Is This It

I think if I was born like a year or two earlier this album would have been everything for me. Every subsequent time I've ever listened to this album I feel like I have missed out on the whole of the piece. These songs fill a void for a very particular angst that at this time I do not desire. That being said I think I have been able to enjoy the album a lot more than before, and honestly I do see myself listening to it again and thus possibly liking it more down the road. This albums influence cannot be understated, but in 2026, with the amount of garage rock/ indie scene we see, this album becomes less of a pinnacle moment or cultural signifier it once was.

An apt soundtrack for the jittery underground of post-9/11 America.

This one got better with age. I like it a lot more than I did when it came out.

- Lo-fi aesthetic works - tape hiss feels intentional, not a mistake - Julian’s detached vocals are the whole thing - cool but not cold - Band’s restraint is impressive, they know when NOT to add stuff - Great rhythm section driving everything - Flows well as an album, not just random songs - Raw and youthful, feels authentic

Fun album with lots of classics

Review - well this is a very good album. Coming off the back of 5 years of post grunge and nu metal, having multiple distinct guitar parts with minimal distortion and a bass line you could hear was probably hugely refreshing to audiences at the time. I like the way they build a song - can't put my finger on what's interesting about a lot of their songs structures but I find often the best bit will pop up several minutes in. It's less verse/chorus/verse than the other genres I mentioned. Rating - 8.5/10 Need to hear? YES

Soma is great

Honestly, I don’t have much to say about this one. The guitar solos were very good, and the album as a whole displayed many great aspects of rock as a genre. 4 stars.

I haven't listened to The Strokes for such a long time, and realising that this, their debut album, is from the late 90s, makes me feel so old. It's a cracking feelgood album, with what was a fresh and exciting sound for when it was released, and I'm now beginning to wonder why I stopped listening to them. I'm gonna give this one a strong four stars and add some of their back-catalogue to my play list.

Listened to this album way too much and now can’t give it a 5.

Cool album, I already had some songs saved, but it was nice to listen to the full thing in a row 4

I loved this album. Solid all the way through. Great listen. I'm glad to hear some of the songs that didn't get overplayed

I like it! Very well done, pretty solid. Feels very NYC cool— very rock, adolescent mood. The muffled vocals are really cool, I also love the experimentation. Big on rock, so it’s really good. But, while it’s very musical and original, it can get a little repetitive, especially if you listen to the whole album the entire way through. Listening to an individual song is definitely better than listening to the entire album. Best tracks: Soma, Barely Legal, Someday, and Alone, Together. Pretty good! 4.5/5

Their full debut kicked off with the band's groovy, crunchy rock sound, combining melodic flows and toothsome pulses.

nice a wholetime classic

Not much to say on it. There's a lot of edgy, guitar-driven, hook-laden '90s and 2000s rock and I like pretty much all of it. The Strokes are on the less varied side of that diaspora, but their signature sound is enjoyable enough and I don't mind listening to it.

Really good. Love that super consistent sound. It's kind of punky, kind of dancey, kind of arty, kind of indie. It's really easy to tar with that indie brush. But there's some real style and some real songwriting and arrangement chops.

Like the sound on the whole. Someday and Last Nite were my favorites. Got a little stale by the end where a couple songs is great but don’t need the whole album at once again.

Remember when the cops got so mad at this album they made them take off the last track

4.5 stars. Some classics

It's a decent album, but I feel something is missing to make it an incredible album but I'm not sure what

The Velvet Above-ground! With private entrance and all amenities! Easy to crack on them, but the Strokes deliver the goods on this first record. It's got a lightweight insouciance that I love. They aren't trying to sell you on being cool. They were NYC hip kids in great clothes and make fun little rock in their idle time. They are cool. The only thing I don't like about this record is the corny cover. They could've done better.

Along with bands like Interpol, The Hives and all the neo-garage acts that were making a racket in Detroit, “Is This It” was another of the albums that made me excited about rock music again after the nadir of the late ‘90s, which gave us drivel like nu-metal, boy bands and slick manufactured pop. It sounds like the pre-9/11 New York City, youthful and louche. I hear elements of the Velvet Underground, of course, but also Television and Motorik backbeats. It's a good album but for whatever reason, I never bothered to follow the band's later output.

Yes it is!! Effortlessly cool, i love this album.

Netter Bass?

Muy dosmilero me encanta :D

Classic reboot of classic garage rock sound…. Proved that guitars and attitude in music were not dead…

There's a bunch of, dare I say it because eventually someone will call it, millennial-core (shudders) albums that I managed to not hear or listen to before this list for a variety of reasons, bands like the XX and MGMT I've managed to slip by despite being a hair over 30 as of time of writing. The Strokes were not one of them, but I can't say how much I value this album past its critical recognition. Rock music hit a lull in the 2000's, in the way that it's mainstream stay in pop culture felt like it was declining little by little till the late 2000's when electropop would boom and the focus on hip-hop and rappers as opposed to rock stars finally took hold. Needless to say, it makes me think if Is This It is one of the most important rock records of the decade. Which I admit I like the music and it's good and such, but I still don't understand the perspective of it being innovative for the genre. All of this is a long-winded, pretentious way of saying that I like most of the songs from Is This It, it's a good album, but I don't really take more of it than that. Also not a fan of Julian Casablancas as a singer, his personal life is a whole other story. As for rock music of the 2000s, I liked the direction of where LCD Soundsystem and especially other dancepunk music that made rock music a ton more rhythmic than this. For an album like this, I think the songs together are better than the sum of its parts, packaged as the album. The first four songs I've liked together, but after that the album doesn't really flow together for me. Someday and Last Nite are songs that are meh for me but everything else from the record is pretty good and remarkably not loud for the time period it came out in. It feels imperfect, maybe it was meant to sound like that. What is it anyways, an elaborate reference to the hit Faith No More song? Overall, I guess you could say I can Take It Or Leave It over This Is It.

I knew the hits but never listened to the full album. It surprised me and I would actually listen to it all again.

Pretty decent. Monotonous? Sure. But it's going in my playlist!

I have loved the Strokes for a while and really enjoyed this album

favorites: the modern age; someday; hard to explain

The little doodle-doo-do squiggle at the start of this album, followed by the drums kicking in, is one of the most pavlovian sounds in my life, I think. it's the most immediate time machine back to 2001-4 that exists. What a thrill it was for the Strokes to arrive, seemingly fully formed, onto to the scene. I remember being at Leeds 2001 when they initially were on a tiny stage and then got bumped and bumped in response to the way they just exploded. Anyway, in the main, this album isn't just nostalgic, it's also really good and very stylish. It's not quite perfect - there's a little bit of a lack of subtlety or variety in it. But did I love it? Yeah, course I did.

