The Strokes – Room on Fire

Blue Collar Doesn’t Mean Bad

Some people say that to be good music, it has to be experimental. I don’t quite understand that sentiment. Sometimes, music can just be “good.” It doesn’t have to start any trends, push any envelopes, or make anyone mad. It can just be solidly written music.The Strokes second album, Room on Fire, is a fine example of this. It isn’t terribly far from its older sibling, and is what could be referred to as “Blue Collar” Rock and Roll. That’s not saying that it’s “the working man’s music,” like Bruce Springsteen. It’s simply stating that it’s not investigational like Radiohead, or offensively unintelligent and dull like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. It’s truly just a solid rock album, non-confrontational, stripped down and simple. It’s what all of those other cookie-cutter garage-rock revival bands wish they could be, but can’t achieve due to lack of talent and/or creativity.

This album is a nice subdued follow-up to the Strokes’ first, Is This It. Like the first, it is well-written, well-performed, and well-recorded. It is upbeat yet relaxed, fun, and joyous. It has fast yet simple plodding drumbeats, heavy gut-wrenching bass, hop-y rhythm guitar, and swooning, sometimes Cake-like [and overly distorted] vocals. Its melodies are sweet and sing-able, with subtly surprising little mid-song twists and turns. Room on Fire will make you want to dance amidst other sweaty bodies after a long day at work. It’ll stick itself in your brain. But above all, it’ll make you see that average, normal, un-experimental, and blue collar doesn’t mean bad.