Practice Makes Perfect

There are many bands in popular culture that constantly waiver between different styles or push the envelope with their controversial persuasions. The Strokes are not one of these bands. Their third album, First Impressions of Earth is the same brand of solid rock and roll that their previous albums were. This is the beautiful thing about The Strokes: you will be sure that anything they produce is enjoyable.Impressions kicks off with a toe-tapping guitar and drum duet in “You Only Live Once” which sets the pace of the album. Upbeat and poppy yet still grounded in their firm revival rock base, this vibe is carried through the majority of their songs. It’s an album ready for the swinging of hips. Unexpected details, like the flourishing guitar riff of “Razorblade” make this sound unique to The Strokes. Julian Casablancas’s voice is dark and mature, picking up gravelly undertones in his higher range. The lyrics are self-possessed and strong about feeling separate, almost obstinate, from the rest of the world like someone new to society. This makes the album title fit in with the “first impression” idea. The tight vocal and guitar melodies of “Vision of Division” work in complete harmony. These are all standard parts of The Strokes’ musical equations, reinforced in their newest endeavor.

All in all, First Impressions of Earth is a solidly written, performed and produced album. For those original Strokes fans, it is a wonderful new addition to their library. For those who have never heard them before this is perhaps the best album to sample. It is all of their enjoyable rock elements mixed in a refined, perfected way.