Is This It is the debut studio album by American rock band the Strokes. It was released on July 30, 2001, through Rough Trade Records and RCA Records. It peaked at number 33 on the US US Billboard 200 and number two on the UK Albums Chart. The original cover photograph caused controversy for being too sexually explicit, and was replaced for the US market.
About Is This It in brief
Is This It is the debut studio album by American rock band the Strokes. It was released on July 30, 2001, through Rough Trade Records and RCA Records. It peaked at number 33 on the US US Billboard 200 and number two on the UK Albums Chart. The album is considered to be crucial in the development of other alternative bands and of the post-millennial music industry. It has featured in several publications’ lists of the best albums of the 2000s and of all time. The original cover photograph caused controversy for being too sexually explicit, and was replaced for the US market. The American compact disc release was delayed and had its track list amended in light of the September 11 attacks, with the song \”New York City Cops\” being removed; however, the American vinyl release still includes the track as a result of its release falling on September 11. Three singles were released from the album: \”Hard to Explain\”, \”Last Nite\”, and \”Someday\”. In 1997, the band consisted of singer Julian Casablancas, guitarist Nick Valensi, bassist Nikolai Fraiture, and drummer Fabrizio Moretti. In 1998, Albert Hammond, Jr. moved to New York City to attend film school and joined The Strokes as a second guitarist. His arrival provided the catalyst for the band’s musical and emotional evolution. By 2000, all band members had part-time jobs and were practicing new material several nights a week in a small hired recording space. With support from personal mentor JP Bowersock and producer Gordon Raphael, the group recorded three tracks which later appeared on Is This It: “The Modern Age”, “Barely Legal” and “Like The Age” The band recorded the album with Gordon Raphael at Transporterraum’s East Village in New York.
The band said they wanted to go in a different direction than contemporary music, and wanted to sound like contemporary music. The group wanted to show the world that they were not afraid of being called ‘the Strokes’ and that they could be ‘fun’ and ‘cool’ The album was released as a January 2001 extended play titled The Modern Age. Music press reaction was very positive and the Stroke embarked on a sold-out UK tour, followed by US support slots for alternative rock groups Doves and Guided by Voices. In March 2001, the Stroes signed to RCA records after a protracted bidding war. The Stroes started working with Gil Norton, who had produced recordings for alternativerock group Pixies. Although the two parties developed a rapport, the three songs recorded with Norton were scrapped. Like The Age was eventually recorded at Transorterraum in Manhattan’s East village in New Yorkers City. The song “Baresly Legal”‘ was recorded in a basement with poor lighting, but despite it includes modern hardware, despite it’s modern infrastructure, including Workstation Digital Audio Audio Tools. In the song, Casablas says he wanted the band to sound ‘like contemporary music’
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