Music press reaction was very positive and the Strokes embarked on a sold-out UK tour, followed by US support slots for alternative rock groups Doves and Guided by Voices. British label Rough Trade Records was impressed by the songs and released them as a January 2001 extended play titled The Modern Age. With support from personal mentor JP Bowersock and producer Gordon Raphael, the band recorded three tracks which later appeared on Is This It: "The Modern Age", "Last Nite", and "Barely Legal". He scheduled the Strokes for four December gigs. In the fall of that year, their demo caught the attention of Ryan Gentles, a talent booker at New York City's Mercury Lounge. īy 2000, all band members had part-time jobs and were practicing new material several nights a week in a small hired recording space. His arrival provided the catalyst for the band's musical and emotional evolution. We all took music classes and tried writing songs, and when we put them together they were this crazy amalgam of insane ideas that we thought was really cool." In 1998, Albert Hammond, Jr., whom Casablancas knew from his time at a Swiss boarding school, moved to New York City to attend film school and joined The Strokes as a second guitarist. Discussing the formative stages of the group, Moretti noted, "Our music was, like,, but trying to be classical. Casablancas's stepfather and Moretti's and Fraiture's older brothers introduced the quartet to the music of reggae artist Bob Marley, protopunk group the Velvet Underground, and alternative rock band Jane's Addiction. In 1997, the Strokes consisted of singer Julian Casablancas, guitarist Nick Valensi, bassist Nikolai Fraiture, and drummer Fabrizio Moretti. It has featured in several publications' lists of the best albums of the 2000s and of all time. The release of the album is widely considered to be a watershed moment, and crucial in the reinvention of post-millennium guitar music. It received critical acclaim, with many praising it for its charisma and rhythm, which often referenced the works of 1970s garage rock bands. Promoted by the music press for its twin-guitar interplay and melodic, pop-influenced sound, Is This It peaked at number 33 on the US Billboard 200 and number two on the UK Albums Chart, going on to achieve platinum status in several countries. Three singles were released from the album: " Hard to Explain", " Last Nite", and " Someday". Following the September 11 attacks in New York City, the American compact disc release was delayed from September 25 to October 9 and had its track list amended, with the song " New York City Cops" being removed and replaced with the newly written track "When It Started" however, the American vinyl release still includes the track as a result of its release falling on September 11. The album's original cover photograph caused controversy for being too sexually explicit, and was replaced for the US market. The album was released gradually in different countries as their tour continued, with it being released in Japan on August 22 and the United Kingdom on August 27. Building on their 2001 EP The Modern Age, the band members molded compositions largely through live takes during recording sessions, while songwriter and lead singer Julian Casablancas continued to detail the lives and relationships of urban youth.įollowing its completion, the Strokes embarked on a promotional world tour before its release. For their debut, the band strived to capture a simple sound that was not significantly enhanced in the studio. It was recorded at Transporterraum in New York City with producer Gordon Raphael during March and April 2001. It was first released on July 30, 2001, in Australia, with RCA Records handling the release internationally and Rough Trade Records handling the United Kingdom release. Is This It is the debut studio album by American rock band the Strokes.
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