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

Generally favorable reviews- based on 475 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 395 out of 475
  2. Mixed: 46 out of 475
  3. Negative: 34 out of 475

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  1. JohnnyR
    Jan 11, 2006
    3
    A terrible let down of a record. This album showed the Strokes abandoning what made them great and turn into just another rock band. A blatant disregard to melody, most of the songs are utterly forgettable. TIme will tell but history is bound to cast this as the album when the Strokes turned to shite.
  2. johnw
    Jan 8, 2006
    2
    sucks arse
  3. AaronS
    Jan 3, 2006
    1
    Terribly boring album. I mean when you rip off Barry Manilow for a melody....c'mon now!
  4. mcnutsmcnuts
    Jan 7, 2006
    3
    Boring, uninspired and no surprises.. Essentially the album offers nothing new.... ok perhaps a bit more distortion... ..... please move on.
  5. jamesh
    Jan 7, 2006
    0
    one listen and i realized it was complete crap. embarassing. reminded me of other bombs like pearl jam had and they just slink off into the forgotten recesses of our mind. total junk.
  6. Goodwin
    Jan 12, 2006
    2
    Worst album of the year. It is very sad to see that the strokes who came out with the brilliant Is This It, the Decent Room on Fire, have come out with contrived pseudo-artistic trash like this. The experimentation is completely useless. They have taken elements which would have sounded good by themselves or coupled together, and have smashed them all together into an unintelligible mess. Worst album of the year. It is very sad to see that the strokes who came out with the brilliant Is This It, the Decent Room on Fire, have come out with contrived pseudo-artistic trash like this. The experimentation is completely useless. They have taken elements which would have sounded good by themselves or coupled together, and have smashed them all together into an unintelligible mess. They may have strayed away from Is this It, but have waded into waters of every other band on the radio. Is This It was simple, confident, beautiful. Now I don't believe a word or riff that comes out of them. Julian sings "I've got Nothing to saaay", and I think, sadly, that those words ring true.… Expand
  7. JohnG
    Jan 12, 2006
    2
    This album freaking blows. They aren't even trying anymore.
  8. pylert
    Jan 2, 2006
    1
    this is pretty bad
  9. RobK
    Jan 25, 2006
    0
    oh god no
  10. HansF
    Jan 29, 2006
    0
    This c.d. is awful! Please, I beg each of you who gave this c.d. a positive review to find a Strokes fan site. I will then ask you to read the lyrics for each song. Then once your emberassment subsides, then write an updated review. I will now give my review with the same thoughfulness contained in the lyrics of this album, " This is one steaming pile of boring crap."
  11. FilmoreH
    Jan 4, 2006
    2
    I think this may be the end for The Strokes.
  12. MackB
    Jan 4, 2006
    3
    It's quite disappointing, but I honestly didn't expect this album to shockingly break the mold the Strokes created for themselves. Pitchfork's review seems to get it right - these guys were in the right place at the right time when they offered their debut - 4.25 years later, these guys still can't muster anything new or fresh. It's not like they haven't had It's quite disappointing, but I honestly didn't expect this album to shockingly break the mold the Strokes created for themselves. Pitchfork's review seems to get it right - these guys were in the right place at the right time when they offered their debut - 4.25 years later, these guys still can't muster anything new or fresh. It's not like they haven't had time to develop new sounds (that are worth recording, unlike the "new directions" they take on First Impressions...). Their debut was 1 song on repeat 11 times - and it was catchy, but how difficult could it be to break out of that stylistic mode? Apparently quite difficult for this group of mostly non-talented posers. Julian's dissafected, removed vocals are no longer cute or suprisingly dull - they're just terrible. Why so many critics (and listeners) continue to give these guys the benefit of the doubt, is beyond me. The fact that their attempts to "branch out" fall so flat (on their third album, no less) should be a strong indicator that they lack that necessary ingredient - talent. And the Guardian said it right - now they just sound like a band jumping on the bandwagon the Strokes created 4 years ago. It's sad. The posts below are revealing, too. Michael J said that it "also has some trash" - and yet still gave it a 9! Come on, three albums of mostly the same material - with only half-hearted, failed attempts to alter the sound a bit? Definitely not 9 material. 3 is being too nice at this point, too.… Expand
  13. Ty
    Jan 7, 2006
    3
    1 great song and many poor washed out pointless ones. Not a patch one real bands like Death Cab Cutie / Eels etc. No septh to this cd.
  14. M.Lewis
    Jan 23, 2006
    2
    The single sounds like the theme song from The Munsters. How can anyone enjoy this?
  15. SamW
    Jan 4, 2006
    2
    This is a sub-par release from The Strokes and I don't like it.
  16. NelsonD
    Dec 5, 2006
    0
    SOOOOOO bad !! The Strokes are overrated!

Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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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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