Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #4 » The Strokes - "First Impressions of Earth"
Say what you will about The Strokes, and some Sufjan who breaks out in a rash at the mere mention of straight-ahead rock and roll will tell you that they haven't put out anything worth listening to since 2001's Is This It. The thing is, The Strokes don't have a very intricate formula for making music. Just add two parts rock-solid rhythm section to a dose of half-jangly and half-driving rock guitar, then submerge in a tub of "Too Cool for School."
First Impressions of Earth is another damn good rock record from the boys from NYC. The band seems to have taken the critical beatdown from 2003's Room on Fire, the best Strokes release to date, to heart. With glossier production than the previous efforts, the band shows that while they may act too cool to care, they aren't short on talent and want you to know it. Even lead singer Julian Casablancas has pulled the turtleneck off his mouth and reaches to newer plateaus with his voice, including the oft-noted ode to Manilow in "Razorblade." First Impressions experiments with mood swings and more tempo changes than Room on Fire, but don't be mistaken. It's a Strokes record. A little long, but still a Strokes record.
-- Elvis Fu
Elvis Fu's Favorite Track: "Ize of the World"
This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:
- Loog (#2)
- Yail Bloor (#4)
- Elvis Fu (#7)
- Darrin Frew (#18)
by Bob Bland | 12/28/2006 07:13:00 AM
1 Comments:
Telling that Frew's ranking is the lowest of the four. Further, that it barely made the Konstat*i*ranks's Top 20. Those, while the Sixth Column Rebs's are circle-jerking over First impressions....
I suppose I might like this, then. MIGHT. But those GARS are a major speed-bump on the way to adoration.
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