First Impressions Of Earth
by The Strokes
  • Record Label: RCA
  • Release Date: Jan 3, 2006
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 476 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 396 out of 476
  2. Mixed: 46 out of 476
  3. Negative: 34 out of 476

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  1. AshleyC
    Feb 19, 2006
    9
    Couldn't agree more with Elene - the negativity levelled toward First Impressions is highly frustrating. The band were at liberty to bang out a third, battered copy of Is This It but, instead, have clearly, and bravely, gone for broke. Yes the album is a couple of tracks too long and some experiments don't quite work but the overall level is very high and it is a BIG grower.
  2. DougL
    Mar 28, 2006
    9
    Not as consistantly good as the first two albums, but nevertheless a handful of good tunes in the first half of the album. The guitarists have really stepped it up a notch on this effort as well. I would think old fans would appreciate this one for sure
  3. jo
    Mar 7, 2006
    9
    VISION OF DIVISION blows me away every time, amazing hook, amazing song, amazing solo... other highlights are Heart In a Cage (glad its the new single) and Juicebox for me personally. Very good album!
  4. RonG
    May 8, 2006
    9
    The one that converted me Better vocals, more inventive guitars - such an improvement on the boring sounds of the past
  5. MattK
    Jan 9, 2007
    9
    This album is great, and if your a fan of previous work of the Strokes, you will not be disappointed with this effort. The music sounds fresh!
  6. Link
    Apr 20, 2007
    9
    The most authentic rock-n-roll album to be released in the last ten years. Killer solos, catchy rhythms, and beautifully crafted lyrics. The Strokes have outdone themselves. And the music is AWESOME in concert
  7. MarkK
    Jun 5, 2007
    9
    it´s been a while since this was released and i recently heard it again. My impressions from back then were good , it sounded like a massive improvement in production, and i liked a couple of songs , but i never gave this album the atention i now know it deserved, mainly becuase i got distracted by other releases and frankly i got a little caught up in the critical reception it got it´s been a while since this was released and i recently heard it again. My impressions from back then were good , it sounded like a massive improvement in production, and i liked a couple of songs , but i never gave this album the atention i now know it deserved, mainly becuase i got distracted by other releases and frankly i got a little caught up in the critical reception it got and the overall sentiment that this was a dissapointment. Well , having listened to this again , for numerous times , i can say i LOVE it. IMHO, much better than the first two. It has such great guitar lines, with both sublime melodies and awesome tech.Nick and Albert just sound beautiful here, i´m impressed with these guys. Fab must have taken lessons or something , because he does some great drumming here and plays miles better than his old amateurish stuff. And Julian finally sounds like his singing and trying his best at it . And apart from the total upgrade in overall sound, the songs, while being still catchy and very strokes, are more diverse and interesting. Im not giving this a 10 becuase some songs frankly annoy me or i think are filler, like "Ask Me Anything", "Killing Lies" and "15 minutes" , but for the rest of them , a 9 seems fair enough.… Expand
  8. JohnK
    Jan 13, 2006
    9
    wiked album, well worth it. only 1 song i hate ,"ask me anything"....... :@
  9. talis
    Jan 2, 2006
    9
    i was afraid it will be crap after two great albums, but luckily i was wrong
  10. JoseCuervo
    Jan 3, 2006
    9
    This is an album that requires a few listens before an accurate judgement can be made. Give it time and it will reveal it's genius to you.
  11. BenjiG
    Jan 3, 2006
    9
    Not perfect, but very very good. Highlights are "Heart In a Cage," opener "You Only Live Once," and the unexpected ballad "Ask Me Anything."
  12. BrianS
    Jan 5, 2006
    9
    People are insane if they think this is a let down album. Did they even listen to Vision of Division or 15 Minutes?? Those songs are incredibly original and blow away anything else on the radio today. With the exception of one or two songs, this album is their masterpiece.
  13. JeffC.
    Jan 7, 2006
    9
    Great Album! Better than "Room On Fire"
  14. BellaC
    Mar 21, 2006
    9
    I love this album! Altough it is not as good as its predecessors Is This It and Room On Fire. The best song is definitly Heart In A Cage. Casablancas vocals are splendid.
  15. DylanR
    Feb 25, 2007
    9
    Great album, it's awsome, I listen to it all the time.
  16. FrankieM.
    Jan 18, 2008
    9
    I wasnt going to buy this album due to mixed reviews but then i heard you only live once and i thought why not buy it and now im so happy i did. my faviourite tracks are juicebox,vision of division, ize of the world and you only live once. also impressed by the guitar work the best ive heard from the strokes
  17. mikeb
    Jan 11, 2006
    9
    Completely different from their previous two albums; but in a good way. Much more diverse and experimental.
