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First Impressions Of Earth |  | Artist: The Strokes
Label: Rough Trade
Category: Music
List Price: £14.99
Buy Used: £2.13
as of 22/11/2009 19:23 GMT details
You Save: £12.86 (86%)
New (19) Used (11) Collectible (5) from £2.13
Seller: timbobcox
Rating:  65 reviews
Sales Rank: 4990
Format: Explicit Lyrics
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.8 x 0.6
EAN: 5050159833092
ASIN: B000BM2OUG
Release Date: January 2, 2006
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | You Only Live Once | | • | Juicebox | | • | Heart in a Cage | | • | Razor Blade | | • | 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 |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
This album comes in luxury packaging for a limited period: a six panel digi-pack, die-cut front with three inserts and a 32 page booklet.pThe Strokes have taken to fame with a cheer most politely described as grudging, but not even front-cover adulation and celebrity girlfriends can crack these New Yorkers' mojo. img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/G/02/uk-music/images/artists/strokes.jpg" width="125" height="160" align="left"On their third album, IFirst Impressions Of Earth/I, Casablancas and company turn heel on the bristly, familiar feel of 2003's IRoom On Fire/I, and concentrate on evolving their sound. p The album's lead single--the prowling, Cramps-inspired rock'n'roll number "Juicebox"--is something of a red herring. However, songs like the triumphant "You Only Live Once" or "On The Other Side", are born in the crisp, synthetic spirit of the early `80s new wave. Two particular moments stand out: "Heart In A Cage" is a drifting, melancholy proto-punk number in the spirit of Berlin-era Iggy Pop, while "Ask Me Anything" unfurls as something of a solo piece, frontman Julian Casablancas emoting over a restrained backdrop of synth and strings. The album sags a little towards the end (with the building, passionate "Fear Of Sleep" a definite exception), but as a whole, IFirst Impressions Of Earth/I finds The Strokes fulfilling all that early promise and displaying a slow-evolving longevity that few would have ascribed to them.--ILouis Pattison/I p p span class="h1"strongMore of The Strokes/strong/span table border="0" cellpadding="4" width="100 %" cellspacing="4"p tr class="tiny" align="center" valign="top" td img src="http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00005N53P.01.SWATCHZZ.jpg" border="0"brIIs This It?/I/tdp p td img src="http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B0000C8Y0M.02.SWATCHZZ.jpg" border="0"brIRoom on Fire/I/tdp p td img src="http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0711996016.01.SWATCHZZ.jpg" border="0"brIThis Is It/I/tdp /tr /table
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 65
 Ignore the critics, make up your own mind January 2, 2006
Tom
28 out of 31 found this review helpful
As I#x27;m typing, it#x27;s early in the morning, so in the UK the new Strokes album has officially been released. Already, I#x27;ve seen critics dismiss this album as "average" and many have claimed The Strokes have put very little effort into the album and they#x27;re just not bothered anymore. I#x27;ve had a copy of the album for around a month now and I#x27;m going to share my opinion of the album, this review is coming from someone who has had the time to fully analyze the album, not from some small time music journalist who has given it a quick listen and dismissed it as "rubbish". One thing many Strokes fans will notice right from the very first track is there#x27;s no longer any use of distortion on the vocals.pAnyway, this album took 9 months in the studio with a new producer, David Kahne, which has helped them take a side-step in sound, whilst retaining their classic sound. The album is a big change in style, but you can still recognize the good ol#x27; Strokes.pThe first song on the album #x27;You Only Live Once#x27; is probably the best intro track they could have chosen. It is one of the most catchy tracks on FIOE with its memorable riff and bouncy vocals. 