Damn, this was a pleasant surprise! Really enjoyed it. It started a bit slow but had some great songs in the middle. Favorites: Last Nite, Hard to Explain, Someday. 8/10 Most Excellent

I haven't listened to any of The Strokes before this, but I really enjoyed this album. It screams early 2000s punk in the guitar and stylized vocals. Some of the songs run into the issue of all sounding the same. But this was a pretty solid album for being their debut. I would definitely listen to more.

4 from both of us. Jeff: instant classic. Simran: already knew it, if you know you know.

Heard Before? Yes, oh yes. This was EVERYWHERE. Notes: - all the critics are right. there is no reason this album should work. - the hipster posturing, faux lo-fi production, moaning karaoke-megaphone vocals, boneheadedly simple guitar and bass parts all count against it. but that's also the appeal. - is there a single drum fill on this whole record? perhaps not. but the drums sound fantastic. - I don't care about the lyrics, but they serve their function of vaguely connecting with twentysomething record-collector dudes. - the songwriting, however, is hands-down magic. every song is hooky, has just the right amount of distinct parts, and tinkers with the formula just enough. nothing ever goes on too long and there are little surprises everywhere. - even the worst song ("New York City Cops") is fun as heck. - I would give "Room on Fire" a slight edge as the better album. Verdict: Maybe you had to be there, but this derivative garbage is nearly perfect. Listen Again? Oh yeah. When I first heard it I thought I would forget this album by 2002. But I have been coming back to it and "Room on Fire" occasionally since their release.

When this was current I sorta dismissed this album. I figured, who would want this when the White Stripes are available. Revisiting it today however, I totally get the appeal as something a bit different

What a unique sound man. I've really dug this album.

печаль, грусть, красиво

again i forget to write specifics.....😭 enjoyed this, i like the strokes.... struggling w the rating.....feel like it is prob a 4 but im so generous w 4s lately that i don't want to give one.......but this was better than that rush album to me so it feels wrong to rate the same....hmmmm...high 3 rounded to 4 how about

enjoyed this, i like their sound good beats, makes u want to move

Oldie but goodie

A solid four stars. Some really good songs and I like the production. Hugely influential for a reason.

I actually added some songs to my liked songs. Think I will actually continue to listen to them. Love me some indie rock

Propper Millenium alternative/ Independent rock.

The last upbeat album of 2001.

Great album all around. I’ve listened to this many times before in the past and it still holds up in my opinion. Good vibes and not too long of an album. Solid 4/5 for me and probably always will be.

I've known and heard this album from a while ago, I listened to the strokes often in high school. Still holds up great in my opinion

3.5/5. Pari tosi hyvää biisii mut se koko albumin soundi ei aina toiminu ja oli välil vähän ärsyttäväki. Nautin kuitenki ja kokonaisuus oli upea!

This was from the 2000s? Sounds like they used retro equipment to make some simple yet effective back-to-basics rock. I can hear the influence this has had on a lot of indie rock and pop!

Another album that I have heard a lot about but never heard. It had a nolsstalgic feel to it and I love the effects on the vocals. It did kinda blend which probably the only real bad thing about it.

Makes me want to watch “how I meet your mother “

CAN'T YOU SEE I'M TRYINGGGG

a couple of HEATERS as well as an awesome album cover

Aunque la guitarrita y los vocals ya se me hacian un poco repetitivas, descubri el temazo que es Hard to Explain y reviví mentalmente algunos momentos de cuando tenía 16 años y me creía rockandrollera por escuchar a los Strokes. Tengo que admitir que es un clásico y pasó el test of time 25 años después

This album reminds of that magical time where we, the consumers, made an unwritten pact to bands: we will pirate all your music, and in return we promise not to disparage your credibility when you sell out to Apple to sell iPod shuffles. So, yes, these sellouts have some good kickers.

The Strokes are in that perfect cultural nadir - lost all modern relevance, but not yet old enough to have any retro appeal. That being said, I’ve had some great times listening to this album, and I still remember hearing Last Nite for the first time and getting my little socks blown off. This album is good enough to stand the test of time. They’ll be back.

Sounds good

i like it, def high school vibes

Some really good old school classics.

Classic. Great sound. Gives me a lot of nostalgia. A solid 4

I weirdly know a lot more of this album than I thought I did, maybe its due to songs from it bleeding into pop culture via movies and TV, maybe its kind of a sense memory from how many bands took influence from The Strokes and still sound like this. That in mind, it's a pretty quintessential early 2000s album, not quite the culture change of Nirvana in the 90s but I'd argue a lower magnitude equivalent. While I did enjoy my time with it idk that it will leave much of a lasting impression on me with the exception of the title track

Webcam mic. I hoped I would enjoy the non-hits more than I did but it's still a great album.

Great album. Starts a little slow but by the fourth track it is coming on strong. The middle of this album just pumps out a string of badass guitar driven rhythm rock gems without letting up until the almost the end. Standout songs for me are: 4. "Barely Legal" 5. "Someday" 6. "Alone, Together" 7. "Last Nite" 8. "Hard to Explain" 10. "Trying Your Luck"

Wonderfully aggressive and gritty.

3.75

Significant album in modern indie and it still stands the test of time. Takes a song or two to get going but builds into a scuzzy guitar fest with sparse production and sneery vocals. Forgot how good this is (it).

It's lit

fave song: last night

I bought this album when it was released. I initially loved the album, although I always found the vocal effects a little jarring. Due in part to the albums popularity and my early to late 20s period of pretentious music snobbery, (which at one point found me in a small venue buying an album by an artist that performed in a wedding dress and wobbled cardboard for part of the perormance which was as objectively crap as it sounds in retrospect), I decided I no longer liked this album. For years I've maintained that position, largely because it's been over 20 years since I gave it a chance again. Well, what an idiot I've been, and this is why pretentious music snobbery gets you nowhere. I maintain that I find the vocals jarring, but I get they fit the aesthetic of the music. Some of the songs are overplayed, but that doesn't take away from how good the album is. I've always said I'm eclectic, but sometimes when I decide I don't like something, I can be very stubborn about changing my mind. Overall, 8/10. I will be buying this on vinyl. It loses marks because of the vocals, but that's just a nitpicking part of me and because it doesn't match 10/10 albums I will have on my list.

holy fuck

This really surprised me. I always saw them as "the same as Interpol and all those bands" and never really gave them a chance. But this is good! Short, to the point, angular at times, snarky.

