The New 'New Wave': Strokes, White Stripes, Hives, & Black Rebel Motorcycle Club | |
by Amanda
|
 |
Far be it for me to go about proclaiming new musical movements, but there seems to be a trend brewing in the form of quality punk/garage bands. It's been ten years since the last big musical breakout, the grunge movement of the early 90's, so it seems we're about due for another one. Let me introduce you to do the players in the new musical wave; The Strokes, The White Stripes, The Hives and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club!
The Strokes, of course, are the most well known out of this motley jumble of musicians. Hailing from New York, they extol the virtues of the Ramones, New York Dolls and all things punk. Their album, Is This It, shot to number two on the UK charts, held off only by Slipknot, and stayed in the top 40 for a considerable length of time. Although a little over-rated, having been jumped on so comprehensively by music journalists desperate for something new to write about, they are still a good, worthwhile band. They excel in live performances, according to attendees to their recent UK gigs.
The White Stripes are another hyped band, but curiously not for their musical ability. Perhaps dismayed on having missed out on The Strokes, the UK tabloid press jumped on a White Stripes rumor started by Ben Nugent in Time magazine. According to the rumor, splashed about on the front pages of such rags as The Sun, and The Mirror, The White Stripes' members, Jack and Meg, who have 'posed' as brother and sister are secretly an ex-married couple. Although this is not something particularly interesting to music fans, the British tabloids are pretty pumped over it. Forget the fact that The Stripes are a very good band. Forget the fact that they have been around for a fair while, with everyone ignoring them - this is hot news! Forgive the sarcasm, but I find it all a little over the top. As did Meg and Jack, who know have been refusing media interviews, save a few select, more reputable publications.
The important thing, of course, is the music. The Stripes have been releasing material since 1999, starting with their self-titled debut, The White Stripes, continuing to 2000's blues-infused De Stilj and lastly this year's slightly musically schizophrenic White Blood Cells. Mostly a blues-based band, with odd country elements to their songs, (see the new single Hotel Yorba) The Stripes combine an excellent mix of traditional American sounds with a wonderful punk energy. The albums bring to mind stripped down Led Zeppelin, not a surprising comparison, as Meg's drums are worthy of John Bonham, and Jack layers his guitars in a very Zeppelin-esque manner. None of the tracks contain a bass line. This however, does not leave the songs sounding flat. The sheer weight of the drums and guitar produce a wall of sound quite unlike anything else. The sound that results is simple, energetic and one quite their own.
The Hives hail from Sweden, and are a straightforward Punk band. Formed in 1993 in Fagestra, Sweden, the band quickly signed to the Burning Heart label. They have crashed through the sound barrier recently in the UK, with the single "Main Offender". Their albums, Barely Legal, a.k.a I-D-I-O-T and Veni Vidi Vicious all exude a punk energy rekindled from 1977. Their lead singer has the right sound, able to scream in a way Julian Casablancas can only dream about. Their guitars as raw and ready, this band is punk.
The last band is Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. They come from San Francisco, so perhaps there is some influence there. The sound is punk, loud, fast, and furious. The singer's voice is ok, the guitars good. Check it out. |
|
|
|
-- | Don't you have anything to say? Isn't there something people should know? Does Carson Daly know more about music than you? Join the resistance and write an article or review for rootnode today. |
| |
|
