Although we originally expected to be praising this as one of the best albums of ‘05, it has set the bar pretty high for the rest of ‘06’s releases. The Strokes’ third effort, First Impressions of Earth ($11) features a more mature, versatile and refined band. From subtle differences in composition to the sound of the obvious — you can actually hear Julian’s voice — we find it to be their best effort yet. Standout Tracks: "Heart in a Cage," "Ize of the World."