Washington Post Reviews the Wavves Backlash

[payton g]

He might not have had time to suck in basements, but I definitely saw him suck shit in a kitchen. Complained the entire time.

[Dr. Humpp]

...but Rolling Stone only gave it like 2 stars at first.

3 out of 5
http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/238528/review/6068092

[AYL08]

article written by Chris Richards, formerly of Q And Not U (Dischord)...

I remember hearing about Wavves and all the hype, the first thing that came to mind was... "where the fuck did this band come from?".

Remember how a few years back, certain bands popped out of nowhere and all of a sudden the members were dating movie stars and appearing on Late Nigh talk shows... and now no one gives a fuck? (Strokes anyone?)

[wnkrs]

article written by Chris Richards, formerly of Q And Not U (Dischord)...

I remember hearing about Wavves and all the hype, the first thing that came to mind was... "where the fuck did this band come from?".

Remember how a few years back, certain bands popped out of nowhere and all of a sudden the members were dating movie stars and appearing on Late Nigh talk shows... and now no one gives a fuck? (Strokes anyone?)

everyone still loves the strokes WTF?

[goneoffdatlean]

At least the Strokes wrote a few good songs.

[wnkrs]

At least the Strokes wrote a few good songs.

a few?! like a whole album of good songs and then some..

Strokes "Is This It" CD

I?d like to take this opportunity to tell the reader how I feel about the Strokes. The Strokes did take the shortcuts. They have become an overnight success. The reader might ask how? Well, it?s not any of my business to draw inconclusive conclusions on that subject, but I must ask the reader if he or she knows how hard it is to be successful in the music industry? And do it on your own terms? Actually, it?s like throwing a pebble into a tornado and hoping that same pebble will come out on the other side.

So let it be established to the reader that the Strokes are known around the world. They are in the press, touring all the time, doing ?it'. Jealous? That?s why a lot of people don?t like the Strokes. They are envious of the group?s prosperity. Not me though, I?m, as I?ve always been, in it strictly for the music; and the Strokes? music is some of the best music out there.

So, now that the reader has been told how I feel about the Strokes, I should explain to he or she why I feel that the Strokes? music is some of the finest music around. It has to do with rhythm. It also has to do with melody. And, I might add dear reader, it has to do with timing. While the Strokes? sound isn?t groundbreaking or new, they are superb at penning solid rhythmic tracks, never letting up on the beat. And they combine that rhythm with a harmonious melody that is quite catchy and, if I may be so candid as to say, just captivating. The timing has to do with how the band reacts to one another. When certain members chime in at the right time. A guitar solo here, a cymbal crash there, stressing the right amount of power to a certain lyric, the Strokes are one of the steadiest groups I have ever heard.

And if the reader is a regular here at blankgeneration.com, I?m sure he or she has read about the Strokes from other staff members. Comments have been made about how they sound like the Velvet Underground, Pixies, and the Buzzcocks. Let me say to the esteemed reader of blankgeneration.com that all of these groups do have a certain influence on the Strokes, however, the Strokes are not the new Velvet Underground, Pixies, Buzzcocks, or whoever. The Strokes sound like the Strokes, period.

It must also be known to the reader that I am reviewing the domestic version of the Strokes? Is This It record, released on 10/09/01. It has come to my attention that because of the terrorist attacks on New York City on 09/11/01 the Strokes decided, before the official domestic release date of Is This It, to take the song "New York City Cops" off the album and replace it with the song "When It Started."

I must tell the reader of this review that this saddens me, but the sadness is infinitesimal. I am sad because the Strokes, while still playing "New York City Cops" in their live shows, do not believe in the song enough to brave the wrath of the public and keep the song on the domestic album. To those readers who have not heard the song and are wondering what all the commotion is about, well let me explain. The chorus of the aforementioned tune goes ? "New York City Cops/ New York City Cops/ New York City Cops/ They Ain?t Too Smart!" If the Strokes are bold enough to write a song depicting their distaste?s for how the NYPD operates, and play the song live, they should be bold enough to keep "New York City Cops" on the domestic release of Is This It.

