After falling in love with a band’s debut album, many listeners can become disappointed after their beloved band matures with subsequent albums. While this can be true for countless musicians, The Strokes have somehow managed to mature the sound that made the world fall in love with them, all the while learning their instruments more intimately and expanding their sound into something new, yet reminiscent of their 2001 debut “Is This It?” and the following 2003 release of “Room on Fire.”
“First Impressions of Earth” is a strong CD that does not disappoint. With songs such as “You Only Live Once,” “Razorblade” and “Electricityscape,” three songs that could tuck right in with hits from “Is This It?,” fans are reminded of how fantastic this New York-bred band really is. But the first single “Juicebox,” an edgy and rocking tune that’s sure to be a hit, is a pleasant new sound that proves this quintet is here to stay. Other greats on the album include “Vision of Division” and “Ask Me Anything.”
Although lyrically The Strokes haven’t matured as much as one would hope, the group makes up for it with the creative presentation of lyrics in the CD’s booklet. With creative artwork displaying each of the fourteen tracks’ words so listeners can sing along without missing a beat, The Strokes show that simply downloading the album online might be convenient, but definitely not as fun.
Make sure to check out “First Impressions of Earth,” a solid release from a solid group of musicians.