, no standout groovy licks).

Me gustó mucho, creo que es de mis álbumes favoritos de The Strokes.

beautiful

Still sounds great and still on regular rotation.

Great, influential album. Hadn't realized they were entitled posh kids. Little disappointing to discover that, as it takes away some of the gritty street sound, but still produced a great rock album that defined the 00s.

One of the staples of indie rock 👏👏

I knew so many songs that i didnt realise were from this album. Someday has got to be my favorite, but I honestly vibed with all the songs. Insanely good, arguably the best album from The Strokes, followed closely by The New Abnormal, although they are very different from each other. Also listened to their new single, Falling out of Love, but I didnt enjoy it as much. The vocal effects on this one are just not my taste, maybe Im rather traditional in that i prefer the band to stick to their original sound. Same thing happened to me with the Artic Monkeys, I love the rock/punk sound they started out with (Whatever People Say I Am is my favourite album of theirs), but I found them less interesting as the band evolved into a more pop rock genre. Anyhow, Im excited for The Strokes next album, hoping to get some more of the vibe that Is This It has.

Un de mes albums préférés, je l’ai en vinyle chez moi

2/5 Favorite Song: Is This It

music is love

i'm biased i don't care. the strokes were my favourite band as a teenager (i'm saying this like it was eons ago, i'm 18). i absolutely loved this album and i still do. i think the guitar work is brilliant, take it or leave it is my favourite on the album and the opening guitar is partially why, i have fond memories of sitting on a balcony in tenerife listening to this and losing myself in it. i also thought julian was the coolest person ever when i was into them, i loved his voice and his style so much - him now is another story... all in all this was a nice trip down memory lane for me, would have rated it highly even if this was my first time hearing it. this review is dedicated to 14 year old me who, in the words of alex turner, just wanted to be one of the strokes.

Fairly undeniable, but I honestly do think like half the songs are way better than the other half!!!

rock de los 2000, no hard pero no pop, está chulo, tiene varias canciones famosas, suena guay

good

Giving this an extra star because this album (and a few others) were pretty much the end of the road for me with alternative rock. Never realized how much of a Television tribute band they were at the time, though.

I love the artwork for LP. Not finding anything I really can lock onto musically though. It's a shame too because so many of my friends seem to really like these guys. I feel the same way about Kings Of Leone.

Great album

Fun. A good listen, good bop.

Pure brilliance, of its time and timeless - 100% subjective

This album made me feel like the main character of a rom com, about to meet an outcasted man who changes my life - entirely inspired by the early-twenties lust for life in the early 2000s

idk why but i thought this band was from like the 80s. fire album cover. i actually really enjoyed how the main singer sounds like he is singing far away. solid guitar and drum additions

A true modern goat, could be the most easily consumable album ever, there’s not a bad track on it To avoid the usual talking points, Alone together is probably my favourite underrated track, love the solo at the end, imo hard to explain is their best song generally Took me years to listen to New York City cops as my version never had it, a crime as it’s such a tune

Can’t believe I got to stroke it on my birthday This albums just incredible, it’s what initially got me in to the strokes, and whilst it isn’t my favourite album of theirs it will always mean something special It’s just banger after banger from as soon as is this it comes on 5

Very fun album and represents the indie scene of the 2000s well. Julian Casablancas has an iconic voice and the rest of the band compliments it well. Great time.

Ei täysin lemppari strokesi mut hyvä kuitenkin

A strong and obvious Velvet Underground influence to this album, which makes it slightly more interesting than I was expecting it to be, elements of grunge and punk too bubbling along quite nicely through the tracks. on the whole it's.... ok, at least I got through the whole album. The cover is bloody awful, even Spinal Tap wouldn't sink this low!.

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.

The Strokesin debyytti onkin hyvä rokkilevy, vaikka joskus asiaa epäilinkin. Suttuinen äänimaailma ja simppelit biisit tukevat kokonaisuutta hyvin.

Gossip Girl for the Indie Boys

i like the later works better. this feels like a good thing to just throw on and enjoy :D

2,7/5

Was trying to work out why I like the strokes. The lead singer doesn’t have a great voice but the energy and good tunes carry me with them. Definitely was listening to the drums.

Is it?

Maybe not a perfect 5/5, but rounded up it's up there as great album.