2000s period piece

I really enjoyed this album

God everyone wanted to be the Strokes in the 2000s didn’t they? No wonder, this album is just so enjoyable and listenable and cool. Scratch that, everyone STILL wants to be the Strokes. My main criticism is I didn’t need that effect over Mr. Casablanca’s voice in every song. This is an album of certified bangers!

album title is accurate cos i am asking if that’s it (i want more)

More like a 4.5, but rounded down. Why? It's hard to explain.

A very casually great debut album that bears repeated listen, although maybe not 24 hours nonstop.

really amazing album, I get the hype!

good riffs, lots of catchy hooks, the strokes style just gets a little repetitive when you listen to the whole thing multiple times.

I LOVE THE STROKKKKES!!!! Their second best album imo.4.5 if i could give halves

We're Not Enemies, We Just Disagree 1001 Albums Generator 208 (1/19/2025) Is This It is kind of like, the indie rock album. Like, I don't know a more important, critically, and commercially received album in the genre. So much so that it almost feels wrong to call it indie since it's so well known. Musically, it's a pretty garage-y style of indie that really captures the feeling of a few lads just jamming out. But there is a deceptive amount of musicality on this thing. From that sexy bassline that comes in during verse 2 of the title track to the guitar solo in The Modern Age, there are these little hints at the band's musical prowess throughout these deceptively simple-sounding compositions. It's a classic for a reason, but I think that the songs that aren't at that absolute indie pinnacle status are sometimes not very interesting. The consistent sound and tone of the music also starts to blend together by the end. With that said, Is This It is still quite a good piece of indie rock that holds up to this day. 4/5. Favs: Is This It Soma Hard To Explain Least Fav: Trying Your Luck

The revival of good time indie guitar driven garage rock. You can hear their influence on a lot of great garage rock bands to come along since.

Valmiiksi tuttu albumi! The Strokes toimii aina

i love this album, most in bm. cool filter thing on the voice

Classic album, unique production, some great stuff like last nite and the title track, just a very enjoyable album.

Very well made. A fun album in general. Excellent song writing and masterful instrumentation

muito muito bom! eu já conhecia algumas músicas mas nunca tinha ouvir inteiro! instrumentais incríveis e vibe perfeita

ΚΙΘΑΡΑ ΛΟΒΒΒ Ο δίσκος ειναι καθαριστικός αλλα οχι με κριντζ τρόπο Modern age Someday Nite 4.5 stars

exception songs except for a 2 or 3 mediocre ones

Already a favourite

Nunca tinha ouvido na íntegra. Bom álbum pra ouvir num dia cinza durante um passeio pelo centro histórico. Hard to Explain ainda é a minha favorita :)

Nostalgic

Honestly amazing so amazing. Good instruments fun production a bit of rock, an emotional album but not overly. Very 2000s. I’m very surprised I will be listening again.

Iconic album from my youth, it set the stage for a lot of my habits. It has definitely aged more like milk than wine, but it still has the same visceral qualities that I once loved

Cool.

I like every song on here except for the first one. Influenced by punk and 60s rock, all of their tunes have great hooks and great melodies.

A summer ish albums that i’d listen with some cigarettes and beer at the beach with my friends that turns into the night of the same day within the last songs. Real cool. Kinda reminds me of the early smiths or the cure in the 80s with the guitar and those drums. Genius.

First song I was not vibing with but this is my reminder to just give it a second and withhold my judgement for more than one song because the album really grew on me and I kind of came to love it. Good songs, good vibe - good album.

Was a fan of the singles before this, but this is the first time listening to the album. I really like it when something like this comes up in the list for me to hear.

actually so ein banger!! bisher kannte ich nur alone, together und es war echt cool das ganze album anzuhören; sehr vibey

Banger

When this album first came out, I somehow assumed The Strokes were a British band. At the time, I was deep into The White Stripes, and The Strokes felt a bit too light and breezy for my taste, so I didn’t really give them a proper listen. I came back to this album later, though, and realized just how much it influenced UK rock in the late 2000s and beyond. Personally, I really like “Juicebox” from First Impressions of Earth.

Classic indie 2000s - def worth listening to and good overall vibe. I'm feeling generous so will say it's more like 3.75*

good album

I liked it, but a lot of the songs sound the same…

I can't believe I didn't like this album when I first heard it. There's a kind of warm and familiar sense that carries the tone of the whole album, especially on songs like Barely Legal and Hard to Explain. Apparently this album got sanitized for the US release so I had to spend 15 minutes looking for how to listen to New York City Cops because god forbid we make a song with New York City in the title after the September 11th Attacks. The US really is a heavily propagandized country and most people don't even notice it. Anyways, it's a good record and I do prefer the US album cover to the international one, but New York City Cops is so much better than When It Started. I'm now going to close this review by joking about the thing I just ranted about. What's the difference between 9/11 and a cow? You can't milk a cow for 24 years.

i LOVE IT.HIT ME RIGHT IN THE SPOT

freshhhh

didn’t finish the album but i thought it had a great nostalgic feel. i’m not a fan of the strokes but i love their sound and vibe. i see why this album is so iconic and i found it relatable.

Good, stripped down rock 'n roll. Some really nice guitar interplay. I liked this despite a kind of sameness, a little lack of diversity, but good stuff.

One of my favorite albums growing up. Made me feel really cool whenever I listened. Still does!!!

have this on cd. looooove this album perfect sunday chill songs. i love hard to explain. thought they were a british band for the longest

Way more fun than I expected. Also for some reason I thought that The Strokes were a 70's classic rock band. Well, it was a surprise. Nice.

This album may have been a victim of its own success - it spawned a lot of mediocre indie bands. Listening to it now though, I remember why so many people wanted to be the Strokes.

