First Impressions Of Earth
On First Impressions Of Earth, the Strokes play tighter and try more complicated ideas, but that does not always produce better songs. The rhythm section provides a firm base and the guitars fit together with impressive care. Their interaction is often the record's most interesting feature. Julian Casablancas also tries to do more with his voice. He regularly strains it without finding an equally strong melody to justify the effort.
The opening is convincing. "You Only Live Once" combines a bright guitar melody with a skipping rhythm. It has the directness this band can use so well. "Juicebox" starts from a prominent bassline and moves through rough guitars towards a large chorus. That transition feels bolder than the familiar sound of the earlier albums. "Heart in a Cage" also makes good use of tension between the guitars, although its repeated singing is less effective than the playing beneath it.
Later, the balance between ambition and results becomes harder to maintain. "15 Minutes" begins as an unusual ballad before turning into a rocker. It is a strange choice that at least gives the song somewhere to go. The quieter "Ask Me Anything" stays in the same place for too long. Repetition leaves it with little direction and slows the record down.
At 52 minutes, the album is less compact than its predecessors. The weaker hooks become harder to ignore, and some stronger ideas repeat too often. There is plenty to appreciate in the precise playing and willingness to look further. That search does not always support a complete song, though. First Impressions Of Earth has a strong opening and a few welcome surprises, but a tougher selection would have made it considerably better.