  18. BMikols
    Mar 21, 2006
    9
    I also think this album is fantastic. It, like previous Strokes albums, gets better with each listen. Critics say it only has six or seven good songs. What other album in recent memory had that many good tracks? Not as good as Is This It? It will be hard to ever overachieve when held against such high criteria. Some of their best songs are on this album
  19. daver
    Oct 13, 2009
    9
    Love this cd as much of the other two, i don't care what the "critics" say about it, Their music is something refreshing.
  20. Amelia
    Dec 24, 2006
    9
    I pity those who can't appreciate the brilliance of this album (nelson) and cheers to precious - I too love electricityscape and RED LIGHT is my absolute favourite - listen to that gutiar--- oh my goodness they are brilliant. and strokes lovers check out albert hammond jrs solo album - it is fantastic.
  21. spacecadet
    May 14, 2011
    9
    the most underrated album of the last decade, just falls flat of a masterpiece.
    maybe a little too long. isn't as fun start to finish as the first two. but the songs are equally as strong. if they'd cut the songs that aren't as good as others.namely: ask me anything and killing lies. it will just as good as the first two. though i must agree it strays a bit from the formula that made them    the most underrated album of the last decade, just falls flat of a masterpiece.
    maybe a little too long. isn't as fun start to finish as the first two. but the songs are equally as strong. if they'd cut the songs that aren't as good as others.namely: ask me anything and killing lies. it will just as good as the first two. though i must agree it strays a bit from the formula that made them famous. it doesn't stray to bad places    … Expand
  22. drongodan
    Apr 1, 2020
    9
    The divisive album! Personally loved it. Favourite tracks Razorblade, Ize of the World
  23. Franco853
    Aug 11, 2022
    9
    Me gusta y no me gusta xdxdxdxdxdxdxdxd
    Xdxdxdxdxdxdxdxxdxdxdxdxxxdxxdxdxdxz
  24. Chris
    Jan 10, 2006
    8
    This album should have had 11 tracks just like their previous two efforts. The high points of the album however are very good!
  25. AndyR
    Jan 3, 2006
    8
    The first half is great, unfortunately the other half consists of songs that are poorly written, repetitive, and are no fun. Except maybe Red Light. At least it is still better than most of the crap out there.
  26. KurtC
    Jan 3, 2006
    8
    The Strokes have always been good at disguising their talent for songwriting and brilliant musicianship behind a façade of simplicity. They
  27. TravisS
    Jan 5, 2006
    8
    This is definitely an album you need to listen to a couple times. The first play of this disc left me unimpressed, but by the 3rd or 4th listen it really starts to make sense. Julian's vocals sound more passionate on this album than any other and the rest of the band has progressed which they did not do on room on fire. I would've given the album a 9 but there are 3 songs fioe This is definitely an album you need to listen to a couple times. The first play of this disc left me unimpressed, but by the 3rd or 4th listen it really starts to make sense. Julian's vocals sound more passionate on this album than any other and the rest of the band has progressed which they did not do on room on fire. I would've given the album a 9 but there are 3 songs fioe could do without. All in all, it's a good disc and worth the money.… Expand
  28. ChrisH
    Jan 9, 2006
    8
    Personally i loved their old work, and yeah not all the songs are great but come on, half the people who gave this album a bad rating cant do anything any where near this good and so bad mouth it to appear to be minorly intelligent when compared to a dead monkey. Juicebox is a great song
  29. JamesF
    Aug 10, 2006
    8
    Yes, the media enduced hype has burned out but what is still left is the blatant evolution of the strokes music. On tracks such as ize of the world , vision of division, ask me anything and even the well recieved juicebox it is evident that first impressions of earth is evidence that the strokes are fully capable of diversification. please - ignore what the critics say
  30. calvinhobbes
    Jan 10, 2006
    8
    Good enough to buy it. Some songs are brilliant, others not so good (make a selection and then you can listen this album: good vibrations).
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Awards & Rankings

6
#6 Most Discussed Album of 2006
43
#43 Most Shared Album of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 38 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 38
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 38
  3. Negative: 0 out of 38
  1. Blender
    70
    Earth is the sound of a band coming to that inevitable realization: five patrician perfectionists who've resolved to sound sloppy, even (or especially) at the risk of fucking up. [Jan/Feb 2006, p.98]
  2. Playlouder
    90
    Turns out what the world was waiting for really was those that saved guitars finally making a record that truly reaped the rewards of their efforts. Is this it? OH GOD YES!
    Read full review
  3. Slant Magazine
    50
    First Impressions introduces some subtle new colors to the band's musical palette... but the pervasive sense of inert boredom, which has been noted as a strength in the past, is difficult to shake.
    Read full review
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