Art is subjective.... I find it hard to believe something so derivative can be so highly regarded. Julians voice gets on my nerves. I don't subscribe to the NY City is the be all end all of art and music notion that permeates all of the glowing critiques of this allude to. I don't think this is all its cracked up to be and in all honesty thought this was overrated crap when it came out. My opinion 25 years later has not changed after giving it an honest listen.

Buzzy rock, recognized Someday

The instrumentation is beautiful, vocals are raw, and do a wonderful job portraying all those emotions. Not a single dud in the album, but unfortunately, not a single song stuck with me.

The Strokes’ debut record remains a thrilling blast of raw indie rock power, breathing fresh life into early 2000s garage revival music. Tracks like "Last Nite" and "Someday" feature impossibly catchy guitar riffs, tight drumming, and Julian Casablancas’ effortlessly cool vocal delivery. While a few songs near the back half follow a somewhat predictable formula, the sheer attitude and infectious energy throughout make this album a near-essential listen today.

I own and love the songs Is This It?, Barely Legal, Someday, and Last Nite. I also recognized and liked the song Hard to Explain. I enjoyed this. I like The Strokes.

solide high-school emo vibes, bisschen killers hat spaß gemacht aber muss ich nicht nochmal hören 6/10

Très bon album de rock alternatif, les schémas de rythmes détonnent de ce qui se fait ailleurs ce qui donne envie de jouer de la batterie ! Malgré le fait que je connaissais en partie l'album il ne m'a pas transcendé mais j'ai passé un bon moment cependant !

This album is not as good as I remembered it but I discovered it as I was starting guitar so it gets a pass.

Is This It / Someday / Last Nite / Hard to Explain Pretty cool. The band seems promising. Cohesive album, there wasn't a single track that pulled the album down for me.

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.

Good album, relaxed and scatty

Classic

The strokes started such a distinct sound and I love it. The songs are not particularly “gentle” but they still succeed at eliciting a lot of emotion. The guitar, etc, also makes all of the songs feel nostalgic even if you’ve never heard them before. I love this album, it’s nearly perfect. Fav songs: is this it, someday, last night, hard to explain

It was always takes a bit of time before a new decade gets its own identity. The nineties didn't feel like the nineties until Nirvana blew up a year and a half into the decade and the same can be said about the 2000s and the Strokes debut record dropping. Despite being influenced by other iconic New York acts, the Strokes felt like a breath of fresh air and you can see the group's influence on any up and coming band who were tarred with that dreaded indie label. The production is raw and rough around the edges, but the pop sensibilities are all there. Songs like 'Last Nite', 'Someday' and 'Hard To Explain' all have sugary pop hooks beneath all the grit. Effortlessly cool, Casablancas and Co put out an impressive debut. This bunch of nepobabies managed to exceed the lofty expectations that the world had set for them.

This IS it!

Yeahh

Tiene el sonido de un álbum debut, quiero decir, que me imagino a estos tipos ensayando día y noche para mantener un sonido fresco y renovado. Leí una vez que el álbum debut de The Strokes fue el resurgimiento del rock y creo que estoy muy de acuerdo. Todas las canciones tienen una base rítmica bastante similar, pero creo que es el álbum que define el sonido de esta banda a lo largo de los años, aún así, sigue sonando a un disco nuevo y transgresor.

앨범 커버때문에 하나 깎음

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.

9/10

Good, worth a listen

Is This It often feels more like a low-budget demo than a definitive classic, starting with a title track that serves as a total dud thanks to vocals so compressed they sound like they're coming through a walkie-talkie. This suffocating production leaves the kicks sounding flat and the instrument separation muddy, exacerbated by drumming throughout the entire album that feels notably weak and amateurish. While "Hard to Explain" and "Trying Your Luck" stand out as some of the better, more competent cuts, the record constantly slides back into mediocrity with tracks like "When It Started," "Soma," and "Barely Legal" failing to leave any lasting impression. Even the catchy hooks of "Someday" and "Last Nite" are undercut by technical flaws like a poor guitar solo, and the experience drags to a halt with "Take It or Leave It," an ending song that is also bad and fails to provide a strong finish. Ultimately, the entire album sounds like a high school band made it, and despite a few highlights, it is a weak effort that I’m leaving for sure.