4.5/5pJuicebox, the first single from FIOE is in my opinion, one of the "worst" tracks on the album. I#x27;m not saying it#x27;s a bad song, in fact, I love it but, there are many more suitable potential singles on the album which would have been more suitable for commercial radio. I#x27;m sure you#x27;ve all heard this song and can make up your own minds on what you think of it. 4/5pHeart In A Cage, their second single and also one of the heaviests songs on the album. In my opinion, this is a great song and sounds like a vintage Strokes track, as it is recycled from ROF. 5/5pRazorblade, infamous for "ripping off" the catch from Barry Mannilow#x27;s #x27;Mandy#x27;. #x27;Tis a brilliant song, with a catchy 12:51 esque keyboard riff. 4/5 pVision of Division is absolute genius. A great riff with a Mid-Eastern SOAD influenced guitar solo half-way through. After reading the title and the lyrics booklet, I actually realized that this song is a conversation, which explains why Julian tends to repeat verses. One of the strongest tracks on the album. 5/5pAsk me anything, is shrouded in controversy and it#x27;s unlike anything The Strokes have ever done. Many people believe this track should be nothing more than a B-side, however, I think it#x27;s great. Albert plays a melatron, along to Julian#x27;s cool vocals and guess what? There aren#x27;t any guitars or drums!!! 4/5pElectricityscape borrows a similar sound from Vision of Division and also sounds very Middle-Eastern. Another one of the heavier tracks. 4.5/5p15 minutes, is a wonderful track, but like "On The Other Side" it#x27;s a grower and the track is relatively weak throughout the first couple of minutes and only gets to full strength towards the end of the song, which is dissapointing, as I feel this track could have been a standout if it weren#x27;t for the boring intro.pIze of the world has a fabulous ending which causes many people to question whether their disc has a fault or not. No, don#x27;t worry, there#x27;s nothing wrong with your disc at all. Opens with some random guitar noises and is relatively heavy throughout. The lyrics in this song are amazing and also, there is a solo half-way through that sounds like an ice cream van! How cool is that?pEvening Sun feels a bit strange following such a heavy track, but is still a great song, takes a few listens to get into, but it#x27;s now one of my faves. 4.5/5pRed Light is one of the best tracks on the album and is a great way to end such a fantastic record. 5/5pSo, there you go. That#x27;s just what I think of the album, I wasn#x27;t very descriptive with my review but I didn#x27;t want to spoil too much. All I can say is that this album is just as good as Is This It and Room On Fire, if not better. Also, this album is roughly an hour long. The special edition of the album comes in nice carboard packaging with an interchangeable sleeve which allows you to put a pic of one of the band members on the cover, which is a good enough reason to buy the album if you ask me! pIf you don#x27;t like what you#x27;ve heard about this album but you#x27;ve enjoyed The Strokes previous work, please give this album a chance. Thank you for reading my review and I hope you have found it helpful.
Musically and lyrically genius January 13, 2006
S. Owadally (Cardiff, UK)
10 out of 11 found this review helpful
For some bizarre reason, critics have not taken "First Impressions..." to their hearts. I don#x27;t have the first clue why. And there are 14 songs which provide 14 reasons why this album proves The Strokes are living legends.pThe main thing that has struck me about reviews is the criticism that Julian Casablancas#x27; songwriting has taken. I have read that his lyrics are "meaningless", "incoherent" and "not understandable". Well, this is utter rubbish. Lyrically, this album proves that Casablancas is truly in the highest echelon of wordsmith geniuses. If one song had to be picked out to prove this, it is certainly "Ize of the World". A genius link between title and lyrics, this not only provides wonderfully inspirational vocals from Casablancas, but (as much as NME writers and readers would say The Strokes are too cool to do politics) also has political undertones inherent throughout the album, proving that The Strokes have taken up some responsibility as artists since their "Is This It?" days. This song has to be heard to be truly believed. Each word is filled with meaning and delivered with passion and is Casablancas#x27; bitter tirade against the sickness of the modern world. A truly incredible, inspirational song. Further political undertones and disenchantment with the modern world can also be found in "Ask Me Anything" in a line which a well-known magazine unbelievably dismissed as having no meaning ("Harmless children, we named our soldiers after you"). Also, Red Light expresses the disgust at, "...an enitre generation that has nothing to say".pThe genius lyrics aside, this is an incredible gift to the world in musical terms. The songs sound emphatic, well-worked and well-thought. To the well-listened ear, the guitar work is simply sublime on songs such as "Heart In A Cage" and "Visions of Divison" to name but two. The way that Albert Hammond Jr.