Alone, Together - The Strokes - Is This It? - 2001

I moved to NYC when I was 25 (in the summer of 2000). And for the few years after, that was the clear line of demarcation for my life; pre-NYC and post...it was understandable to have nostalgia for the pre-NYC days, but the post days were my undeniable present...but 8 years down the line funny things have happened and my perceptions have changed. This album is an interesting barometer of those developments.

Not to drop an indie-cred bomb, but I was at the first Strokes show at Bowery, when they opened for GBV on Valentine's Day of 2001. (Does seeing the Strokes first show even count as Indie-cred anymore?). My girlfriend at the time lived a couple hours away and valentine's day was mid-week. All of my friends had in town girl friends, so I went to the show alone and watched from the balcony. My feelings about the album that band would go onto release went from "Huh, this is a fun album" to "Oh dear God, if I hear this album one more time I will go on a killing spree" to "Wow, I haven't heard this album in forever, it reminds me of that time in 2001 when..."

And all of the sudden I have nostalgia for a time I didn't even realize was all that long ago...strange stuff.

Anyway, the album actually holds up pretty well. It's not amazing, but it is what it is.