Various Artists: Yes New York : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

As with any musical event seized upon by fashionistas and record labels, the recently burgeoning New York rock scene has been a bit overblown, having produced only a handful of bands anyone'll remember in five years. But this sixteen-track compilation does a good job documenting the sounds and youthful energy generated by the scene, featuring everything from Le Tigre's New Wave-flavored "Deceptacon" to Interpol's gorgeous, languid ballad "NYC." One of the best tracks is a live version of the Strokes' "New York City Cops" (chorus: "New York City cops/ They ain't too smart"), which proves that even when acute political protest takes a back seat to gritty guitar slashing, it's still kind of fun to hear young kids passionately try their hands at both. New York rock is dead, long live New York rock.

CHRISTIAN HOARD
(RS 926, July 10, 2003)