#x27;s sweet, almost bluesey guitars work side-by-side with the incredible rock and roll effects of Nick Valensi#x27;s now massive guitar sounds provides The Strokes with something truly unique. p"Ask Me Anything" sees Casablancas and Valensi their most inventive and creative peak. The deliverence of the heartfelt lyrics alongside the melotron sound is obviously a first for them. But it works beautifully.pIn "15 Minutes", Julian#x27;s best impression of Shane McGowan gives way to exquisitely pacey guitars to create another showing the Strokes have come a long way since "Room on Fire".pIf there is a weak point, it is probably "Razorblade", however this is still a very catchy song, despite it#x27;s continuous, and justified, link to Barry Manilow#x27;s "Mandy"!pPicking on each song is not worth the effort though. This is an album. Ignore the critics and buy this album and judge for yourself. To anyone with any interest in creative, artistic music, this album is absolutely incredible. "Ize of the World", for me personally, could quite simply become one of the very greatest songs ever. For anyone with a disgusted hatred for the things that sting the modern world, this song provides comfort in the fact that a true musical genius is on your side too. pWith any sort of justice, this will become a classic. A cultural, musical and artistic masterpiece.
Louche, laid-back and casual beyond belief July 5, 2006
Mark Kobayashi-Hillary (London)
9 out of 10 found this review helpful
During several songs Julian Casablancas sounds as if he just walked into the studio straight from a heavy session in a bar and laid down the vocals with such arrogance they demand to be heard. I'm reminded of The Pogues on some of these tracks. At least they can now be heard as the vocals were never much of a concern on the earlier two albums; he has a sharper focus now, even though the result sounds casual. Some commentators have called this a departure from their earlier efforts, but I find it more of a continuation. If you like the beautiful guitar music The Strokes have always produced then this will not disappoint; it is a classic in this genre.
Their Best Album....? December 16, 2005
61 out of 76 found this review helpful
....well, maybe not as good as Is This It, but it comes very close. I#x27;ve had this album a month now, and felt I needed to tell you about it.pOn the first listen, its an ok-ish album at the most. However, like the last 2 albums, stick it on repeat for a bit and you#x27;ll be blown away by the sheer brilliance that the 5 lads have come up with for a 3rd time.p1. You Only Live Once - Perfect way to open an album. Very catchy guitar licks and imposing lyrics ("Some people think they#x27;re always right"). One of the catchiest songs on the whole album. 5/5p2. Juicebox - Well, we#x27;ve all heard it. It sounds like the theme from Batman, crossed with a 15 foot wall of guitar and a hell of alot of attitude. Great song. 5/5p3. Heart In A Cage - Opens with a sublime guitar lick from Valensi. This song probably stands out the most after a few listens. It has great guitar work from both Albert and Nick, and cool lyrics ("I don#x27;t want what you want, I dont feel what you feel. I#x27;m stuck in a city, but I belong in a field"). 5/5p4. Razorblade - Again, this song opens with a great retro guitar chord arrangement, VERY much like that of Barry Manilows #x27;Mandy#x27;. Im actually surprised they got away with it! None the less, a great song. The rythem guitar sounds like that of #x27;12:51#x27;. 4.5/5p5. On The Other Side - I cant think of any other words apart from #x27;very tense#x27; to describe this track. Opens with a bass line typical of The Strokes, and continues throughout. Deliberate lazy guitars and almost desperatly sounding lyrics make this, yet, another great song. 4.5/5p6. Vision of Vivision - WOW! One of the most #x27;fullest#x27; songs on the album. I think this is the most guitar-impressive songs of the 14 tracks, and has a great mid-western influenced solo in the middle. Julian also sounds like hes using the full capacity of his lungs for once! 5/5p7. Ask Me Anything - I think everyone will have a different opinion on this track. Just song features Julian on vocals and Nick (I think its Nick, it may be Albert...) on a melatron. Its nothing like youve ever heard before, trust me. I personally think this song is beautiful, and has the most diverse lyrics ever ("We named a summer camp for you") ("Dont be a coconut") ("I#x27;ve got nothing to give, got no reason to live. I will fight to survive, I#x27;ve got nothing to hide, wish I wasn#x27;t so shy"). Very emotive song indeed. 