As I said to the reader in the paragraph above, my sadness over the loss of "New York City Cops" is minuscule. It is because of those inane lyrics - "New York City Cops/ New York City Cops/ New York City Cops/ They Ain?t Too Smart!" Please Julian Casablancas (the vocalist and songwriter for the Strokes), you can do better than that! America is quite lucky to have the song "When It Started" instead of "New York City Cops."

With that being said, I think it?s about time to conclude this comprehensive review of the Strokes? exalting eleven-song album Is This It. The group has been labeled the new ?it? band by thousands of people. Ironically the Strokes are ?it?. And, reader of this extensive record review, anyone who says they have some aversion towards the Strokes? music is simply lying, because no one could resist the Strokes? infectious songwriting. (JD)
(RCA Records)

[wnkrs]

Strokes "The Modern Age" CDEP

There certainly is a lot of hype behind The Strokes, isn?t there? They?re the new Velvet Underground! They?re the new Stooges! They?re Television AND the Ramones! However, they?re apparently levelheaded enough not to read their own press, and for that I?d give them a fair shake. I thought I?d wait until their full-length came out, but seeing how it was held back I shelled out the cash for the single. The first time I listened to it, I absolutely hated "Modern Age", thought "Last Nite" was ?okay? at best, and really liked "Barely Legal." When the CD ended, I thought to myself, "big deal." Then I started listening to it again...and again...and again and again and again until I was trapped and it completely grew on me. So yeah, it?s true. The Strokes are an amazing band. (MB)
(XL Recordings/The Beggars Group 580 Broadway Suite 1004 NYC 10012)

Strokes "Is This It" CD/LP

I know. As an avid reader of blankgeneration.com, you must be shaking your head to see yet a THIRD review of this album in the last couple of weeks, in addition to every other mainstream magazine in the entire fucking world going apeshit over these art-school dropouts. But you don?t actually read Rolling Stone and/or Spin to find out what a good album really is, do you? Fuck no! You come here because you know that Blank Generation gives a platform to reviewers who don?t have their heads up their asses. So I guess that brings us to the burning question: Why have three Blank Generation staffers (including the commander & chief himself, Joe Domino) given this album a glowing review (as I?m about to do) in the last few weeks? I mean if Spin likes this shit, it can?t be good, right? Fuck you! Didn?t you just agree that you don?t go to Spin and/or Rolling Stone to know what?s a good album? Yeah, then quit your fuckin? whining about us going "mainstream" and trust us like you always have. Why? Because the Strokes? album Is This It isn?t just it (figuratively speaking), it might very well be one of the best albums released this year (literally).

Rock critics for the obvious reasons have called the Strokes the "next Velvet Underground." Lead vocalist Julian Casablancas sounds uncannily like Lou Reed. They?re arty. They?re from New York. Musically, a good argument can be made that the Velvet Underground probably makes up a good portion of the blueprint for the Strokes sound. However, as our wise editor Joe noted last week in his review of Is This It, the Strokes overall sound is theirs. They do not sound like any one band. You cannot just grab the Buzzcocks, the Velvet Underground and Television, throw them into a blender and expect the Strokes sound, even if all three of those bands? sounds show up in that of the Strokes. For one thing, the Strokes rhythm section might be tighter than all three of those bands combined. Furthermore, the Strokes take elements from these bands and quite a few others and give it a futuristic spin. This does not sound like music that could be straight-out of the 1970?s. This is music that is ahead of its time.

I was skeptical just like the rest of you. When I went to see the band some three weeks ago, the club was packed with a bunch of pseudo-important local rock journalists quipping remarks like, "I bet these guys fucking suck," in anger from their guest-list spots being bumped down a few spaces, not to mention all of the trend hopping, leather clad indie rockers that packed the club two-hundred over its usual capacity in the company of their emo girlfriends. Needless to say, it?s not exactly the kind of atmosphere I like putting myself in on a regular basis when I decide what shows to check out for the month. I even contemplated a few times during the evening whether or not it was worth all the effort involved on my part to weasel my way into a sold-out show.

