#i pretty much just dumped this into google translate but i did proofread it so i can verify that it's at least decently accurate

[sophaeros]

the strokes for hmv, oct-nov 2003 / issue 134

The Strokes' second album is filled with even more firm conviction and determination than their debut, which attracted attention and became a hot topic all over the world. I want you to listen to this sound and this melody as soon as possible. You will feel their conviction.

Unwavering. The Strokes' latest and second album, "Room on Fire," is firmly imprinted with the unwavering way that The Strokes are. In other words, it is a work that clearly shows that The Strokes' perspective on what expression is has not wavered since their debut. The strength of their conviction is striking, and my trust in this band is only increasing. In addition, the song development has become more innovative, yet they have not lost the naturalness that makes them easy to listen to as "good songs." No matter how many times I listen to it, I never get bored and it gets me excited. Every sound is surprising, and I grow to love the fact that these sounds, these melodies, and the lyrics were created. It's so lovely that I can't even find anything to compare it to.

After listening to this new work, I want you to listen to the debut album again. What should become clear is that their debut album had neither the hype nor the nostalgic perspective that has often been used to criticize them. Tell that to those who call them revivalists. The seriousness of these five members, who continue to experiment with how to express the spontaneous worldview of a song in a performance without excess or deficiency, is what led to the overwhelming melodies, sound textures, and overall image of that debut album. And on this second album, that aspect has been further refined. "I think that no matter what kind of band you are, you should never lose your objectivity towards yourself. You always have to keep in mind what is wrong and what is right. When you tour, you see all those different things. And when you tour, you often rediscover songs in that sense. The more you practice, the closer you communicate with the band, and the more you understand how to communicate. We capture those different aspects on tape when we record. All the different moments we've experienced up until now were all used in the recording." (Fab Moretti: Ds) 

Saying this, Fab shows a friendly smile. After touring, every day passes, and what you gained and the gaps you didn't gain are all reflected in the sound. In recent years, rock has forgotten that "expression" is a reflection of the way you live. However, they have a strong will to change themselves, which bands who are eager to pursue intentional "change" have overlooked. They rely on what comes from within themselves and spin their sounds. The result is this wonderful latest work. The Strokes' appearance was not a revival of rock. Rather, I think they were instrumental in spreading the self-sacrificing seriousness of "rock expression" to people of all ages and genders. "Our goal is always to make the song sound as comfortable as possible when it reaches our ears. We have never compromised on that point since our debut. Even painters don't think about how they want to be received when they use certain colors or paint certain pictures, they just paint as they like. It's the same thing." (Fab)

It is clearer than ever that this band is not "Julian and friends," but that the five members' personalities and keen sensibilities for sound interact to create a thrilling sound. Listen to the guitars of Albert and Nick, the bass of Nikolai, and the drums of Fab separately. It is a masterpiece that is both lovable and dignified, so much so that you want to scoop up every little bit of what each person is trying to do and embrace them.

Text by Nami Imozawa