[.ca] First Impressions Of Earth

best strokes album to date:
all i can say is that there has hardly been any albums these days that i can sit through and listen to all the way. "is this it?" did that for me. this album though is far different than their others. this album is filled with emotion, integrity, and willingness to make a totally new sound for the strokes. "you only live once" is indeed a favorite of mine by them. other songs that follow the new Strokes song structure: "juicebox", "heart in a cage", "razorblade", "vision of division", "electricityscape", "fear of sleep", "evening sun", "ize of the world", and "red light"! all of the songs listed are strong songs for a band like the strokes to make. although, there are some tracks that don't fit the album very well, it stays consistent and ends up being the perfect album to start off the year 2006. when this cd eventually hits the stores, i hope every strokes fan can enjoy this new record, for it's a classic.

Satisfying new album:
I was able to pick up an advance copy of the album about a month in advance of its release. This is another very enjoyable album to contribute to the repertoire of what is becoming a very consistent Strokes band. Songs here show a greater dynamic than any of their previous efforts - The Strokes have never rocked so hard or played such subtle melodies. Also immediately apparent is a heightened quality in the percussion section (let's face it, it always sounded like a two bar drum machine loop in album's past). Highlights include You Only Live Once, Razorblade, and, my personal favourite, Ize of the World. So, although nothing here equals Hard to Explain or Last Nite, there's something here for every Strokes' fan, and it is a worthy follow-up to Room on Fire.

stroke of disappointment:
Well as a big fan of the strokes, I have to say that I was really disappointed with this new cd. To me it seems so bland and unoriginal. They completely changed their style of music from original 70's feel to any song you can find on the radio. In fact a lot of their songs sounded like unnecessary sound. I can't recommend this cd. I just hope that their next cd improves.

Strokes of Genius!:
It seems that everywhere i look, everyone is looking for the second coming of 'Is This It'. The fact is, 'Is This It' will be hard to top simply because it paved the way and was the original cool not to mention it caught the music world off gaurd. I thought 'Room On Fire' was an awesome follow up, fully aware that no band wants to put out the same album as their last but expand on what works while still trying something new. Which leads into the new album. 'Impressions' is a huge stride for The Strokes. Take this album for what it is - great music. There's no question that 'You Only Live Once' will go down as one of the best Strokes songs and as a fan and a connoisseur of music it's great to hear the fleshed out drums, bass, guitars and lyrics. And that is the common theme with the entire album. I could easily write how i like every song on the album, which i do, but for the reader who is still unsure whether or not to buy i will make it simple for you: if you like The Strokes, you'll love the album. If you are a fairweather 'is this it' fan - do yourself a solid and take the time to enjoy everything The Strokes have to offer, it's not all as accessible as 'Is This It' but none of it should disappoint a true fan of music. With that said, the first half of the album is the strongest but by no means is the rest weak...just check 'Ize of the World' and see how it holds up to 'NYC Cops' and 'Reptilia' and you will be a happy fan like me! Remember that if it wasn't for evolution we'd all still be monkeys according to Darwin - so enjoy!

• You Only Live Once
• Juicebox
• Heart in a Cage
• Razorblade
• On the Other Side
• Vision of Division
• Ask Me Anything
• Electricityscape
• Killing Lies
• Fear of Sleep
• 15 Minutes
• Ize of the World
• Evening Sun
• Red Light