Then the Strokes took the stage and erased all of that with just a few chords into the first song. I was floored. Musically, the Strokes were like an explosion of sonic, droning waves of guitars and drum rhythm. As I noted earlier, their rhythm section is as tight as they come. There is no defined lead guitarist in the Strokes; both guitarists are second to none and are among the fastest, un-palm muted guitar strummers I have ever seen or heard. Nearly every background chord seems to have an intoxicating, deliberately fast-strummed drone to it (similar to that of the Piranhas, minus the snarl). Their drummer might not be the next Keith Moon, but man, let me tell you- He?s fuckin? amazing. Crisp and precise to the point of drum-machine-like perfection, yet bombastic and subtly explosive at moments when the rhythm section really needs to turn on the afterburners. He carries the fucking rhythm section at times. Everything just seems to work well musically with this band. Not a wasted bass line, guitar chord or drum beat is audible in listening to their songs. While I believe that there is a certain bit of live energy is missing from the album (as with virtually any great live band), every single observation I made above applies to Is This It.

Songs like "Soma," "Alone Together," "Hard To Explain," and the explosive concluder "Take It Or Leave It" are among the best and most infectious songs I?ve heard all year. Is This It might be as intentionally ironic as album titles go these days, but at the end of these 11 songs, there is no question left in my mind- This most-definitely is it. (SA)
(RCA/BMG)[/quote]

strokes used to get the respect from yall.


Quote from: goneoffdatlean on Today at 02:46:01 PM
At least the Strokes wrote a few good songs.

a few?! like a whole album of good songs and then some..

Quote
Strokes "Is This It" CD

I?d like to take this opportunity to tell the reader how I feel about the Strokes. The Strokes did take the shortcuts. They have become an overnight success. The reader might ask how? Well, it?s not any of my business to draw inconclusive conclusions on that subject, but I must ask the reader if he or she knows how hard it is to be successful in the music industry? And do it on your own terms? Actually, it?s like throwing a pebble into a tornado and hoping that same pebble will come out on the other side.

So let it be established to the reader that the Strokes are known around the world. They are in the press, touring all the time, doing ?it'. Jealous? That?s why a lot of people don?t like the Strokes. They are envious of the group?s prosperity. Not me though, I?m, as I?ve always been, in it strictly for the music; and the Strokes? music is some of the best music out there.

So, now that the reader has been told how I feel about the Strokes, I should explain to he or she why I feel that the Strokes? music is some of the finest music around. It has to do with rhythm. It also has to do with melody. And, I might add dear reader, it has to do with timing. While the Strokes? sound isn?t groundbreaking or new, they are superb at penning solid rhythmic tracks, never letting up on the beat. And they combine that rhythm with a harmonious melody that is quite catchy and, if I may be so candid as to say, just captivating. The timing has to do with how the band reacts to one another. When certain members chime in at the right time. A guitar solo here, a cymbal crash there, stressing the right amount of power to a certain lyric, the Strokes are one of the steadiest groups I have ever heard.

And if the reader is a regular here at blankgeneration.com, I?m sure he or she has read about the Strokes from other staff members. Comments have been made about how they sound like the Velvet Underground, Pixies, and the Buzzcocks. Let me say to the esteemed reader of blankgeneration.com that all of these groups do have a certain influence on the Strokes, however, the Strokes are not the new Velvet Underground, Pixies, Buzzcocks, or whoever. The Strokes sound like the Strokes, period.

It must also be known to the reader that I am reviewing the domestic version of the Strokes? Is This It record, released on 10/09/01. It has come to my attention that because of the terrorist attacks on New York City on 09/11/01 the Strokes decided, before the official domestic release date of Is This It, to take the song "New York City Cops" off the album and replace it with the song "When It Started."

I must tell the reader of this review that this saddens me, but the sadness is infinitesimal. I am sad because the Strokes, while still playing "New York City Cops" in their live shows, do not believe in the song enough to brave the wrath of the public and keep the song on the domestic album. To those readers who have not heard the song and are wondering what all the commotion is about, well let me explain. The chorus of the aforementioned tune goes ? "New York City Cops/ New York City Cops/ New York City Cops/ They Ain?t Too Smart!" If the Strokes are bold enough to write a song depicting their distaste?s for how the NYPD operates, and play the song live, they should be bold enough to keep "New York City Cops" on the domestic release of Is This It.