Haha jag tänkte så sent som häromdan att vi skulle få den här skivan. Och jag tänkte på att hur jävla bra "Modern age" är. På rak arm tror jag att det är den bästa debutsingeln jag hört så länge som jag varit medveten om musik. Suedes "The drowners" var grym, Oasis "Supersonic" också men "Modern age" är fan ett strå bättre. Det var verkligen en käftsmäll när den kom. Dom efterföljande singlar som finns på albumet ("Hard to explain", "Last nite" och i synnerhet "Someday") är också jättebra även om dom aldrig når "Modern age" och dess närmaste chockverkan. Som album betraktat gillar jag soundet skarpt, de är sammanhållet och relativt simpelt, inte massa onödiga pålägg och utfyllnad av en ganska tunn ljudbild och den låter så rakt igenom, smakfullt. Utöver singlarna finns det en drös låtar som är bra och också några som inte riktigt når fram. Sen kanske man måste nämna estetiken eller egentligen hela auran runt The Strokes år 2001. Dom var det perfekta New York-rockbandet, snortighta skinnpajer, kedjerökande, ovårdade frisyrer, en arrogant hybris och en låt emot ordningsmakten. Rubrikerna basunerade ut "Rockens räddning"(ännu en gång). Det levde dom förstås aldrig upp till, dom blev bara markant sämre efter denna debut. Men dom gjorde "Modern age", den är nästintill perfekt och just där och då var den nog fan rockens räddning. Snubblar mellan trean och fyran nen snubblar rätt

00-tal och amerikansk indie. Förväntar mig standardettan av Perna. Själv gillar jag det här såväl när det kom som idag. Strokes låter helt klart annorlunda än mycket annan dynga inom genren som kom vid den här tiden. Inget nyskapande men flera riktigt bra treminuters rockalster. Enkelt och medryckande. The modern age, Last nite, Barely legal och New York city cops tillhör favoriterna. En stabil fyra.

Is this It Is this it Repeating is this it, is something ending or starting? The background repeated notes feel like a build up, love this song The Modern Age Similar with repeated strong building up beat, Soma I like the clean transitions between songs, much more intense gritty singing Barely Legal Love this, very catchy and fun but not the most fun topic ig Someday Like this song, talking about the future in title but feels focused on past or own flaws Alone, Together Themes of longing, especially for a person in this whole alblum tbh, catchy guitar?? Last Nite They dont understand, sad and misunderstood but in an upbeat vibey way Hard to Explain Feel happy listening to this, interesting stop in the middle thought my phone was glitching When it Started Like you're reaching for something Trying Your Luck Like this guitar again, feels sad and missing something Take it or Leave It More aggressive, has the same stronger grittier singing that Soma has, like this song

Iconic early 2000s New York rock scene music. Iconic because of its influence on many 2000s bands, advertiaing and movie sound. Too iconic not to like.

Fun, vibey. Recognised some tracks. Remus Lupin approved!

This is an absolutely amazing album. Need to listen again sometime and really listen not tack a shower at the same time but what I did was amazing.

This album got a lot of plays to and from work in the early 2000s. The title track is low key one of my favorite openers of any album ever. I would happily put this album on at any time and misses being a 5 only because I save those for one of a kind albums. In other words a very strong 4. 4/5

Apesar de não ser tão meu estilo, me agradou bastante. As músicas são envolventes e contagiantes.

8/10

Ive listened to this album many times and I loved it when I was about 21. But I think listening to it now it felt kind of repetitive. I still like a lot of the songs, especially New York City Cops that’s a new favourite.

A teenage classic. Very much to the point, zero filler across the running time. Struggled to understand the appeal a bit when I was younger but makes complete sense now.

Really solid! Could be a bit more adventurous

this was a fun one

This album is actually quite a bit better than what I remembered. I listened to it when it came out and thought it was OK. I think if these guys weren’t from New York City, it probably wouldn’t have been as big of a deal. Apple Music has it is one of the top hundred albums of all time which I think is a stretch but it’s still pretty good.

Buen disco, muy regular, lo escuché harto este año, disco de esos que marcan épocas, fue la vuelta del rock con guitarras a la escena, muy influyente en el género. Regular, sin muchos puntos altos ni bajos. Me suena un poco repetitivo en cuando a melodías y ritmo pero con muy buenas canciones, sin nada muy complejo en lo lírico ni musical pero fresco. En términos de producción no me parece la gran wea, sonido bien crudo, simple, enérgico, como buen disco de indie. Del resto: bajo, batería y voz al centro y guitarras una a cada lado. Su trabajo en las guitarras es de las cosas que más me gustan de the strokes, el tratamiento y juego entre ellas, cada una con un sonido bien diferente, brillantes, metálicas, un poquito de distorsión y nada más, menos es más, sin grandes riffs ni solos como el rock clásico, una rítmica cortante y arpegios que se entrelazan muy bien. Y algo que me gusta en todos los álbumes de la banda es el sonido de la voz de Julián y ese efecto como si estuviera cantando como por un megáfono y su actitud desganada o a veces desgarradora con su voz rasposa. Uno de mis discos fav de the strokes Canción favorita: Alone Together (de hecho fue mi canción más escuchada este año) Para mí realmente es como un 3.5 pero no se puede esa nota:(

Tight as two coats of paint yet somehow mellower than I remember

I mean this is decent. I'm not sure it's aged all that well. But I think a lot of that about a lot of the albums I rate that I've heard so many time. Still giving a 4

Luci - Hard To Explain, Alone Together Lizzy - Trying Your Luck, Alone Together

aaaaah darum hani us'm don neduzen sim zimmer am mentig indie gitarrekläng ghört – macht scho meh sinn… hed er ja erst gad chürzlich sin hate gäge the kooks bekundschaftet. anyways hallo zämme, ich bi's de noah :) sorry für mini absenze, lose ih letschter ziit bim schaffe vermehrt podcasts und han irgendwie gmerkt, dass s'läbe z'churz isch für mediocre musig (was es ih letschter ziit recht oft de ihdruck gmacht hed) – aber ich versuech wieder chli meh dri z'lose <3 the strokes: iconic band, iconic album… mittlerwiele gfallt mer nümm jedes lied, aber es spriessed grad paar neui pickel bim lose will's mi so fescht ah de teenie noah erinneret 3 röhrlijeans + 1 paar converse = 4 nietegürtel

A good, fun album that’s held up well. I’ve enjoyed most of it ever since it came out.

Really like the sound of this and a cool vocal style. 4 stars

I’ve forgotten a lot of these songs. Still jams though.

is this is - so summery the modern age - nostalgic, love the distortion soma - funky beat barely legal - melody reminds me of something someday - i ain’t wasting no more tiiiiiiime alone, together - 😎drums last nite - ugh nobody understands meh hard to understand - perfect now mash it with cliche by 2hollis when it started - he don’t gaf trying your luck - groovy take it or leave it - shaking hips aggressively ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

One of my all time fav artists and albums, sooo many good songs on here

Only giving this a 4 because Julian Casanovas is an industry plant

had already listened some of it

Wanted to give it like 4.5. lacked variety, but the lyrics - dude was going thru some relationship shit and it hit hard.

Ladies and gentlemen….THE STROKES 🗣️🔥

It was good kinda sounded like a teenage boy wrote it in his moms garage

Very strong start, tailed off a bit in the end

Amazingly simple record. Selfless is the track!

