The Strokes and The Arctic Monkeys

Today we have Day 3 of the ever incredible Austin City Limits festival! And as this is day three, marking the end of the first weekend, I am definitely going to keep up with the lineup they had this weekend. And on that note, Today I have music for you by a group that I have loved ever since middle school. To be quite honest I cannot believe I haven't posted a song by this band. Ever. I mean how disappointing is it that it has taken me over 3 years to post music by The Strokes on this blog?! For those of you who don't know, The Strokes is one of the most influential bands from the late 90's and 00's. Their work helped revive the garage rock genre and they have emerged as one of the few rock bands that have retained such a fantastic fan base. The Strokes is a band who has consistently delivered amazing music. And what sets them apart from all the others, is how raw and eclectic their sound is. I mean when you hear this song, it sounds nothing like the "popular" bands we hear today. Naturally this comes from the idea that sounds evolve and popularity of music changes between genres. But The Strokes have been able to maintain this gritty and slightly untamed sound while still being a band that we can all listen to and enjoy. The thing about this band is that they went on this very long hiatus. Too long if you ask me. But at the same time, it gave them the ability to release their wild music back into the world, amongst the songs filled with synthesizers and auto tune. The Strokes gives us a refreshing reminder of what music can also sound like and look like. The Strokes takes us back to the time when rock music of all kinds ruled the sound waves and grungier the sound, the better. With this song, we definitely get that raw power. And what is really cool is the way the guitar melodies echo each other. That is one of the things that is very unique to The Strokes. Their guitar work is uncanny and completely recognizable as their own. The Stokes has this jerky kind of guitar work, one that doesn't perfectly sync up or layer. There is just enough looseness to give the guitar work some leeway to slow down and speed up. But the percussion gives enough restraint so that the guitar work fits within a certain tempo. And this is what gives The Strokes their full and feisty sound. There is this feeling and sense of lack of control, but at the same time, there is this firm grip keeping the song in place. And of course Julian Casablancas' voice is to die for. He has this gravelly sound to his voice, which he can turn on and off at ease. Impressive on all accounts. And I absolutely The Strokes and am definitely disappointed I did not get to see them. On the flip side, they are finally back on tour and doing some promotion work for their new work. I am so excited to hear what they have in store for us! Today's instrumental song has to be by a band that has a very similar sound. The Arctic Monkeys is a band that can go hand in hand with The Strokes. They both have this grunge-y sound and they know how to utilize their instruments well. A statement kind of song. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!