November 8, 2001 by A.S. Van Dorston

Regarding the tiresome Strokes backlash, some of the criticisms are that they have it easy because of connected parents, good looks (huh?), and their lyrics are superficial, they rip off certain bands, etc. I’ve heard lots of arrogant, superficial criticism of The Strokes, but nothing that really holds water so far.

Here’s an ironic fact. While the Beatles were seen as more classy and polished and The Stones dirty and dangerous, the truth was that the Stones were upper-middle class, and the Beatles were poor to workingclass. Plenty or rockers had financial help from various sources. But the only thing history really remembers is the quality of the music. I reckon history will remember the first Strokes album as not ground-breaking, but really fucking great.

Let’s take the lyrics. They’re damn good rock lyrics. They’re nothing sillier than say, Stones lyrics. To criticize the Strokes for their lyrics is like criticizing the Ramones for not being more like Bob Dylan. The Ramones’ lyrics are good if you take them for what they are — dumb, funny, repetitious (“Psycho therapy psycho therapy…”). It’s ridiculous to say their lyrics are unexceptional, or not as ‘good’ as, say, Bob Dylan. They are what they are, and fit their music and image perfectly.

As far as poetry goes, just about ALL rock lyrics are unexceptional. But that’s not the point. They’re rock songs, not literature. Pick your favorite lyricist, lay them down on paper next to your favorite poet, and you’ll see it’s an unfair comparison. I grow tired of pretentious fops at some of the major magazines who, in reviewing an album, only talk about the lyrics. That ISN’T the fucking point! It’s rock ‘n’ roll, not a spoken word performance! One would think, in talking about MUSIC, the music would come first, then the lyrics, and how the words fit the mood, theme, or simply how they sound. The Strokes’ lyrics sound fucking great. With many bands, I largely don’t notice or remember the lyrics. So it’s remarkable that I actually remember as much of the Strokes lyrics that I do. In between the more ridiculous lines, you’re compelled to sing along to snippets like “I didn’t take no shortcuts/I spent the money that I saved up/Oh Mama running out of luck/But like my sister just don’t give a fuck/I want to steal your innocence/To me my life it don’t make sense…I just want to misbehave / I just want to be your slave…” Some even get an emotional response, if heard with the music and not studied clinically — “You see alone we stand together we fall apart/Yea I think I’ll be all right/I’m working so I wont have to try so hard/Tables they turn sometimes, oh someday…”

Musically, there’s way more to them than the Velvet Underground influence. That’s just so incredibly obvious because of his voice, which only sounds like Reed in a few songs. How about Morrissey? Scary, but I hear that even more. And The Voidoids, Television, The Jam…The Strokes have plenty of ingredients in the pot, and they’re doing fabulously for just a debut album. On The Who’s first album, they sounded at times like Motown, James Brown, The Beach Boys and The Kinks. The Jam just sounded like The Who, Small Faces and The Kinks, and they turned out great.

There are plenty of better, more experienced American bands. But I haven’t heard a better album by an American band this year. Mercury Rev, The Eels, White Stripes, Sparklehorse are all amazing. But it’s the songs. Can’t get the Strokes songs out of my head, and for once I don’t mind. Whether the Strokes will maintain or improve or devolve, who the hell knows. But for now, they have a great first album, and I find it strange how so many people have the time and energy to complain about its success. It would at least be more interesting if someone took on the challenge of offering another album this year that equals or betters the Strokes on compatible territory.

Here’s what some helpful people suggested on the Big Takeover group — Longwave, Interpol, Ivy, French, Last Burning Embers, Aerial Love Feed, The Problems, The Walkmen, Radio 4, and Poem Rocket.

Posted in: Rants