Some much effort and polish to sound 'raw' - has some great tracks and some filler.

fun and poppy

Good album

3.5

I'm familiar with The Strokes, but not this entire album. Thankfully, that changes today! The title track has a cool, funky bass line which loops through the song, and the guitar solo in "The Modern Age" proves these guys are no hacks. The whole album is a treat and a really strong debut. Solid 4 stars for me.

Rocking

I liked this one a lot; great millennial-era indie rock with some punk influence and sometimes a bit of a Velvet Underground flavor.

You can say I have basic taste, but this album is fun.

I remember when this album was considered to be so edgy and new, and now it just sounds like indie rock. That's not a bad thing, mind you.

A fun little pop album. Every song is uptempo and earnest. It is all a bit one note, but sometimes that’s ok when the album is so short.

Pretty fun, a little repetitive, but a fun sound!

Good guitar based rock. I am not convinced by the songs but very listenable

4/5. A very likable Indie rock record. This reminds me of a long lost time that has since become nostalgic for me.

Very good album, very enjoyable, played twice over

Solid. Enjoyed more than I expected. Edgy alt rock with a bit of a hook.

This album may not sound particularly revolutionary now, but for its time it was quite the change in sound.

I’ve spent a lot of time listening to this album over the years, not least as it’s a good one both while driving and while running/jogging. The Modern Age, New York City Cops and Last Nite are all great songs, but the whole album is really solid. Pretty sure I once read that Julian Casablanca’s raspy vocals are achieved via a microphone effect but, regardless, they’re distinctive and they work really well on these songs. I regret never having seen The Strokes live. They’d be brilliant in a small to medium sized venue.

8/10

4+

What a great first album. It's fun and easy to listen to

Classic sound from The Strokes, great for studying in a cafe or dancing in your teen bedroom

Josh- I like the opening so far! I feel like I knew some songs from this album tho. "Someday" is easily the best track, but am also a fan of "Hard To Explain" I love how hard the closer goes "Take it Or Leave it". I can see how influential this album is to the modern alt-rock scene. They're the prototype to Arctic Monkeys, The Killers and such. Will definitely revisit the album. Fitting for a first album -- New York band to go with Zohran winning. 3.5/5 Phoebe - Someday and Last Nite are the songs I knew and already loved, so they were still the standout songs for me. I love this classic fun indie rock sound sm, very easy listening for doing work or dancing alone in your room. 3.5/5

This album came out in the prime of my "too cool for school" years, and even then I had to give them a nod. Listening to it with fresh ears, this is a great record, hands down. The melodies and the slight garage quality of the production go hand-in-hand. If anything, I'm just mad that I didn't go all-in on the early days of indie-sleaze.

I don’t like the distorted vocals (tell me your singer can’t sing without telling me your singer can’t sing) but I otherwise love the sound

Great work

4.5

I definitely like where these guys were going at the time and if I was more into modern music in the early 2000s I probably would have this a little bit higher i didn't really fully hear this album until many years later. They remind me kind of the White Stripes would be doing at the time if they were more of a slick band rather than a garage band. But I can definitely see their influence on the aughts' indie scene influence the likes of The Killers. (9.2) ★★★★½

Great album that really kicked off the indie rock boom in the 00s. "Barely Legal", "The Modern Age", and "Last Nite" are the highlights for me. 4.5 stars.

4.5

Nothing new or radical here, but they were, along with The Hives and The White Stripes, responsible for bringing guitar bands briefly back to the forefront of mainstream radio play in the UK, so I won't hear a word against them. Not a 5-star album, but close.

All very similar but I do not believe in too much of a good thing.

I was around when the Strokes were the big new band on the scene, the band that was changing rock. I was more of a Kings of Leon fan, due to them being Southern mostly, but they certainly put out great music. I always looked at the Strokes as a band of pretty, rich boys that wouldn’t last the test of time. That kind of came to fruition, in a way. While the Kings of Leon were producing steady content, the Strokes had hiatuses and side projects. The KOL had rehab stints that curtailed their output as well. In other words, in 2001, I wasn’t impressed with the Strokes, though this was still the time when you had to invest in your music by buying CDs. I was already buying KOL CDs, so the Strokes lost out. I was also annoyed by the lead singer, Julian Casablancas, always having an effect on his voice. Like he was singing through a Hardee’s drive-thru microphone. It just irked me. But, surprisingly, it never once bothered me today. Now, having listened to Is This It? in 2025, I loved it. It’s good jangly rock that’s fun to listen to or even dance to. As I listened to songs like Last Nite, I realized that this was essentially an updated version of rock, the likes of what Tom Petty was making in the early 80’s. It’s not hair metal with guitar wankery, it’s just solid riffs with cool hooks to get you singing along. What else could you ask for? The album also changed music at the time, once Is This It? came out, probably before it came out, you had all these Strokes clones popping up, especially out of the New York scene. It was kind of another scene like 70s New York with punk and new wave. In fact, there’s a great oral history about this 2000's scene and the music called Meet Me In the Bathroom by Lizzy Goodman. It’s a great companion piece with Please Kill Me: An Uncensored Oral History of Punk by Legs McNeil, focusing on the punk and new wave movement in New York in the 70's. Again, I digress. After listening to Is This It? a few times, I’ll admit, I missed the boat and should have been on this band at the time. Luckily, I have the 1,001 albums list to correct my ways. Though after slogging through Wilco, I wonder if I’d have liked anything put in my earholes? Check out Is This It? It’s just cool rock that makes for a good time. The music is good and the lyrics are kind of a time capsule of what was going on in that music scene at the time. So, you can kind of relive it without all the sex and drugs.

Great sound, love the vocals, all songs sound very similar.

A new take on urban rock

It’s hard to overstate the cultural bomb this set off with Gen X’ers who thought rock was dead, with teens who had been fed a steady diet of late 90’s pop punk and boy bands. The Strokes dared to throw Television riffs into perfect radio songs and sing with a mid-fi production in a time where everything had to be boosted to the max. It was probably a bit pretentious but at the same time it was a breath of fresh air, and it still feels that way today. Granted, there’s about 1/3 of the album that feels like filler, and yeah everything kinda sounds the same. But this is still a damn fine record, and should still have “New York City Cops” on it.

gasa gasa!

Only bangers, great album. I think sonically it's a little too samey for it be one of my favorites, but the songwriting is stellar.

Really liked ‘Last Nite’ from this album, and “12:51’ from Room on Fire just after it - had both as a suggestion from a friend in high school, but would be lying if I said I’d explored much further before now. Gave several listens through throughout the weekend and recognized/enjoyed Someday and Soma as potential standouts. This bad has a unique sound I enjoy, but I didn’t give too much into lyrics or meaning this go round.

