The Strokes have been handcuffed, not by their male model looks, but the insistence of their fans that they not change.

I’m one of them.

With some musicians, like the Flaming Lips or Afghan Whigs or U2 or Nick Cave or David Bowie, I appreciate the experimentation, the changes. But with other bands, like the Strokes, I only want one thing from them.

Which is probably why I like First Impressions of Earth as much as I do: it sounds like Is This It.

And You Only Live Once, which was in my head as I woke up today – knowing that my holiday is over and I’ve got to get back to work – sounds like it belongs on that first album.