As I said to the reader in the paragraph above, my sadness over the loss of "New York City Cops" is minuscule. It is because of those inane lyrics - "New York City Cops/ New York City Cops/ New York City Cops/ They Ain?t Too Smart!" Please Julian Casablancas (the vocalist and songwriter for the Strokes), you can do better than that! America is quite lucky to have the song "When It Started" instead of "New York City Cops."

With that being said, I think it?s about time to conclude this comprehensive review of the Strokes? exalting eleven-song album Is This It. The group has been labeled the new ?it? band by thousands of people. Ironically the Strokes are ?it?. And, reader of this extensive record review, anyone who says they have some aversion towards the Strokes? music is simply lying, because no one could resist the Strokes? infectious songwriting. (JD)
(RCA Records)

Strokes "The Modern Age" CDEP

There certainly is a lot of hype behind The Strokes, isn?t there? They?re the new Velvet Underground! They?re the new Stooges! They?re Television AND the Ramones! However, they?re apparently levelheaded enough not to read their own press, and for that I?d give them a fair shake. I thought I?d wait until their full-length came out, but seeing how it was held back I shelled out the cash for the single. The first time I listened to it, I absolutely hated "Modern Age", thought "Last Nite" was ?okay? at best, and really liked "Barely Legal." When the CD ended, I thought to myself, "big deal." Then I started listening to it again...and again...and again and again and again until I was trapped and it completely grew on me. So yeah, it?s true. The Strokes are an amazing band. (MB)
(XL Recordings/The Beggars Group 580 Broadway Suite 1004 NYC 10012)

Strokes "Is This It" CD/LP

I know. As an avid reader of blankgeneration.com, you must be shaking your head to see yet a THIRD review of this album in the last couple of weeks, in addition to every other mainstream magazine in the entire fucking world going apeshit over these art-school dropouts. But you don?t actually read Rolling Stone and/or Spin to find out what a good album really is, do you? Fuck no! You come here because you know that Blank Generation gives a platform to reviewers who don?t have their heads up their asses. So I guess that brings us to the burning question: Why have three Blank Generation staffers (including the commander & chief himself, Joe Domino) given this album a glowing review (as I?m about to do) in the last few weeks? I mean if Spin likes this shit, it can?t be good, right? Fuck you! Didn?t you just agree that you don?t go to Spin and/or Rolling Stone to know what?s a good album? Yeah, then quit your fuckin? whining about us going "mainstream" and trust us like you always have. Why? Because the Strokes? album Is This It isn?t just it (figuratively speaking), it might very well be one of the best albums released this year (literally).

Rock critics for the obvious reasons have called the Strokes the "next Velvet Underground." Lead vocalist Julian Casablancas sounds uncannily like Lou Reed. They?re arty. They?re from New York. Musically, a good argument can be made that the Velvet Underground probably makes up a good portion of the blueprint for the Strokes sound. However, as our wise editor Joe noted last week in his review of Is This It, the Strokes overall sound is theirs. They do not sound like any one band. You cannot just grab the Buzzcocks, the Velvet Underground and Television, throw them into a blender and expect the Strokes sound, even if all three of those bands? sounds show up in that of the Strokes. For one thing, the Strokes rhythm section might be tighter than all three of those bands combined. Furthermore, the Strokes take elements from these bands and quite a few others and give it a futuristic spin. This does not sound like music that could be straight-out of the 1970?s. This is music that is ahead of its time.

I was skeptical just like the rest of you. When I went to see the band some three weeks ago, the club was packed with a bunch of pseudo-important local rock journalists quipping remarks like, "I bet these guys fucking suck," in anger from their guest-list spots being bumped down a few spaces, not to mention all of the trend hopping, leather clad indie rockers that packed the club two-hundred over its usual capacity in the company of their emo girlfriends. Needless to say, it?s not exactly the kind of atmosphere I like putting myself in on a regular basis when I decide what shows to check out for the month. I even contemplated a few times during the evening whether or not it was worth all the effort involved on my part to weasel my way into a sold-out show.

