the strokes - "electricityscape" (from the first impressions of earth lp, available for preorder here.)

in brief : belongs on the radio, indeed.

you know, not enough bands emulate blondie. certainly, there have been scores of bands of guys w/ hot chick singers, but that captures only a small part of the appeal (and considering that debbie harry's appeal is extraordinary, perhaps you get the sense of the esteem in which i hold the band's music). many of my favorite moments on the last strokes album sounded as if they could have been extra tracks from the recent reissues of blondie and parallel lines, "12:51" only the most obvious. the guys have now worked their way up to eat to the beat--and first impressions is as patchy as that album--and what they've learned from that record is on display on "electricityscape."

not sure what it's about, but i'll suppose it's a love song, as i like to suppose that all things are love songs. julian sings, "you belong on the radio," the line coming across as a compliment as worthy as telling someone they belong on the stage or screen, and it leads directly into a guitar break that solidifies his meaning. it surges and looms large like a skyline; it provides the sort of charge that one receives when hearing a favorite song on the radio or when catching someone's eye from across the room. it's all v. "union city blue" and it's further proof of why i think nick valensi and albert hammond jr. are the finest guitar duo going right now. now if they'd only do "heart of glass" ...