As much as I hate to be in agreement with any of these black-frame wearing hipster indie-rock aficionados, there’s a part of me that is a closet fan of The Strokes. Take a look at them objectively. They put out consistent, catchy, lo-fi music without the pretentiousness of a lot of bands out there that think they’re changing the world. Sure, there are plenty of puffed-up music snobs who love them (and I’m sure a few who don’t because “their earlier work was better”), but that doesn’t mean we can’t simply enjoy them. If a guy who looks like he just rolled out of bed wearing Converse sneakers tries to tell you otherwise, spit on him.

The Strokes’ latest offering, “First Impressions of Earth,” continues on the path they were treading. This time around, it sounds sharper and a lot more produced. Some might not like this departure. I, however, think it’s a natural progression. Many of the songs have what I can only describe as a thumping dance beat. Some songs are heavier than you might be used to, but all in all, it fits. When judging a rock album, always ask, “Does it rock?” Well, this one does pretty well. The Storkes are trying some new things, and they’ll probably get shit on for it, but I still enjoy it.