Then the Strokes took the stage and erased all of that with just a few chords into the first song. I was floored. Musically, the Strokes were like an explosion of sonic, droning waves of guitars and drum rhythm. As I noted earlier, their rhythm section is as tight as they come. There is no defined lead guitarist in the Strokes; both guitarists are second to none and are among the fastest, un-palm muted guitar strummers I have ever seen or heard. Nearly every background chord seems to have an intoxicating, deliberately fast-strummed drone to it (similar to that of the Piranhas, minus the snarl). Their drummer might not be the next Keith Moon, but man, let me tell you- He?s fuckin? amazing. Crisp and precise to the point of drum-machine-like perfection, yet bombastic and subtly explosive at moments when the rhythm section really needs to turn on the afterburners. He carries the fucking rhythm section at times. Everything just seems to work well musically with this band. Not a wasted bass line, guitar chord or drum beat is audible in listening to their songs. While I believe that there is a certain bit of live energy is missing from the album (as with virtually any great live band), every single observation I made above applies to Is This It.

Songs like "Soma," "Alone Together," "Hard To Explain," and the explosive concluder "Take It Or Leave It" are among the best and most infectious songs I?ve heard all year. Is This It might be as intentionally ironic as album titles go these days, but at the end of these 11 songs, there is no question left in my mind- This most-definitely is it. (SA)
(RCA/BMG)

"Jealous? That?s why a lot of people don?t like the Strokes. They are envious of the group?s prosperity. Not me though, I?m, as I?ve always been, in it strictly for the music; and the Strokes? music is some of the best music out there."

wish this was true for some of yall!!!

[wnkrs]

Strokes "The Modern Age" 7"* & "Hard to Explain" 7"**

*This is a single vinyl version of the CDEP I reviewed earlier on Blank Generation. The vinyl gives the songs a warmer feel, as vinyl releases usually do to music, but it?s missing a third track, "Barely Legal", that isn?t on the vinyl version. If yer like me, then you will go out and get this 7" because even though you have the songs already, you NEED them on vinyl too.

**So I pick up the two newest issue of The Neus Subjex at Staples (where I do my printing because they have the best price). There?s a lot of battles to be fought when it comes down to Mom and Pop or Local businesses versus chains like Staples, but the fact of the matter is no matter how many times I pay up to twice the cost per photocopied Neus Subjex, it?s not like I have full-heatedly joined the battle, so to say because wherever I go to get The Neus Subejx done (be it Staples or the local copy shtick down the road) I?m still driving there in my General Motors car with gas I bought from some larger than life gas refinery. I live in Ohio. I?m as independent as possible, but when a amplifiers speaker suddenly blows when your playing through it, AND you do the responsible thing and replace the speaker (THE SAME WAY you replaced the speaker in your own amp when you blew that) and that takes all your money for the week, you will go to Staples and do your zine which is better than doing no zine at all?

So yeah, this discussion is important because The Strokes are not on an independent label AND I DON?T FUCKING CARE. NOT ONE FUCKING BIT. All I know is that from the first moment I heard "The Modern Age" I have flipped about this band?s sound.

On their new single, which leads the vanguard because I found out today the import of their full length CD JUST arrived at Shake It Records and yes, I have secured myself a reserve copy that I will pick up on Wednesday so I have something that I have really anticipated to listen to on my special weekend.

On side A of the new single you have "Hard to Explain" which is a real surprising track. This song solidifies the theory I had been developing about The Strokes- they are a "feel good" band. Their songs are stories and episodes of lives and tragedies. You get no beginning, you get no end; on songs like "Hard to Explain" you?re dropped off in the middle to wonder about the pre's and post of the story. The Velvet Underground/Lou Reed sound is there, but with the keyboards and stiff drums which dropout in a couple key points of the song leaving the bass giving a catchy little twist to the song, they remind me of the Cure, EARLY Cure. Wait, what does it matter? I have yet to hear a truly repulsing Cure song really, and number the Cure?s earlier songs as some of the best art-punk songs ever written (I.E. "Grinding Halt", "Cairo" and of course, "Standing on a Beach"). Just as tides have changed and Joy Division are seeing some better opinions in certain circles, we, with 'we' meaning the Neoteric Directorate (you know who you are) have a LONG way to go with the Cure.

