THE STROKES
Issue #26
First Impressions of Earth (RCA)
By Katie Hasty
Published: December 1st, 2005 | 4:46pm
“They love you or they hate you,” Julian Casablancas sings on “Evening Star” from the Strokes’ newest release, First Impressions of Earth (RCA). No truer words have been said of the band. The Strokes odyssey has been fashioned over nearly six years and, with three releases under their belt, they survived their debut successes, scenester backlash, scenester backlash backlash, and a period of intense critical sophomore scrutiny. At this point, most people have their minds made up about these New York staples and have reached a definitive position to, as iterated, love or hate them.
Then the curve ball. While producer Gordon Raphael, who led the charge on both of the Strokes’ previous albums, leant a hand on three tracks on First Impressions, production duties were left mostly to superstar producer David Kahne (McCartney, Springsteen, Sublime, Sugar Ray). First Impressions has a proficiency that Is This It? and Room on Fire never did, a sheen that, for better or for worse, makes a professional band out of the fivesome.
Most markedly, guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr. are absolute monsters. “Vision of Division,” “Fear of Sleep,” and “Ize of the World” are dominated by big, beautiful, bristling guitar lines and solos that were only faintly recognized on the previous efforts.
Casablancas’ voice worked its way to the front of the mix, which also feels like a real first — the problem, though, is his inherent laziness. His sexy growl and lyric-less murmurings pass only so long as he’s at least trying to make his melodies distinguishable, which doesn’t happen nearly as often as it should. He falls flat all over “15 Minutes” and seems to lose interest in even himself on tracks like “You Live Only Once” and “Heart in a Cage.”
First Impressions is discernable, if not in its vocal lines, then in its diversity. Songs like the first single “Juicebox” (Why won’t you come over here / We’ve got a city to love”), the gospel-like constitution of “On the Other Side” and synth-laden “Electricityscape” all take risks and come out brilliantly. While Casablancas borders on becoming a bore, the musicianship of the group has grown tighter, indulging in riskier behavior — though a few of the songs drag on for far too long.
This is still a Strokes record, the sneering, garage-hearted structures remain. Some hinderances from their output have been somewhat amplified while others have completely dissolved. First Impressions may not be their best impression, but it certainly is a lasting one.
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