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Rating:
THE REVIEW
After the slight misstep of "Room on Fire," the pressure on the young New Yorkers regarding this follow-up was significant; Casablancas, as a good leader, obviously reassured everyone by suggesting that the initial impressions of the album were of a more direct and aggressive work, also influenced by the grunge wave that had stirred everyone in the '90s.
There are initially timid signs of change: the single "Juicebox" is indeed an enjoyable rock'n'roll piece, showcasing the quintet's excellent technique.
Yesterday the album came out, I rushed to Messaggerie to buy it... well, after the first listens, quite disappointed. It starts off reasonably well, with a decent "You Only Live Once" and the already mentioned single, a powerful adrenaline rush. The intro to "Heart in a Cage" has nothing to do with an Strokes track; instead, it sounds like one of those epic tracks by Iron Maiden blah blah blah. After the carefree "Razorblade," which seems to bring back the riffs of "Room on Fire," and the dull "On the Other Side," perhaps the best track of the album: Vision of division. As far as I'm concerned, the album could end here; from "Ask me Anything" onwards, it's just emptiness. Julian's voice, which had impressed me so much, is at times incredibly dull and highlights its limits; songs like "Killing Lies" would even be out of place as a b-side on "Room on Fire"!
If such a record has to be made to diversify, better the dear old Strokes. In the previous one, there were still great tracks, the masterpiece "REPTILIA," "What Ever Happened," and others above average; here, the songs barely above passing are a little more than a couple. Are NME's darlings falling one by one? I have faith in the next (if there (hopefully) will be) great Interpol. Love the brackets, eh? THANKS FOR READING.
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Summary by Bot
The review addresses the pressure on The Strokes following their previous album and notes a shift toward a more aggressive sound influenced by grunge. While songs like "Juicebox" and "You Only Live Once" start well, the album quickly loses momentum with weaker tracks and disappointing vocals. The reviewer finds most songs lack impact and feels the bandâs previous work was stronger. Overall, the album is seen as a disappointing effort with only a couple of decent tracks.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
The Strokes
The Strokes are an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1998, widely associated with the early-2000s garage rock/post-punk revival and breakthrough success with their debut album âIs This Itâ.26 Reviews
Other reviews
By Alberto Giordano
"You Only Live Once" is truly a beautiful song, fully in the Strokes' style.
The 4 is for the passion I have for this band whose brazenness is exhibited in such a way that it canât be considered anything but elegant.
By Adil
"You Only Live Once" is the best calling card they could rely on; Julian Casablancas's whining voice perfectly settles on a melody that's bland just enough.
The fourteen tracks do not seem like a faded or watered-down version but rather a natural evolution of a path characterized by strict mannerism.
By GATTINATOR
The bandâs rhythm section has improved greatly, although there are few structural innovations.
This suggests that The Strokes have quite significant creative limitations.
By theJOKE
The albumâs production differs significantly from their truly Indie first CD, from the rawness of a low-budget production to the sparse yet effective style.
What should have been the album of maturity still proves too immature.
By whereismymind
'First Impressions Of Earth' is Matrix 2 of The Strokes' discography.
The album is harmless, useless, actually just bad, but really bad.
