Album Review - The Strokes - First Impressions of Earth
John Metzger
Even before it had issued Is This It in 2001, The Strokes -- with its
fusion of New Wave, punk, British-bred R&B, and the good, old-fashioned,
New York City grit -- was being hailed as a legend in the making, one
which would save rock 'n' roll from becoming an increasingly
manufactured commodity. The pressure upon the ensemble undoubtedly was
enormous, and not surprisingly, it took its toll upon the band.
Consequently, rather than making a bold statement with its follow-up
Room on Fire, it merely sculpted a conservatively formulaic remake of
its debut. Even so, its influence resonated with the force of a
high-magnitude earthquake. Not only were there countless other outfits
attempting to hitch a ride upon the collective's coattail, but veteran
act U2 took full advantage of The Strokes' successful, no-frills style
in order to return to its roots on How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.
While this is about as flattering a position in which an up-and-coming
group could possibly hope to find itself, it's also one that poses its
own set of challenges. In essence, The Strokes needed to alter its
approach or risk fading into the backdrop as a one-trick pony.
The good news is that, although the changes that mark its latest
endeavor First Impressions of Earth manage, strangely enough, to
straddle the line between being subtle and glaring, The Strokes
essentially found fresh methods of deploying its signature sound while
also continuing to embrace its decidedly indifferent attitude. In fact,
several tracks, such as the remarkably engaging Razorblade, rank among
the very best that the band has ever recorded. Nevertheless, the set
isn't without its share of difficulties.
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