Some good stuff

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*

Decent rock album

Great album - one of my favourites

Reminds me of Jukebox the Ghost, MGMT. I liked Is This It and Barely Legal. “Tables, they turn sometimes.”

its dope. very garage 90’s type beat. good for longs car rides or just chillin by urself. not a sad album. perfect for sunny days

I am starting my 1001 Albums with "Is this it " by the strokes. I went into this album with absolutely no expectations. I just wanted to let myself be surprised. It definitely succeeded in doing that. And I have to say, I really liked the album. It’s very dynamic, and I just love that Indie aesthetic. Personally, I heard a bit of the band early Arctic Monkey and Franz Ferdinand in it—I’m a huge fan of theirs. I spent most of the listening session with my eyes closed, nodding my head. Particularly striking are the very playful bass lines over the—to put it mildly—simpler guitar and drum parts. But I liked that, too. The simplicity of the song structure and, of course, the vocals are just great. So I have to say that the album is really great.Definitely worth a listen.

This album takes me back to that specific time in NYC right in 2001, both before and after. Gritty sound, the single-take recordings is ideal for them as they sound as if they’re performing live. The 21st Century rock, for better or for worse, starts with them. Too bad the US didn’t get the international album cover. “Barely Legal” is a bit problematic…

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.

Someday has been a banger since the first time I heard it.

One of my most listened to albums, but why? It’s hard to explain.

Full of bangers

J'ai kiffé, même si j'ai écouté l'album avec ma collègue dans la voiture ce qui a limite gaché un peu la musique lol c'était excellent

Du bon rock comme on l'aime !

En même temps je kiffe les Strokes donc ça me ferait trop mal de pas mettre un 5, la voix de Casablancas est super et le son est vraiment nouveau. Mais là jsp je suis pas dans le mood et je trouve ça se répète même si c'est très sympa

Outstanding from beginning to end. Pinnacle early 2000's.

Don't even remember the next day

Muy sólido álbum debut. Se nota influencias de bandas anteriores pero logran construir su propio sonido y lo hacen de manera notable.

The Strokes' “Is This It” is proof that good production can only partially make up for the musicians' limited skills. Some of the song ideas are pretty good, and I generally like the sound—even if the mid-heavy vocal mix gets a bit annoying after a while. Unfortunately, the drummer and bassist only know two grooves, and the guitarist sounds like he just picked up the instrument last year. Sure, that’s how garage rock works, but the result is mostly just boring. Not bad, but boring. Listening to one of these songs every now and then would be fine. But I don’t need an entire album of it.

Meh. Okay.

i like very much

I mean yeah, there are great hits on here. High quality stuff. I think it goes in and out of being consistently great but the bar is high and they reach it. 4.1/5

Tidy and polite

classic. ny 2000's. iconic. where did gtrs go wrong ?

gut. gefällt mir nachm zweiten mal hören tatsächlich sehr gut.

Not just excellent, but truly a GOAT. I remember listening to this album for the first time, probably when I was 15 and The Strokes skyrocketing to my favourite bands. Many years later and it still holds a special place in my heart. This album is perfect, each song is a banger, from the classic Last Nite, Someday, Soma, and Is this It, to the head banging The Modern Age and Barely Legal. Julian Casablancas, thank you for gracing us.

Better than I remember

Some bangers, some alright

classsiiiquueee

Heard of band never listened to album. Tool 100 on Apple so really high hopes. first song is pretty cool. I like the guitar a lot. Lyrics kinda bullshit. Good bass line too. Better vocals on the modern age but I don’t like the autotune. Overall this is a pretty good pop rock song. Good guitar solo. Similar feeling about soma. Guitar is the best part of this band. Good songwriting on barely legal. Great guitar again. Another good not great song. Someday is a banger. Don’t think I’ve ever heard it but you can tell it’s a banger from the first few seconds. Really fun song. Another awesome guitar solo on alone together. Rest of it is pretty generic. Followed by another banger in last nite which I definitely have heard. Good vocals/lyrics on this one. Cool production on hard to explain. Rest of it is eh. I like it more when it pics up the pace in the middle. Love the guitar riff on when it started. This is another really fun song. Trying your luck is more of the same. Pretty good pop rock song with a. Great guitar. Take it or leave it is pretty good too. Better lyrics and catchier chorus on This one. Overall it was a good album. I don’t. Think there were any truly bad songs. A couple bangers and. Bunch of pretty good songs. One more banger and it’s in 4+ range. However that’s not the case. 3.8/5 stars.

