Tuesday, September 1, 2009

26. The Strokes "Someday" (2001)

It's hard to believe that, earlier this decade, the Strokes were heralded as the saviors of rock music. Of course, rock didn't need saving. Radiohead had already released what was widely seen as their (still overrated) second masterpiece, Kid A. And indie rock was alive and well, as it usually is, creating great music under the radar. But popular rock was dominated by chest-bumping rap rock, pedestrian acts like Matchbox 20, and the last gasps of neo-grunge. The Strokes, with the White Stripes, ushered in a new aesthetic: the return of popular, stripped-down garage rock. (With that they also brought vogue to the definite article, with lesser bands like the Hives, the Vines, the Mooney Suzuki, and so on.)

"Someday" is a testament to the excitement of the Strokes' initial promise. While "Last Night" is their most popular song, "Someday" finds the Strokes at their petulant best. It epitomizes what was great about the band: Julian Casablancas' vocal matches, and plays with, the pop melody of the lead guitar, while the airtight rhythm section drives the music along.

Alas, the dream soon died, at least for the Strokes (and their ilk). They were never able to recapture the lightening that struck with their first album, Is This It. Still, "Someday" continues to remind us why we cared so much in the first place.

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The Strokes - Someday (Official Music Video) - The funniest bloopers are right here