5/5p8. Electricityscape - Another song where, for the opening, sounds very middle-eastern. If there was a song to portray a setting sun in an Asian city, this would be it. The dominent lyrics ("You belong in the city now")("Take me to the water, make me understand that I was wrong") makes it very imposing. Great singing, great guitars; great song. 4.5/5p9. Killing Lies - Not the best song on the album, but certainly not the worst. Another deliberatly lazy song; something thats easy to chill out to. I personally love it; Julians singing sounds beautiful. 4/5p10. Fear of Sleep - I love the way the guitar scales are used in this particular song, as it matches Julians singing perfectly. Its certainly a breath of fresh air; maybe not on the first listen, as its a grower. Julian almost builds up the tension with repetition ("Fear of sleep") and then collapses the song with almost shouting ("You#x27;re no fun!!"). Lovely. 4/5p11. 15 Minutes - My joint-favourite on the album. I guarentee that most people won#x27;t like this song on its first listen; It sounds like it was written for a pub performance, as Julian souns almost Pogues-like. However, the song really does grow on you, with is amazing lyrics ("The hurtful things you think you want to say; Time will turn them into jokes") The middle of the song has a very nice guitar solo, and then all of a sudden, the song almost tripples in speed, without losing any of its identity from the first half (definatly a song of 2 halves...pardon the pun). The closing verse definatly won me over, with Julian almost telling his bands story. An absolute epic. 5/5p12. Ize of the World - My other joint favourite on the album. Opens up with the most random guitar sounds you#x27;re ever likely to hear in your life, but then the song #x27;starts#x27; for real. The reason why I love this song is its structure and lyrics. You#x27;ll find that a lot of the songs on this album (and, on their previous albums) are extremly clever. Its very political, and the lyrics are so down to earth and true. Its almost an observation of our daily lives ("A desk to organize, A product to advertize" etc). The guitar solo is probably the most retro you#x27;re ever going to hear for a long time (probably until their next album!), as it sound slike it was written for Happy Days or Rainbow. Another thing worth mentioning is the harmony that Julian unleashes from out of nowhere around the 2:43 mark; I was genuinally surprised to hear him produce something that brilliant. You really do need to hear it to appreciate this song fully. 5/5p13. Evening Sun - Not the best of their tracks. However I do like the lyrics, and the 2nd half makes up for the lazy first half (almost too lazy to enjoy). 3/5p14. Red Light - Finally. They#x27;ve done an album which doesnt end on a downer! ("Take It Or Leave It")("I Can#x27;t Win"). The opening sounds like the drumbeat from Fireman Sam (yes it does!) and the guitar is, yet again, very similar to "12:51", with that almost keyboard like sounds to match Julias harmonies. Finishes on the ultimatum lyric ("The sky#x27;s not the limit and your#x27;e never gonna guess what is"). A very nice way to end a fantastic album. 4.5/5pI hope you#x27;ve found this review helpful. I urge you to buy this fantastic album!
Mind Blowing Third Album January 2, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The wait for this album since room on fire has definatly been worth it. Unlike is this it and room on fire the running time is 52 minutes, thats like the old 2 albums put together. On first listen a few of the tracks stood out. Everyone will love track1, its pure strokes brilliance. Everyone knows Juicebox, its awesome in my opinion, completely different from the strokes old material. And I think that sums up a lot of this album, they#x27;ve tried a lot of new things and its payed off superbly.pSince i#x27;ve listened to the album a good few more times, i#x27;m addicted, just like I was with is this it and room on fire. And i#x27;m sure you will be too, buy it! And hey the delux album version is very cool, you get all the lyrics and a chioce of 6 covers for your album, put your favorite band member on there! Enjoy
Showing reviews 1-5 of 65
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