The Strokes

“First Impressions of Earth” (Sony/RCA)

Compare to: Dinosaur Jr.

REVIEW: 4 / 5

In short: The Strokes move in a different direction on their latest effort, and still sound better than most bands could ever hope to sound.

Guy down the hall review: The new The Strokes album sounds pretty good. I’d buy it..

Economist review: The new The Strokes album is a sound investment. The initial capital is recovered after only a couple of listens.

Worthwhile review: The latest album from The Strokes, “First Impressions of Earth,” marks a turning point for the band toward a darker and more demanding sound. Don’t let the title fool you, however. On these 14 songs, the band is as tight as it’s ever been. Flowing melodies, more intense guitar work and a rhythm section poised to end world hunger show they’re masters of their craft.

The album starts off at a blistering pace. The first single, “Juicebox,” starts with a jagged bassline laced with urgency, and Julian Casablanca’s strained vocals add to the sense of urgency. “Juicebox” is followed by the standout track on the album, “Heart in a Cage.”

Screaming guitars give way to a chugging rhythm and melody that will be the most enjoyable three minutes and 20 seconds since your rendezvous with that girl last Friday. But as we all know, three songs don’t make an album. This album suffers from a couple of missteps in the middle and end of the album. Particularly “Evening Sun” and “15 Minutes.”

The Strokes are moving in a new direction. But don’t worry hipsters, this promising move only builds anticipation for what The Strokes will do in the future.

– Nick Farris