Einstein Music Journal

The Strokes- First Impressions of Earth: Review

Monday, August 07, 2006

Here is another old review. I thought I'd republish it because The Strokes played in New Zealand last week.

The Strokes- First Impressions of Earth

The Strokes lead rock and roll in a new direction. Following on from their first two albums, First Impressions of Earth again brings completely fresh sounds to the table. For their third release, the band has adopted what sounds like a new age space themed approach, going beyond limitations to combine sci-fi sound track music with alternative rock.
The musical composition remains The Strokes biggest strength, however the vocals of Julian Casablancas seem a little tied and dry. His voice has never been the most exuberating, but you could put up with it. Unfortunately by the end of this album you'll be cringing. The band even play over top of him on several songs. Thankfully Albert Hammond Jr and Nick Valensi's guitar work more than makes up for it.
It's a solid performance, and where several bands have failed recently The Strokes continue to excel. To say this is better or worse than their other work is unfair. Wait and listen for what music becomes popular over the next few months, then judge the The Strokes by the influence they have on the progression of alternative rock.

posted by Nick Fulton @ 8:50 pm