Upon the release of their debut album, Is This It, in 2001, the group was met with much critical acclaim, being hailed by some as the "saviors of rock and roll." NME made Is This It their Album of the Year. Since then, the band has maintained a large fan base, notably in the UK, US and Australia. As of 2007, Is This It has sold over 3.5 million copies worldwide.
They released their second album Room on Fire in October 2003, to good reviews, but to less success commercially, although it still went gold. The album's sound maintained the Strokes' familiar reference points, while also evoking groups such as The Cars, Bob Marley, and Blondie. In the process, they made the cover of Spin Magazine for the second time, with each member receiving his own cover. They also made the cover of Rolling Stone for the first time. Additional media coverage of the band came from the relationship between Moretti and actress Drew Barrymore, which ended in January 2007.
In late September 2005, "Juicebox", the first single from The Strokes then unreleased third album, was leaked online, forcing the single's release date to be advanced. The single was then released as an exclusive on online download services. "Juicebox" became The Strokes' second UK Top 10 hit, as well as their second US Modern Rock Top 10 success. During November and December 2005 the Strokes did a promotional tour for the still unreleased album, which involved doing one-off shows in major cities around the world.
Their third album, First Impressions of Earth, was released in January 2006 to mixed reviews and debuted at number four in the US and number one in the UK, a first for the band. In Japan it went gold within the first week of release. It was also the most downloaded album for two weeks on iTunes. Fraiture claimed that the album was "like a scientific breakthrough". In January 2006, the band then made their second appearance on Saturday Night Live playing "Juicebox" and "You Only Live Once".
The Strokes' frontman Julian Casablancas and guitarist Nick Valensi started writing new material for their band's forthcoming new album in the latter stages of January 2009, which they were set to go in the studio to finalize in February of the same year. In February 2010, Julian Casablancas told NME that the band's fourth album was set to be released in September 2010. The release date has been pushed back again, and the album, titled "Angles" will now be released March 22, 2011 in America. The album's first single, "Under Cover of Darkness" was made available as a free download from the band's website on February 9, 2011 for a 48 hour period.
The Strokes' fifth album is called "Comedown Machine" and was released on March 26th 2013 In North America and March 25th in the U.K. The first single is called "All the Time".
They released their first collection of material after their departure from RCA, the Future Present Past EP, in June 2016 through Casablancas' independent Cult Records label.
Later that decade, the Strokes began working with Rick Rubin on a new album. In April 2020 they released their first studio album in seven years, The New Abnormal, through Cult and RCA. Critics generally considered the album a return to form.
Official website: http://www.thestrokes.com
Electricityscape
The Strokes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Old friends don't realize I'm here
I wish two drinks were always in me
I'd pretend I had the perfect ear
Take me to the water
Make me understand that I was wrong
For me, tomorrow is my first day
It's almost after midnight
I can see the city lights, we're here
Change your mind tonight
You belong to the city now
And you're closer now, I know
You belong on the radio
Well, I swear I'll give it back tomorrow
But for now, I think that I'll just borrow
All the chords from that song
And all the words from that other song
I heard yesterday
Change your mind tonight
You belong to the city now
And you're closer now, I know
You belong on the radio
I will not disturb you
I was just returning you the compliment
"Electricityscape" explores themes of isolation, detachment, and the desire for escape. The opening line "Oh, it's strange to impress a mirror" suggests a sense of disconnection from oneself, as if the persona is not sure of who they are or what they want to be. The following line "Oh friends don't realize I'm here" reinforces this idea of detachment from others, as if the persona is surrounded by people but still feels alone. They wish to be under the influence of alcohol all the time, which can be a way to escape reality and its complexities.
The chorus brings in the idea of change and belonging to the city. The persona seems to be questioning their identity and wondering where they fit in, wishing for a change. The refrain "Change your mind, tonight, you belong to the city now" can be interpreted as a desire to give in to the city and fully embrace its energy and vibrant atmosphere. Yet, the following line "I will not disturb you, I was just returning you the compliment" suggests that the persona is aware of the city's overpowering effect and does not want to disrupt it, simply paying it back through their own presence.
Overall, "Electricityscape" is an evocative and introspective song that explores the complexities of human relationships, the need for escape, and the search for identity in an urban environment. It highlights the struggle that many people go through to find a sense of belonging in a fast-paced and often overwhelming world.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh it's strange to impress a mirror
It feels bizarre to try to impress oneself while looking in the mirror
Oh friends don't realize I'm here
The singer feels unnoticed by their friends and wishes they could stand out more
I wish two drinks were always in me
The singer wishes they were always a little tipsy because they feel more confident and carefree when they've had a few drinks
I pretend I had the perfect day
The artist pretends to have had a great day even though they might not have
Take me to the water
The artist wants to be taken somewhere peaceful, like the water
Make me understand that I was wrong
The singer wants someone to help them see their mistakes and learn from them
For me tomorrow is my first day
The singer sees each day as a new opportunity to start fresh
So please don't tempt at a wrong way
The artist asks for guidance and support to make sure they don't make mistakes and go down the wrong path
Its almost after midnight
It's almost the end of the night
I can see the city lights ahead
The artist sees the bright lights of the city in the distance
Change your mind, tonight
The singer wants someone to change their mind tonight
You belong to the city now
The person in question now belongs to the city
When you're closer now I know
The singer realizes the person in question is now closer to them
You belong on the radio
The person in question should be famous and heard by many people through the radio
I swear I'll give it back tomorrow
The singer promises to return something they borrowed the next day
But for now I think that ill just borrow
The artist decides to hang onto the borrowed item for a bit longer
All the quotes from that song
The artist remembers and holds onto all the lyrics from that song
And all the words from whatever song I heard
The singer also remembers and holds onto lyrics from other songs they've heard
Yes that day
Specifically, they remember these lyrics from that day
I will not disturb you
The artist doesn't want to bother or inconvenience someone else
I was just returning you the compliment
The artist sees their actions as simply returning a favor or kind gesture that was shown to them
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Julian Casablancas
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind