First impressions of First Impressions of Earth: Well for starters, it’s 50 minutes and should be about 35. In one track, J.C. repetitively sings, “I’ve got nothing to say,” which becomes quite evident after a while. Songs are way too drawn out. In some respects they are branching out in new directions, which I applaud, but in some respects this album also feels kind of stale. They cautiously explore some new song structures and production tricks and this pays off – but they also maintain the now signature Strokes sound, which of course they should. However, it is a double-edged sword. Write Strokes songs and sound like the Strokes, but don’t rewrite the same Stokes songs over with different chords. Unfortunately, as they take steps forward, they also takes steps back by being stifled by formulas. Maybe we should call this the Weezer phenomenon. Knock us on our asses with two highly original creative records and then coast on fumes that gag us after. First Impressions of Earth is not a terrible record, so it is unfair to compare it to the horrid shit Weezer has been foisting on us, but it also not great or the record most of us wanted from them. I hope that they are able to exploit what is new and fresh about FIOE and come back at us with something that does not feel so reigned in, cautious, and unsure.