Is This It

The first time you hear *Is This It*, you're struck by that feeling of immediacy, as if it were recorded the very instant it was conceived. And in part, it is. The music, composed by Julian Casablancas, feels raw, direct, without unnecessary embellishments. The idea was to capture a simple sound, without much studio manipulation. In fact, a large part of the compositions were shaped through live takes during the recording sessions. Casablancas, besides composing the music, continued to capture the experiences and relationships of young people in the city in his lyrics, a recurring theme in his work.

This track, which lasts just 2 minutes and 35 seconds, is part of The Strokes' debut album, originally released in 2001. It was recorded in New York, at the Transporterraum studio, during March and April of that year, under the production of Gordon Raphael. The title, as Casablancas explained, came about somewhat improvisationally. They had the song ready, but without a defined chorus. It was then that, looking for something to complete that section, he sang the phrase that gives it its name, and so it remained. The album had different releases: in Australia through RCA Records, and in the United Kingdom with Rough Trade Records.