Still the lean fun buzzy record that made me feel cool in high school

Big fan. Girls liked.

Bravi, absolute cinema

I was prepared for a pretty mediocre album since I'm not huge on their singles but this was much more enjoyable than I expected.

God I loved this album when I was a horny teenager

This takes me back!! Definitely of a time but bringing back the memz

This album is the perfect album to transport me to a particular time and place. 2001 freshmen year of college. It has great memories of fun times and great friends.

Awesome album

Peak CD era rock and roll (but, um... I do not remember this as the album art)

Great album. Not so sure about the album cover though.

first time i heard it i didn’t care for it much, i thought every song sounded the same. but second time around i really liked it. it might’ve helped that i didnt listen to it on full volume the second time

Nostalgia

What an iconic cover. Is This It by the strokes is an album I've known for a long time, but never really explored. Does it live up to the hype. Well the a certain point, yes. It isn't astraight five out of five, but it is an incredible record. It's sound is unique and a great melt between rawness and beauty.

8/10

Alright i know this one. It's one of the quintessential album in the 00 indie scene. Probably not the best one but definetely one of the most important and representative of the era it was made. At the end of the day i love the strokes.

8/10

Dumb they made them switch (at least for the American market) the gorgeous cover above for the absolute crap one they had to use- it's so bad! Is This It is a very good album with endless obvious influences (a Where's Waldo game to be had here... did they nick that from Television or V.U. ?) a super east coast band/sound it could not have been made/raised anywhere else but New York. I usually check out some other records for bands I review 4/5 or higher but as good as Is This It is I'm already tired of The Strokes TBH so I doubt I'll ever hear anything else by them- few records have a stronger 'I Heard it all before' vibe than this album.

Actually quite a banger of an album. Yes, there were some weaker songs in the mix but overall it was really good. 3.8

This album may be the reason of the re-introduction of the rock scene in the 2000's. It's clear to see how so many albums were inspired by this one. Well done Julian

Un disco mu chulillo que había olvidado y esta bien que me recuerden de vez en cuando ae me recuerde. Aunque The New Abnormal me parece un locurote

Great album; 2001 is a really interesting year.

Tror the Strokes opfylder mange af de ting jeg godt kan lide ved rockmusik. Det lyder garage agtigt, autentisk, råt, ærligt og teksterne handler bare om at være ung og smuk og nyde kærlighed, ensomhed, kaos. Mange ting som jeg går igennem pt, underligt nok i en alder af 27 år gammel hvor jeg bor i København men bliver mødt af mange nye mennesker fra forskellige baggrunde som tester ens værdier. Musikalsk var det en reaktion mod computerskabet poppet nu-metal linkin park og limp bizkit osv. De inspirerede en hel gruppe af 00'er bands, blandt andet white stripes, yeah yeah yeahs osv, the killers, franz ferdinand, arctic monkeys osv. Også noget min vennegruppe har lyttet til i mange år og man forbinder det bare lidt med at få nogle beers og snakke smack og lade som om alt er ligegyldigt for en periode.

Rv/g

This was a pretty fun, good indie rock album. The instrument playing is appropriately raucous and poppy, and the vocals really seal the deal. A pretty good album to just enjoy.

8/10

starts off pretty sad but overall good, also vaguely British?

Kind of fun

I was a big fan of Brit rock in the early mid-2000s (think Arctic Monkeys, Frank Ferdinand) and other groups inspired by The Strokes (The Killers, etc.) so while I don’t think I’d ever actually heard this album by The Strokes, it felt super familiar to me all the way through. I enjoyed it a lot! Would listen again.

Great album with some classics on there. I really enjoyed listening through this album.

Hmmm I could picture myself rollerskating through a suburb and taking out mailboxes with a baseball bat to this album, would fit the vibe perfectly. Not that I would ever do something like that though... Unless.... 8/10 - Good ole 2000s rock <3

This album is a vibe. I was too young to listen to this the first time around but it nicely straddles being ‘of its time’ but also having wider appeal. Quality but simple guitar, a consistent ‘sound’ albeit some attempts at heavier elements, good vocals and a pretty tight album, no dead weight. Enjoyed and will return.

Very basic production to my ear and I did detect a little bit of crap recording but might just be me. For this reason I do find it can either pass me by or occassionally feel tiring to listen to as the components dont stand out nicely or distort. This is a shame as whats on offer is decent and the album takes its relationship struggle on its little journey with a coherent song list. Its very short so easy to let it zip by but helped by its snazzy little riffs scattered about. First time around I literally heard nothing as was working hard and had to come back to it. In a way I feel I have exhausted this album a little as hit me at the right time in my youth. Its a weak 4 now but will give it its due.

I know a lot of artists are influenced by this album but I didn't really get it. Also, second half of the album is better than the first.

There are some albums where I really feel like you had to "be there" for them to really "get" them. Most albums, they stand the test of time pretty well, and you can listen to them and immediately be like, "OK, **that's** why it's so special." Others... When you lack the context of the specific moment they were released in — and, in fact, you've been living in its influence for many years now — it can be a little more difficult to pinpoint its thing. And I really feel like The Srokes' debut is one of those albums. I mean, look, let's be clear off the top: none of this is bad. It's perfectly good guitar music. Whether or not I can exactly point to "what makes it special," it's an enjoyable little listen. And, like, I get it as well: the band was specifically aiming for a simple sound, with no tricks or gimmicks or significant studio enhancement. I completely get that. But you need to realize: I was a toddler in 2001. And it's now 2025. I have a vague idea of what the state of rock was coming out of the 90's — nü metal and acoustic "adult contemporary" alt. rock — but far from enough to really understand why this album was so revolutionary and such a game changer. I suppose it would be a "bringing rock back to its roots" sort of deal? Y'know, the whole "garage rock revival" of it all. And, y'know, that's fair. But I'unno, when it comes to my taste in garage rock, I've long tended more towards The White Stripes for their volume and distortion. This music is just kind of... A bit too plain for me to really get excited about it. Honestly, if this was the influence, it's not surprising why I don't listen to too much modern rock. If I listen to anything with a heavy focus on guitars, it's more like... I'unno, Coheed And Cambria, or any number of modern glam rock acts that get used in 'Peacemaker.' Like, it's not exactly the greatest endorsement in the world to find out that these guys influenced Kings Of Leon. That's not even to mention how much I've just generally never vibed with "indie rock," so... I'll admit that I might just not "get it." Again, I **do** feel like I lack enough of the proper context to really do so. Perhaps if I was able to I'd be more wowed by this. But even taking context out of the equation, I just can't say I'm all that excited. It's good stuff, undeniably, and it's absolutely a good way to spend 30-some minutes, but that's about as far as I'm willing to go praising it. So... Is this it? Yeah, I guess this is it. And what this is is pretty fiiiiiine.