The side B track, "New York City Cops" features even more of that great story telling. I listen to the song and try to picture the scene being sung about in my head. I have a pretty good imagination really, thank god, so I really just get lost in this track. The song is upbeat and not only features that same ol' Lou Reed comparison and that new Cure comparison, but I?m going WAY out there and saying that I am hearing some Iggy Pop solo stuff in here too. No, not Stooges.... I said Iggy's SOLO stuff dumb-ass. I, for one, see Iggy's solo career as just as inspiring as his work with The Stooges. I feel "New York City Cops" could easily be on an LP like "New Values."

Yeah, Shake It Records said they have sold like twenty of the first CDEP, which is a pretty good amount for Cincinnati really. Hell, just standing around inside Shake It Records Chip Slob told me I should buy a book that just came in about the Who that I remember browsing at when I was over his house once. I done had both these singles in my "to buy" pile and while he talked to me I was preparing to play "Modern Age" for another store patron that I knew and asked what was around that was worth buying. I told Chip that if he would buy a copy of "Unknown Pleasures" by Joy Division, I would buy that book about the Who. No Dice... Chip wasn't that BRAVE.

So I place "Modern Age" on the turntable and CRANK IT UP DUDE. JB, Shake It proprietor, instantly begins a form of half dancing much like myself. When I hear the Strokes and when JB hears The Strokes too, it?s time to move! That guy who I played "Modern Age" for ended up getting a copy of that CDEP. Today I called and reserved my import copy of the new full length. "Fuckin' A JB!!!" I tell him, "I will be down there on Wednesday to pick it up!" We talk for a minute about how cool the release is (he was listening to it) and I ask him "So it?s THAT good huh?" "Yeah" he responds, "The Strokes are going to save rock and roll."

"I know" I responded, "I know?" (SAB)
*(Beggars Banquet/XL Recordings 580 Broadway suite 1004 NYC, NY 10012)

[wnkrs]

---- blankgen

[Scrod Prickknee]

---- blankgen

Yeah, Joe did an interview with them early on that I think he never printed. Everybody seemed to like the Strokes. I thought they were OK. For something that was played on mainstream radio, they were great.

[vint]

How did Blank Gen people know about Strokes if they were on a major label right away and never did any time in the underground? They didn't tour or anything before they were already signed and shit right? Where did one even hear about them prior to Rolling Stone/Mtv?

[Vince Clortho Keymaster of Gozac]

When I went to see the band some three weeks ago, the club was packed with a bunch of pseudo-important local rock journalists quipping remarks like, "I bet these guys fucking suck," in anger from their guest-list spots being bumped down a few spaces...

Out of curiosity why would one be mad if their name was towards the bottom of the guestlist vs. the top? Pray tell.

[Whet Bull]

They played a lot in NYC before The Modern Age EP came out.  That EP was on XL, I think, but it was really a local phenomenon more than anything.  They got a big writeup in the Voice that prompted a lot of people (me included) to seek out the EP.  There was nothing else like it at the time and I dug the hell out of it.  "The Modern Age" actually reminded me a little bit of the early Fells, when they were more of a Velvets/Modern Lovers influenced garage band.  I don't think anyone expected them to blow up the way they did.  There was a lot of anticipation for the album.  Kim's got copies of the import CD and I bought it pretty much the day it arrived, as did a lot of people.

[AYL08]

Being the children of the wealthy NYC fashion/culture elite probably helped them out a bit on getting a record deal.

[vint]

Around the same time there was the White Stripes who a lot of people I know had been fans of for years in the underground, and whatever that Swedish band was that used to be on Epitaph that a lot of GB/Milwaukee kids seemed to dig, but it seemed like here in WI with the Strokes they were completely unknowns one minute and then big the next.