My Twitter timeline yesterday was flooded, in a way, with tributes to the iconic 2001 debut album from The Strokes, âIs This Itâ â which Iâve written about previously in this music-menswear-craft beer newsletter (check out my daily style blog while youâre at it!). But thatâs not exactly the record weâre here to talk about today. You see, to me, the (20th!) anniversary of âIs This Itâ actually hits this October, when the American CD edition was initially released. Yesterdayâs anniversary, to get technical, marked the release of the record in Australia, of all places. But thatâs really beside the point. Any online discourse about The Strokes leads me to dive right back into the famed NYC bandâs catalog, as if I didnât listen enough already.
That leads me to todayâs post â Iâve been listening to the incredible garage rock of âIs This Itâ a ton lately, but moreso than that, Iâve found myself firing up (pun intended) the groupâs rip-roaring (at times), subtly sweet and heartbreaking second album, âRoom On Fire.â It goes pound-for-pound (at times) with âIs This It,â and it even inspires debate over which record is better. We wonât get into that debate today, but Iâll share one of my favorite Strokes songs off of that second record below. To go along with that track for your weekend, youâll get some shopping and sipping picks, per tradition. To check out my other bylines for some weekend reading, head to my portfolio here. Be sure to read, subscribe and tell all your friends!
What To Listen To This Weekend: âWhat Ever Happenedâ By The Strokes
âWhat Ever Happenedâ is one heck of a way to jumpstart the groupâs much-hyped, closely scrutinized second album, as guitars and drums crash and join the fray alongside the rasp-throated howl that is Julian Casablancas. Simply put, itâs a terrific track, one the band continues to play live to this day. And itâs also a fitting summation of the pressure and attention directed towards the quartet. They shot to fame after âIs This It,â and yet here, we have Julian singing, âI wanna be forgotten.â Itâs an interesting look at the pitfalls of fame, and Julian appeared much more anxious about the reception of this record than âIs This It.â If you ask me though, this song, with its blistering guitar and equally blistering vocals, is more than worthy of praise. Itâs part of the reason why (as of this week, at least) âRoom On Fireâ is my second-favorite record by The Strokes (Iâd wager you already know the first!). By this time, the band had also made a splash in the fashion world, to say the least. Without further ado, how about some Strokes-inspired menswear?
What To Shop This Weekend: Leviâs Sean At Work Denim Trucker Jacket
Past newsletter entries on The Strokes have also touched on the landmark fashion trends they helped spread, the downtown New York look quickly gaining steam across the globe. One such menswear staple, undeniably, is the denim jacket, which soon became an integral wardrobe piece if you fancied yourself an aspiring rocker or a âdowntown cool kid.â These days, it stands for much of the same in terms of style, recognizability and functionality, and with this Leviâs trucker jacket, you get a unique take on the classic silhouette. It also helps that itâs done up in an NYC-ready black denim. I think Julian would approve.
What To Sip This Weekend: Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn Lager
Todayâs beer is less about The Strokes itself or about New York City as it is about what the arrival of The Strokes meant. Stick with me here. The indie rock craze swept New York, and expensive at the same time and in the years after pushed artists out into Brooklyn â eventually. Brooklyn Brewery was well-established in Williamsburg by 2001, but mere years before, the area was still controlled by the mafia. As the NYC rock revival came roaring back, Brooklyn became a major part of the scene. Who was waiting there to provide some suds (if you had some extra cash, that is)? Why, thatâd be NYC staple beer Brooklyn Brewery and its excellent Brooklyn Lager, available citywide at every bodega and deli worth its salt. Itâs still a reliable beer these days, and itâs still a classic, kind of like âRoom On Fire.â You can even get it delivered to you via Drizly as you listen to todayâs Strokes classic. Cheers to that!
The Final Pick: Converse Colors Chuck Taylor All-Star
Look, you canât talk about The Strokes, lovers of denim jackets and Converse sneakers, without talking about, well, Converse sneakers themselves. The high-top sneakers have been in the style lexicon for years, worn by basketball players decades ago and eventually co-opted by stylish teens and indie rock stars the world over. Even today, theyâre a comfortable, easy-wearing and instantly recognizable set of stylish sneakers, and youâd do very well to make them yours. They even come in some eye-catching colors. Itâs another Strokes-inspired style steal, to say the least.
Although you might be at first tempted to listen to âIs This Itâ during your laidback weekend shopping and sipping, Iâm all for listening to âRoom On Fireâ instead (or perhaps, right after you listen to The Strokesâ debut). Itâs a seriously underrated and yet stellar record, and one of my favorites from this iconic band. Taken together alongside Converse sneakers and a Leviâs trucker jacket, itâs an unstoppable combination for any weekend, let alone a summer weekend where refreshing Brooklyn Lager is on hand. Let me know in the comments which Strokes album you prefer â Iâll be here to keep the conversation going. Cheers!