I enjoyed 9 out of 11 songs

A classic. Great cover, too.

Great

нравятся эти ребята! альбом создает какую-то домашнюю и при этом свободную атмосферу, будто весело проводишь время со своими друзьями летом

Gotta say, the album art was a jumpscare, but music reeled me in for a good time.

Love the guitar work and the overall vibe on this album.

The Stokes have a very distinct style. Solid guitar and drum work with vocals sounding like they're being shouted afar through a railroad tunnel. It works though. There are a lot of catchy tunes on Is This It. It evokes a faintly old-timey rock and roll sound but is still grounded in the modern age (well, 2000s modern...) All the songs just make you want to dance and shout the lyrics. Standouts for me were "The Modern Age" "Someday" "Last Nite" The Stokes remind me a lot of Interpol, formed around the same time also in NYC. They're weirdly similar. Have we seen the two bands in the same room together before? I jest, both are pretty solid. This is undeniably a good debut album. It gets a but samey towards the end. I dont know much of The Stokes discography so I'm invested to check it out and see how the band evolves. 4/5 stars.

Somedaaaaaay! SOMEDAAAAAY!

What I said when the album ended

Solid album. But it went by fast. Definetly worth a listen. My standout was Soma.

The Strokes are great, but the album goes through too many waves for a 5.

Great sounds, great songs. I think this was the first time I was exposed to the concept of "low-fi". I marked this as 4 since I don't think I love listening to the whole album. The basic drum beats get repetitive.

Nice. Not too memorable, I liked Last Nite A Lot though

I blame this album for the early 00s indie bonanza. Is that fair? Probably not entirely, but I get to write whatever I want here and you get to choose whether you're going to read it. I remember being captivated by the "Last Nite" music video every time it came on. I guess there was something in the lo-fi 'slacker rock' aesthetic and the gritty vocal mix that scratched my brain the right way. It didn't hurt that the song jumps straight into the chorus before the first verse either, that's not something I feel like I hear often but it's a great hook. The best way I can explain the appeal is to compare it to other songs that grab me the same way: go listen to "Mississippi Queen" by Mountain, "Ace Of Spades" by Motorhead, and "Fell In Love With A Girl" by The White Stripes. Compared to that list, "Last Nite" feels a little bloated (especially in the intro) but if it were stripped down to ~2min, it would hold it's own with the others. The rest of the album doesn't punch quite so hard, but still delivers on the promise of that first single with some solid old school rock & roll. I'm sure there was other indie rock happening at this time, but this is the band that brought it mainstream enough for me to notice. Alt Rock radio was still focused on Nu Metal in 2001 but this broke through anyway.

Nostalgia.

USAs beste brit-rock-band? Kan gjerne høre mer på dette.

I can tend to group a British indie/naughties into an average blur. But I think the Strokes and this album has enough to separate it. Just unique enough, good groove, song structure. And that’s even before the classics which come at a nice mid point to give it a boost. Very well positioned and generally like the sharp ends to songs and general vibe they create. And after the run of hits; really enjoyed the quirkiness of ‘New City Cops’ and an unsurprising shame it was left out of US release (and album cover - stiffs!) Glad to be pleasantly surprised by the quality of this and not just another skinny jean pump out. Getting a touch close to a bit samey by the end so probably just the right formation and length.

Speaking as someone who's not looked much into The Strokes, I quite enjoyed this trip down 2000s alt rock memory lane. The music is bright, upbeat, and (dare I say) grooving. Julian Casablancas's voice is well suited to this, even if I can barely understand him most times. Last Nite is probably the best on the album but there's a lot of good there aside from it.

As I listened to my daughters’ favorite rock and pop bands it became clear that the Strokes have had a huge influence on the sound of rock music.

Love this one.

Needs to be taken in context, but it nevertheless feels like these raw sounding guitars saved us from loads of overproduced mediocrity.

Actually quite liked it and saved a song. Nice vibe and will have to listen to some more of the strokes.

This made being at the laundromat fun which feels 4-star worthy

Fun album. Simple garage rock. I remember Last Nite getting radio play

This is fire and I’m not taking a separate day to listen to it. Great album. Hugely influential.

I'm a bit depressed and this album didn't help, not my sound for the moment, but avoiding personal feelings: one the best.

This is a good album, there a few stand out songs, but most kind of blend together.

First time listening to the entire album, and it's damn good. It's higher than a 4, but not quite a 5.

A few total bangers

Very nice album

Not generally a fan of garage indie rock but this one does hit all the right notes .. it’s messy but at times emotional with solid lyrics …

This is a decently catchy album, although I do feel it is one that benefited greatly from arriving at just the right time and place to make the impact that it did. If this had been released a few years later, would it have been as widely celebrated as it was in 2001, where you had nu metal circling the drain, mall emo in its relative infancy etc? Debatable. Nonetheless, this does a grand job of combining scrappy garage rock energy with hooks, optimistic tones and melodies. It's well-documented that The Strokes could barely play their instruments at this early juncture of their career, giving Is This It an endearing charm which I think made it relatable to a lot of people. I was just about weaning off nappies in 2001, so I don't have the same degree of attachment to this as I'm sure others here will, but I did enjoy giving this another spin after a little while away.

Super tight album with great songs. Reminds me of college.

it was pretty good haven’t really listened to strokes before but they are actually pretty good

The Strokes are probably the reason that "New York City Indie" means *anything*. The components are simple, ultra slick pop songs, a little garage grit and some really great vocal performances get you just about there, but The Strokes' sound here is bold and distinct despite the simplicity. An interesting exercise is going back to listen to the home recording demos of some of these songs if you have a chance. They come across as lo-fi garage rock, but the magic is there. The Strokes really just cleaned up their playing and slapped slightly shinier paint on it and we made it here. Of arguably greater note is that the vocals sound approximately the same between the demos and finished songs, and I think this is a particularly inspired choice. Julian Casablanca's blown out, gritty delivery gives so much to this project. But, as I implied, this is an album that really lives and dies by its songs: And the tracklist largely rocks. The singles are iconic, a lot of the deep cuts are still earworms too, although there are a couple of songs here that are in one ear and out the other for me. Also, while I'm complaining a little, why would you name a song "Barely Legal", it's weird, and Julian Casablancas already kind of comes across as an ass sometimes, so this doesn't help. In the grand scheme of it, these are pretty minor complaints though, and I do like this album a lot.

