First Impressions of Earth - The Strokes

By Kevin Kobori

Juicebox Video

As a newcomer to The Strokes, their first CD, First Impressions of the Earth, was pleasantly surprising to hear. From their appearance, they seem to be punk, but appearances are very deceiving; it’s unlike American punk, it’s British punk. With a sound similar to the Beatles and Jet, their songs are neither obnoxious nor just noise.

~Jacob Smith

As a longtime fan of The Strokes, I was really looking forward to checking out their new album "First Impressions of Earth." The Strokes' last album "Room on Fire," is one of my all time favorite CD's.

"First Impressions of Earth" is a very good effort, but simply isn't as good as their last outing. I have no doubt that fans of the band will be pleased though. The album is not consistent, and that is the biggest problem. There are only a handful songs that are worth listening too more than once, and only two truly outstanding tracks.

The overall mood of the album is rather depressing, and I don't think that this direction particularly fits their sound very well. Listening to some of the tracks made me feel a bit glum. In addition, the lyrics aren't very well defined. The mix of the album focuses more on the instruments and less on the vocals. It is not all bad news however! There is a lot to like here.

The Strokes take their sound down the progressive route (prog-rock), while at the same time maintaining their overall classical rock style. You'll especially notice this when it comes to the guitar work, it's much more complicated. The songs that are good, are really good! The opening track "You Only Live Once," is one of the best songs I've listened too all year. All and all British punk rock is alive and well in The Strokes, and despite the shortcomings of the album, I would much rather listen to this than 99% of their competition. Now let's get to some of the songs:

You Only Live Once
Best song on the album! Absolutely perfect. You can really feel the emotions of the lyrics, and that they are coming from some place real. Casablanca's vocals blew me away, they really grab your attention and draw you in.

Juicebox
Second best track on the album. This song was actually a top five single. It really sets the attitude for the rest of the album, and sums up the message of this band best, one word: DEFIANCE.

Heart In a Cage
Things begin to go a bit downhill from here. This song is a downer and rather depressing, a sentiment repeated over and over throughout the album.

Ask Me Anything
Things begin to pick up again here. It's a little bit different from what I'm used to hearing from The Strokes, which is quite refreshing after the previous couple of tracks.

Electricityscape
I love this song! It has a bit of tech infusion that leads to a really sweet tune.

Evening Sun
The absolute worst track on the album! And potentially the worst song The Strokes have ever done. If "You Only Live Once" sums up everything that is right about this album, "Evening Sun" sums up everything that is wrong.

15 Minutes
Why do I get the feeling that this is exactly what the band is going through?

Again a very good effort, if a bit unremarkable. If you are a "Strokes" newbie, I recommend starting with one of their previous albums first. Pick up "Room on Fire," and then pick up "First Impressions of Earth." I can't wait to see what The Strokes have in store for us next with their fourth album!