MUSIC REVIEWS
The Strokes - First Impressions of Earth
David Allun Jones
The deafening global hype of the rich boys turned “rock saviors” suitably named The Strokes’ breath-taking debut Is This It one of the more re-assuring signs that rock music wouldn’t be dead in the new millennium. The aural equivalent of leather jackets, puke breath, cigarette smoke stench and haphazard groupie sex, The Strokes “too-cool-for-the-room” aura and squared-off hybrid of reggae, pop, punk and 70’s rock reminded us how musically rich and attitude-laden rock and roll used to be. Reaction was slightly less enthralled by the sameness of their follow-up, Room On Fire, an album that held it’s share of highlights but overall failed to take The Strokes in any new direction. Such a flaw leads the band to the dilemma they now face on their third album, First Impressions of Earth. More willing to experiment on this latest go ‘round, The Strokes refusal to rely solely on their previous formula find them taking disconcerting risks bound to make dedicated followers a little nervous.
For the most part, everything loved by The Strokes’ instrumentalists remains intact. Their arrangements remain punchy and melodic, with a rhythm section still influenced by the charged stomp of classic Motown. That is until the chugging bass riff of “Juicebox” explodes in your ears, taking the band out of their typical reserve for a minute. That’s not the lone moment that find the band taking major musical risks, the opening guitars of “Heart In A Cage” rocks feverishly while the first ten seconds of “Ize of the World” embody more of a grunge sound their than usual NY garage template. “Ask Me Anything” is probably the album’s strangest moment, a classical-sounding ballad featuring moody synthesizer chords droning in and out of lead singer Julian Casablanca’s sublime singing to which he repeats “I’ve got nothing to say”. It’s an artsy touch that further proves the theory that the band members are growing up and awkwardly searching for a new direction.
Aside from the band’s musical experimentations, Casablanca provides the other noticeable shift as the fuzzy tone that used to blur his lyrics has been erased on all but a couple of the album’s track. Hearing Julian so clearly is jarring at first, especially with his lazy Vegas croon sounding more animated than usual. Still, the vocal effect’s absence helps push the album’s most memorable moments like the “Mandy”-inspired “Razor Blade”, “Ize of The World” (owner of a dazzling bridge) and the sunshiny “You Only Live Once”, the album’s strongest connection to the band’s previous sound. Unfortunately, no fuzz puts a lot of emphasis on the lyrics, which isn’t one of the band’s strong suits. Topics range from being insecure within relationships and feeling pressure from mysterious outside forces (what could be taken as a reaction to critics’ expectations), but they are rarely indulged in enough to be satisfying, a major disappointment since the musical aspect of the album is on point even in it’s deviations from formula. There’s the occasionally brilliant line thrown in, promising to reveal some glimpse into the band’s psyche, but those lines are tossed aside so recklessly, that’s it never really clear if they hold weight or not.
First Impressions of Earth finds The Strokes at a crossroads where they seem confused and misguided. Though they only venture inches into new territory, the signature sound from their first two albums was so strong and charming that this disc can’t help but feel wildly different from it’s predecessors. It’s a stirring change of pace that will probably earn much more respect in retrospect, but as it’s so fresh now and so unlike the classic Is This It, you can’t help but feel a little sad that their reign as the coolest rock band around may have already ended.