Kinda all sounded the same - some bangers tho

10 out of 10 album everyone should listen to this in their lifetime, someday is beautiful.

A band I've never really gotten into. I don't mind them and have some good songs, but nothing outstanding.

Never really got into them but there's a few decent songs here.

je l'ai acheté à la fnac et il est incr

I bet a lot of people want to be over this, or roll their eyes at it. I can't. This was a titanic album at the time (I was a sophomore in college) and spawned a lot of imitators, most of which weren't nearly as good. "Hard to Explain" is one of the great rock songs of the century. It's not perfect, and it gets a little same-y, but its legacy is deserved. We were really lucky for the garage-rock/indie boomlet of the early aughts, especially on the heels of the torrent of nu metal and derivative pop in the late 90s.

Essential rock album with personal favorites, I'm looking at you "Someday"

While their radio hits are catchy, they never drew me in to really dive into their catalogue. Really solid album though.

But samey. Characteristic sound. Not my favourite

Fun album with every track as a banger.

Soma, Someday, Alone Together, Last night, Hard to Explain,

loved it but what is that cover album omg

I used to think I was so cool walking around the neighborhood listening to this on my CD Player. Spoiler Alert: I was. 😎

Out of all of the artists, we've listened to so far, this has got to be the one that I am the most familiar with their discography. After listening to this album, i'm now pretty familiar with all their albums except for "first impressions of earth." Every album is good and its own right, and this one is no exception. My favorites are the 2020 album "The New Abnormal" and "Angles" from 2011. In general, I think they have gradually improved over time, but this album might be slightly better than a few that follow it. The title track has a great bass line, and "Someday," "Last Night," and "Hard to Explain" are all very memorable singles. The strokes are a band that dance the line of having their own distinct sound without sounding repetitive; clean guitars and dirty vocals. The lead singer is very talented and the guitar lines are always catchy. All in all, to me, this just sounded like a very solid The Strokes album. Strong three to a light four

I remember when this album came out, there was a lot of buzz about it from the critics. I used to have a copy, but appear to have gotten rid of it (or possibly a babysitter nicked it, lol -- I remember a few CDs went missing, one time). Anyway, it still sounds pretty good, I guess -- although I'd say that I like it, more than I love it. So a 3, or a 4 - but I think I'll go with a 3. Still hear "Someday" and "Last Night" on the radio; I like "Someday" better. Second-best song "Hard to Explain," maybe? A lot of the songs seem to sound kind of the same, though; it's a good enough sound, but . . . not a lot of variety? So, yeah, a 3, rather than a 4.

the distorted vocals give it a warm, cozy feeling I always thought the Strokes were overrated, but it's a good album. It justs starts to lose interest as the songs become samey. The same guitar strumming patterns and casual, washed out sound. I have to acknowledge that this album had quite an influence on the pop rock of the 2000s and beyond. I think the Strokes loom large over my and my generation's memory of growing up

This was a surprising hit for me, it has a very nostalgic sound with some (obvious) stand out tracks

It's ok if you don't like Is This It. But please don't try to tell me you like rock and roll. Even more than the Stones (!!!) this is what I believe Keith means when he talks about "the ancient art of [guitar] weaving." One of the best albums of the 21st century.

After listening to this one, go track down The Slits for an alternative.

This album brings me back in time to make me feel like I was roaming clubs in early 00’s NYC and not just a child watching the movie “Click.”

Another "Time Machine" album for anyone alive during it's heyday... The Stokes lyrics are optimistically pessimistic. The simple guitar bass and drum fills give a lo-fi aloofness that really was a "sign of the times". Every few songs you get something a bit more complicated, like "When It Started" but it doesn't go too far out in a way that the album becomes inaccessible. Julian Casablancas can probably come off as boring to some, but for this listener his voice is the cement that holds every song together. Truly a great album that not only proved it's worth musically, but culturally as well. 4.5 rounded up because, well, sentimental value

Me sorprendió! Nunca había escuchado la banda! Muy bueno!

Classic from start to finish. Note that the Walkmen who preceded them had all the same ingredients.

