The Strokes - 'The End Has No End' (Rough Trade)
4/5
By: Thomas Hannan
Occasionally, an A-side is in danger of being overshadowed by what's on the flip; 'We Will Rock You', Radiohead's 'Talk Show Host', Oasis' 'Acquiesce' and a few others of note all started their now legendary lives on the wrong side of a piece of vinyl. Similarly, this looks to be the case with this tidy little offering, featuring as it does an incendiary, slurred but vitriolic cover of The Clash's 'Clampdown' live from the Alexandra Palace last year.
It's an excellent cover, and reason alone for buying the single - it sinks its teeth in, shakes you around and refuses to let go. Very unlike the A-side in fact, which for the most part is one of The Strokes' more pedestrian efforts to date. That's not to say it's lethargic - just a little less raucous; that brilliant 'is that a guitar or a keyboard?' sound returns from its debut in the awesome '12:51', and the song craft is once again second to none. It does kick in eventually, Julian's growl unleashing the full fury hinted at in every step of the cautious creeping of the rest of the tune.
So a rugged, unlikely anthem is overshadowed by a top-notch cover of another masterpiece; no matter. Just think, when was the last time you had two reasons to buy a single?
Artists in this article: The Strokes
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