The Strokes

BEST BALLADS OF 2021

Posted on by JL

What is a ballad?

According to Dictionary.com it is:

1. Any light, simple song, especially one of sentimental
or romantic character, having two or more stanzas all
sung to the same melody.
2. A simple narrative poem of folk origin, composed
in short stanzas and adapted for singing.
3. Any poem written in a similar style.
4. A sentimental or romantic popular song.

Okay, I just wanted to check if I picked the right songs here.

Below you find TUTV’s Ballads Of 2021 Spotify playlist with
a total of 30 beauties that I picked from the past 12 months.

And here’s the TOP 10…

1. ‘Ode To The Mets’ by THE STROKES (NYC)

I played this song almost every single day this year.
So this is unquestionably the one that moved me the
most. From their newest LP The New Abnormal.

Just marvelous…

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2. Albuquerque by NICK CAVE & WARREN ELLIS (Australia)

From the two bad seeds’ goosebumps album Carnage.

We won’t get to anywhere, darling
Anytime this year
We won’t get to anywhere, darling
Unless I dream you there

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3. Samurai by ALAN VEGA (Brooklyn)

The late Suicide legend had a lost album out this year
called Mutator. One of those rare lost albums that are
actually really good. Samurai is one of the dark
highlights.

Haunting and mysterious…

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4. ‘Love Kills Slowly’ by ICEAGE (Danmark)

The passion-driven Danish outfit finally hit the bull’s eye
with their fifth longplayer Seek Shelter. A near-perfect
opus with this slow-burning torch…


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5. ‘My America’ by ONISM E (San Antonio, Texas)

Stand out track from these young Texans’ debut album Survivors.

The lyrics are crystal clear. America is not what Hollywood tells you. It has become
a dangerously divided country where racism and far-right rebirth stimulated by
charlatan Trump and his ruthless entourage are frighteningly realistic (again).

Alarming feelings expressed with heavy-heartedness…


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6. ‘Like I Used To’ by SHARON VAN ETTEN and ANGEL OLSEN

Finally, it happened. The two heavenly voices and
gorgeous Amazons teamed up for a tower of song…

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7. ‘Skin’ by BASEMENT REVOLVER (Hamilton, Ontario)

A brave and affecting pop pearl. An inspiring encouragement for
the countless girls/women and boys/men worldwide, struggling with
the looks of their body when it doesn’t correspond with society’s
everlasting sexist perception of how a body should look like, as
we all know.

Singer/songwriter Chrisy Hurn sounds as if she’s
related to The Sundays‘ grand voice Harriet Wheeler.

Magnificent…

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8. ‘Weeping Willow’ by MODERN MOXIE (South-Carolina)

This nostalgic gem has that melancholic and magical feel we, adults,
are familiar with. Looking back at good times gone. This wistful lullaby
brings tears to your eyes.

Wondrous…


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9. ‘Monterey’ by OCEANOGRAPHY (Oakland)

This is the solo project of Oakland-based singer-songwriter,
and multi-instrumentalist Brian Kelly.

“Monterey is a tribute to my big sister who I lost last year. I hope you
enjoy it and it provides some comfort for any loss you’ve experienced.”

Universal feelings of loss, mourning, and tristesse. Heartbreaking…

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10. ‘Carry Me On’ by THE BANKROBBER (Italy)

Feels like a nightly gloaming. Acoustic, soul-searching
and intimate tenderness for the twilight hours.

Bellissimo…

The full 30-song strong list..

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TOUCHÉ AMORÉ – Hard To Explain Why Post Hardcore Gang Covers THE STROKES

Posted on by JL

8 August 2021

Band: TOUCHÉ AMORÉ
Who: Post hardcore gang from Los Angeles
Active: Since 2007 / 5 studio albums so far.

Cover: HARD TO EXPLAIN

Original by New York City’s boys band The Strokes.
A track from their much-acclaimed debut LP Is This It,
released 20 years ago.

Touché Amoré don’t really change the song much, except
turning up the decibels way high and screaming their lungs
to pieces. That’s cool with me. What about you?

Scream here…


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The original stroke…

Touché Amouré: Twitter

THE STROKES – Striking Debut Album ‘IS THIS IT’ Released 20 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

30 July 2021

Band: THE STROKES (New York City)
Active: Since 1998 / 6 studio albums (so far)

Album: IS THIS IT – debut LP
Released: 30 July 2001 – 20 years ago today
Came out first in Australia, later in the UK, and US
Score: #2 in the UK, #5 in Australia, #33 in the US

Pitchfork: “The Strokes have struck an incredible balance between
the two extremes of rock music: sentimentality and listlessness. Any
sentimentality in these songs’ lyrics is countered by Casablancas’ self-
reliant indifference, and his listless delivery is offset by the band’s fervid
attack. Beyond that, it’s hard to pinpoint what exactly it is about the
Strokes that keeps me listening. All I know is that it’s not easy to come
by, and I like it. A lot.” Full review here. Score: 9/10.

Turn Up The Volume: Along with The White Stripes these New York
darlings – the champions of jingle-jangle rock – dominated the first
years of the new Millenium. The Strokes looked cool, acted cool, and
made a tremendously cool debut album. This was it.

Singles: Hard To Explain / Last Nite / Someday

– HARD TO EXPLAIN –

– LAST NITE –

– SOMEDAY –

Full album…

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THE STROKES: All Albums – Facebook

Melancholia At Its Magical Best – ‘ODE TO THE METS’ By THE STROKES

Posted on by JL

13 March 2021

ODE TO THE METS is the closing beauty on the brilliant 2020 longplayer
THE NEW ABNORMAL by New York City darlings THE STROKES. A truly
stupendous ballad that makes the hair in the back of my neck stand up
every single time I heard/hear this phenomenal pearl with a breathtaking
vocal exploit by JULIAN CASABLANCAS.

He started writing the lyrics after the 2016 National League Wild Card Game (baseball)
lost by his favorite team New York Mets. Over the years the title remained unchanged
but is not actually about the baseball team. It’s a reverie you can relate to the way you want yourself.

It’s melancholia at its magical best. I heard Ode To The Mets about a million times
so far and will listen to it about a million times more. It’s one of those rare genial
songs you just can’t get tired of.

The lines of the final part…

“Gone now are the old times
Forgotten, time to hold on the railing
The Rubik’s Cube isn’t solving for us
Old friends, long forgotten
They all wait at the bottom of
The ocean now has swallowed
The only thing that’s left is us
So pardon the silence that you’re hearing
Is turnin’ into a deafening
Painful, shameful roar”

The diamond…

THE STROKES: Facebook

The New Abnormal
in full…