The Strokes, Is This It

Travis makes playlists for me on a weekly basis to listen to at work. On Thursdays, about five songs in, I find the "Album of the Week".  One week, it is a new album, or at least one that is new to us and the next week, it is a classic album as dictated by playlist creater and producer, Travis Kreider.  This week, it was The Strokes, Is This It.  This is one of those albums that I knew I loved the first time I heard it.  In fact, I remember being quite obsessed with it, and when I was out with friends one night I was enjoying it so much I didn't want to get out of the car to go inside to have a drink until the album was over.  My recollection is that one of my friends stuck around for a few minutes, but then he also decided to go in when one song ended and I started singing along with the next, leaving me to sit in the car. Just me...and The Strokes. 

As I listened on my way to work this morning telling my toddler what a good album this is that Daddy chose, I was trying to recall what year this album must have come out, and I actually was correct in my guess of 2001.  As much as I love music, I am not usually the one that knows release dates or what song belongs to what album or what the drummer's name is.  I just know when I like a song!  Occasionally, though, I do think I might be able to form a long-standing relationship with a band or artist and decide that I want to get to know them more intimately.  Hungry for more information, I will peel open their cd sleeve and absorb it front, middle, and back.  I somehow know that Fabrizio dated Drew Barrymore, but it didn't last. I've also heard buzzes about Julian Casablancas solo projects that haven't really held my attention even though I enjoy his slight raspiness as lead singer of The Strokes.  I must share that I also love all of the repetitious "a" sounds in his last name.  At the time, I didn't know that I would get to know bandmember Albert Hammond, Jr., better than the rest.  His short stature and unruly hair, make him the perfect underdog, the likes of whom I am always rooting for, and Spooky Couch is one of my favorite indulgences.  It is lengthy and inviting and can take you anwhere you want to go.  Maybe I should have a bumber sticker that says, I  ♥ Garage Bands.  Nah.