It wouldn’t be hyperbolic to say that The Strokes’ debut Is This It? is a musical epoch. Many of us can remember the first time we heard it and the ensuing obsession that became a lasting addiction. The Strokes, young and unintentionally cool, kicking over mic stands (or more literally picking them up and throwing them), became a band that would shape a generation’s music. Many prominent figures in the indie scene today (i.e., Arctic Monkeys, and Tokyo Police Club, etc.) credit them as a major influence. Is This It?, one of the few flawless albums to date, is nearing its ten year anniversary this Saturday and in that spirit, Stereogum asked 11 indie bands to cover each track. Each track is carefully and respectfully reinvented.
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1. Peter Bjorn & John – Is This It? Delightful Choice!
A glossy opener, it’s evident that Swedish trio Peter Bjorn & John did not take the task of covering the Strokes lightly. They do not deviate from the original track, though it is sped up and revamped with electric guitars and a synthy twist. It is clear they were not trying to meddle with the originality of the song. “We just wanted to play it as good as we could,” John Erikson told Stereogum. It’s nothing game changing but it is a job well done.
2. Chelsea Wolfe – The Modern Age
Chelsea Wolfe takes a sedated take on “The Modern Age.” It’s lo-fi and heavy like something from a bad dream, but in a surprisingly cool way. It’s not utterly shocking to hear that she had been taking “lots of heavy cough syrup” when she recorded it.
3. Frankie Rose – Soma Delightful Choice!
Frankie Rose’s sugar-coated take on “Soma” is a sort of shimmering memory. It’s enjoyable and nostalgic in a sort of 1990’s romantic comedy kinda way, but not as formulaic. Emphasis on synth and heavy drums serves to keep the song fast-moving and smooth but also utterly enjoyable.
4. Real Estate – Barely Legal Delightful Choice!
According to Martin Courtney, Real Estate was influenced by the Strokes from the beginning, starting a Strokes coverband at 15. They did a really nice job of making “Barely” Legal” their own. It embraces the edge that makes Real Estate such a unique (and kickass) band, meanwhile maintaining the original vibes of the song.
5. Wise Blood – Someday
Wise Blood’s take on “Someday” is nearly a new track entirely. It’s edgy and indie, embellished and austere. It’s a complex arrangement but it holds onto the original structure of the song. “I decided to try and stick with the way the song develops,” Chris Laufman said.
6. Austra – Alone, Together
Katie Stelmanis said she had a tough time with the cover but eventually embraced it as an Austra song. It has definitely been tailored to her style, but it succeeds in still managing to sound like the original Strokes song, quite a feat when refashioning something already considered flawless.
7. The Morning Benders – Last Nite Delightful Choice!
San Francisco natives the Morning Benders dissembled the album’s first single “Last Nite” and restructured it into an undeniably fun pop jam. They took the seemingly sporadic assembly of the original track and organized it into something structured but pretty damn catchy.
8. Owen Pallet – Hard To Explain
Owen Pallet’s rendition of “Hard To Explain” is a really lovely classical composition. It opens with the original melody delivered by violins and Pallet’s emotion-driven vocals. It really manages to harness the sentiment of the song in a beautiful way.
9. Heems – New York City Cops
Heems takes a “fuck tha police” approach to “New York City Cops,” a song that originally lamented that “New York City cops ain’t too smart.” All Himanshu Suri had to say about what influenced his interpretation of the song:
“Michael Stewart, Eleanor Bumpurs, Amadou Diallo, Patrick Dorismond, Alberta Spruill, Timothy Stansbury, Abner Louima, Sean Bell, Ousmane Zongo, Randolph Evans, Anthony Baez, Clifford Glover, and Fermin Arzou were senselessly beaten or killed by the NYPD while unarmed.”
10. Deradoorian – Trying Your Luck
Deradoorian’s rendition of “Trying Your Luck” is slightly more lethargic than the original, with a subtle sort of reggae twist. It’s well structured, gleaned and sweetly catchy. It shifts the emphasis on the lyrics in such a way that it seems less mournful and more optimistic than the original.
11. Computer Magic – Take It Or Leave It Delightful Choice!
Computer Magic is perhaps most suited to cover the album’s closing track. Newwave and futuristic it is a perfect testament to the timelessness of the album. Yet Danielle Johnson still manages to make it her own. Like every other song on the tribute, uniquely refurbished, it offers much more than a cover to a classic song.
