ACL Fest Preview: The Top Ten Strokes Songs

It’s ACL Weekend One, and after all the hubbub, the festival is upon us. Initially, I was surprised at the choice of offering up the Strokes as the Sunday headliner, but upon further consideration, I can see how easily they fit in. They’ve spent the last 15 years as a relevant musical act, whilst filling my own personal collection with hit after hit. People will rave about Arcade Fire and Modest Mouse, but when I think of the quintessential band of the 2000s, I think of these guys. Their first two albums alone could be played from front to back, and never miss a beat as far as enjoyment goes. I might be in the minority, but I think this is one of the best headliners the fest has had. So, I went through the catalog and picked out my Top Ten Strokes songs of all time, which should not only cement them as a great band, but as a great closer of Austin’s revered festival.  If you click on the track title, you’ll get a video link to hear the songs for yourself.

10) “Under Cover of Darkness” – When the Strokes first back onto the scene in 2011, I think a lot of people were a little unsure of what to expect from the band. I spent a lot of time with Angles, and while it’s probably the last in my list of the band’s favorites, I think this song got me because it was the one that sounded most like “The Strokes.”

9) “Ize of the World” – This track was hidden deep into First Impressions of Earth, which I think is severely underrated as a record. For all the flack that Julian Casablancas has gotten for his seeming monotone, I think his vocal play on this song is pretty spot on.

8) “One Way Trigger” – This was the track I expected from the first album the Strokes created when they came back, even though it comes later on Comedown Machine. For me, it seems to take all the collective talents of all five members of the group, then spins it into one tight pop ship. It was the perfect bridge between the band’s collective work and that of Julian’s foray into solo outings.

7) “Razorblade” – Another hit, for me anyways, off of First Impressions of Earth. You know those days when you just feel like playing shuffle in your iTunes? Well, the days when the guitar riff that opens this track comes on, I know it’s going to be a great day. Also, I think the Casablancas vocal performance here matches well with some of the jazzier riffs being pulled out form the guitars.

6) “I Can’t Win” – This track comes from my absolute adoration of the early work of The Strokes. I couldn’t put down either of their records; there was a simplicity, yet there was also this cool indifference. I really dig the solo in this track, but that ringing guitar sound from the Hammond and Valensi never hurt anyone. It also boasts a chorus that would be perfect for a late night club closing…or a big field on a Sunday evening.

5) “Take it Or Leave It” – I had heard about the Strokes well over a year before I finally heard this final track on their album. Looking back, it’s a fitting close. Whether it was intended or not, it left a message with listeners and journalists alike; you could take it or leave it…and let’s face it, who wasn’t taking it at this point. I appreciated the attitude in the song from Casablancas too; it’s the song that totally sold me on everything the band was and would become.

4) “Someday” – There might be some other hits on Is This It, but I think the reason this one stands out for me the most is that guitar work from AHJ. I can still picturing his playing style on songs like these; it’s one of those elements that I still think ultimately defines the group as a whole. Plus, they give a little love for the bass here, even if it’s only for a few measures as a whole. It’s abrupt ending also changed up the pacing of the album as a whole, which is always good when picking the tracking order…or says the man that’s never made an album.

3) “12:51” – This was our first taste of the Strokes follow-up to their break out album, and I can still remember it just like it was yesterday. I mean, they took their approach, filled it with handclaps, giving it a little more mass appeal, then continued their meteoric rise. Still holds a special place in my heart for all the burned CDs I made with this track on it. Oh, and the video…remember when we watched videos on TV?

2) “The End Has No End” – Hitting just before Room on Fire closes, this song proved to me that the band could construct a full album that kept you interested from start to finish, which not all bands did, or do. Julian’s tenacity contrasted with his calming delivery are the perfect way to construct a hit that will have listener’s coming back for more. I love the emphatic punch at the end, as repetitive as it might be.

1) “Last Nite” – It’s cliche. This is “the” song. Still, I don’t think there’s a single person of a certain age that just melted the first time you heard this song come on your stereo. It began a wave of music that still resonates in the modern indie music spectrum, and the larger music world, whether or not we’re ready to admit it or not. The fact that I still never tire of hearing this song almost 15 minutes is a tribute to its longevity and its lasting impression on my life.