It sounds pretty amateur, and that's why I think it's pretty good. 8/10

this is it

Looooved this!!! My kinda jam!

All time great 2000’s alt rock album. Always on repeat.

Solid, Cool.

Good

I thought it would be like 300 albums, not 3 before I got to one I've heard all the way through lol Fun album overall, I don't actively hate any of the songs (I do think Last Nite is just alright), but maybe I just enjoy them individually and not all at once. I can understand why people say it gets repetitive. Having my music player loop back to the beginning did make me appreciate the slower tempo and the bassline on the first track even more; stands out from the rest. I do prefer The New Abnormal; that ones like a 9/10 for me. This one is an overall 7.5/10 Favorites: Is This It; Someday; Alone, Together; Soma

Great, would come back to it definitely, not very diverse however

Banger after banger. Will definitely try their other stuff

indie classic that gets better on every listen and is a key influence in the indie genre for the next decade

(Heard the version with NYC cops in it, cause thats the artwork seen on the website), This album still slaps, was a fresh breath of air when i heard it and is still is. Maybe for those who were older like Bowie did not like it, but whatever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3ak4Ms8XQ0 (If you want to know whats the sound that kickstarts the album)

good energy to wake you up in the morning without being overwhelming. glad they brought back the acab song.

I've listened to this before. I like it but have never really loved it for some reason, though I have enjoyed listening.

Solid album. Knew 2 songs

One might want to not like this nepo-baby super-hyped cool kids record, but one cannot choose that option: it's pretty great. Some Lou Reed vocals, a few Television guitar solos, but really, it's the sweet hooks with long grooves. Not a lot of range, but what they do, they do really well.

Perhaps not the epochal album it was heralded as at the time, but still sounds tight and was fun to listen to. Between a 3 and 4 for me, but rounding up because it ends on such a high note with “Take It or Leave It.”

please give me an album i haven’t heard mr generator

Really enjoyed the album top to bottom, love the hits still, surprised by a few I hadn't heard before

The singles are the hits on this one but a very important indie progenitor.

7.5/10 Good stuff this. Sounds like an era in music - partly because it is very of its time, partly how it helped define it. Plenty of music that followed is clearly inspired by this. Languid garage post punk, they found a vibe and stuck to it. That is good and bad - the first half can sound a little same at points. Then it hits Someday and takes off. Lots of bangers on the second side. Best: Hard to Explain

Enjoyable album more poppy than I expected but I liked it a lot. 4.2/5

Incredible debut album, enjoyable, listenable and a landmark for garage and indie rock. A band that came to tear down walls with other bands of its time.

This is a good album, perhaps not quite so good as the press at the time made it out to be. Clearly influenced by 70s American music such as Iggy & The Stooges, Television and even Blondie. There's little variation on the album, but it does have a certain charm to it and is enjoyable. It just squeaks 4⭐ Would I listen to this album again? Yes, I should play it more. Would I buy this album? I did. 1 "Is This It" - Great bass line. Odd choice to open an album. - 4⭐ 2 "The Modern Age" - 4⭐ 3 "Soma" - 3⭐ 4 "Barely Legal" - 4⭐ 5 "Someday" - 4⭐ 6 "Alone, Together" - 3⭐ 7 "Last Nite" - This is a great song, - 5⭐ 8 "Hard to Explain" - 3⭐ 9 "New York City Cops" - Musically good and interesting compared to what has come before but the chorus spoils what would otherwise be an excellent song. - 4⭐ 10 "Trying Your Luck" - It's as if they suddenly realised that the album needed a touch of variety, and added it to the end of the album. - 3⭐ 11 "Take It or Leave It" - 3⭐ Total - 40 Average - 3.64

I love this album. Not sure if it's their best. Definitley probably a top-3 album of theirs, in my opinion.

Easy to see why this was so influential, all the singles are bangers and the album tracks are no slouches. Wonderful instrumental interplay and endless hooks.

I used to be so obsessed with this album. Still really good but it just doesn't have the same luster to me now

i lik

jokes on you juyeon!!! apparently i know this album and really like it!!!!! i too have had my lil alternative indie era! i just never remembered who sang what lmfao but the album cover looked familiar and then certain songs played and i was like hey this went triple platinum on my old ipod! still cute! still fun! still love!

Really great rock album 9/10

Buenu que dirt-e, ja el coneixia i increïble albummm :3 m'encanta pero no t el 5 pq no es perfecete i pq existeix the new abnormal jeje

It is what it is, which is pretty good.

Great. Edgy at times , great vocals and a couple of breakout tunes

Ok so most of the songs on the album sound very similar but if they’re good does that actually matter? A really enjoyable listen with not really any poor song in there.

I remember the hype when this came out and it still holds up pretty well today. Solid stuff and I do think a turn to a more natural, garage rock sound would be needed today.

I really enjoyed this album. I thought the singers voice would get tiring after a while, but it really fits with the crunchy guitar riffs.

This is another great album I remember listening to a bunch back in highschool. A few stand out tracks with an up beat and energetic flow made this a joy to come back to. Listening to it from start to finish has been enjoyable also. Someday, Soma, and the modern age are my favorites and to me really encapsulates what this whole album was for me.

good stuff

Lightning strikes behind the BDO MainStage. Is this it?

That's a solid album. I've heard bits of it but never the whole way through

It’s so classic. Julian Casablancas has such a unique sound, and nobody was doing this at the time. Sounds so NYC. Great record, love revisiting it.

i convinced myself i hated the strokes. i was wrong best track: take it or leave it worst track: hard to explain

love this album, very formative for a guitar player in the mid to late 2000s. room on fire is the better album by a slight margin - if only because Last Nite got overplayed and i find that track a little annoying... when that bass comes in on Is This It though....

Before listening to this album, I was relatively familiar with The Strokes, especially their singles. 'Is This It' was an interesting listening as it was me experiencing a lot of the material I'd not heard by them. First thing to mention about the album, I love the production. Simple, stripped back, the subtle distortion on Julian's voice sets a great tone. Next thing is how good a set of musicians The Strokes are. That may seem naive of me to say, but for a debut album they lock into their parts. No one gets in the way of each other, the bass lines are playful when the guitars are simple, the drums are on point. Overall, this was a great listen. The tracks that stood out to me were 'Soma', 'Someday', 'Last Nite' and 'Hard To Explain' as each of these very clearly outline the identity of The Strokes in their early years. 4/5

Much better than the last time I listened to it. I do think its a very pleasent listen and it deserves to be called a modern classic. Its just not music I go back to often.

really good