After probably a 20 year gap, it was something approaching thrilling hearing this again. I wanted to hate The Strokes when they appeared but did a 180 on hearing Hard to Explain in a record shop. “Who’s this?” - “The Strokes.” “Aw shit…” It’s over in a flash but so many memorable songs - even the production doesn’t get too tiresome. Great to revisit this, enjoyed it a great deal. Best: Hard to Explain, New York City Cops, Barely Legal Worst: Last Nite

objectively not one single bad song on that album, but somehow regardless of multiple tries over the years for me it just doesn't hit the spot, feels monotonous and feels like its going nowhere

Is this called punk? I feel this bringing some young energy and also the charm of 00s. I would not add it to my playlist, but I want to put 4

this is one of the most annoying and boring albums I have ever heard and every part of it grates on me..... hard pass

Purchased on the recommendation of a dude we called Swab from the Truro mall. It’s been a while, but I’m appreciating a bit more now - maybe b/c I have more knowledge of the punk/rock cannon… I have always felt like there is just something missing with this record…like a good baguette but it could really use some butter or jam. A 3.5…

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!

I love the instrumentals of this album they're incredibly powerful. I love the guitars but im a sucker fo⁷r some drums and a bass. I appreciate Casablancas singing style, on most of the tracks he sounds very non chalant and uncaring but then on tracks like New York he yells into the microphone and you can feel the emotion. It also feels like hes being crowded by the instrumentals and its kind of claustrophobic which is really cool, I just wish they'd boost his volume a bit more. One thing that holds this album down is the track Barely Legal. The entire concept is vapid and predatory. Although the song may be about his dad's relationship with a young girl, I'm not entirely sure of that and it makes me pretty uncomfortable. Except for moments near the end of the record, This Is It is incredibly monotonous, they clearly have a lot of skill, I'd love to see them push boundaries and do something that wasnt so heavily inspired by previous artists. :) 2.5/5

Inspirational debut that set the tone for rock bands to come.

This album sounds fantastic and fun. Just don't look or listen too closely or you might mistake its joyful sound as something meaningful.

I remember traveling to New York City in 2003 to see Widespread Panic at Madison Square Garden on Halloween, and the marque at the venue advertising an upcoming Strokes show, and thinking, "man, fuck those guys! When did they graduate kindergarten? Yesterday?!? Panic have been road warriors for decades. They've worked for this! They've earned this! But then I can be a bit of an asshole sometimes. I have never listened to The Strokes, other than hearing Last Night on the radio maybe a couple of times. Maybe I've heard another hit they've had, but I can't remember. Anyway, this was really good. Reminded me of The Libertines (who I like better and think are a better band) but I can't quite go five on it. 4.9

I listened to this cd on repeat during high school, so nostalgia is strong. That aside, love tunes and early 2000 indie rock sound

Good but overrated as hell.

Betterment thin coalplay

хороший но однообразный и из-за этого становится тяжело слушать

wild. i just listened to this on the drive home from Green Bay yesterday. no notes album. Cant believe Julian's voice is muffled for 98% of the album. Nick Valensi & Albert Hammond Jr's guitar work feels like it redefined everything for the next 20 years.

looove trying ur luck

Five stars, so good

10/10

This is a great album. It perfectly sounds like an era, but also holds up over 20 years later. The era of cool hipsters. But it's just as much of a classic rock n roll album as some of the other greats from the 60s or 70s that come to mind on this list.

good bass tracks, the vocal compression/overdrive thing really started to bother me.

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

Didn't really like it after first listen, but on second one it opened to me in different way, definitely going to be re-listened many times in the near future, really good rock music, nice radio effect on vocals. 6.4 | Hard To Explain

I like it

Did not land for me. Was alright

ok lovinggggggg

8/10

Peak Indie Sleaze.

yaaa

Still an epic debut album. Not every song is great but it’s a banger.

wait because holy peak idk whats happend but something has changed since the last time i listened to this 9.0/10

I mean it's just the strokes isn't it. very good listen, enjoyable as hell - probs not their best album icl best song - hard to explain

Wears its influences on its sleeve bc every song on it sounds familiar. Even so, there are a few terrific head bopping singles throughout. I don’t know any of their other stuff but my guess is that a strokes going steady comp would be pretty enjoyable and imminently forgettable. The album doesn’t have anything new to say sonically or lyrically but the boys had time to bash out a few bangers, I guess. Entirely unsurprising that this was made by some rich kids slumming it but whatever.

enjoyed a few, but mostly sound the same to me

Cool album, I can see why people go nuts for it and why every indie album after it sounds the way it does

1. new york city cops 2. the modern age 3. soma hm: someday, is this it