"The Room, The Room Is On Fire"

The fire hose-like stream of hype that surrounded the Strokes' 2001 debut, "Is This It?" was so intense that it would've been able to destroy the Lusitania. Granted it was 88 years too late, but the point is pretty clear; with the amount of build-up for "Is This It?" the results made a lot of listeners ask just that question.

Fortunately, the answer is no, and the Strokes' sophomore release, "Room On Fire," is a wonderful record. Despite prognostications about the "rock and roll revival" that was to ride in - a la the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse - alongside frontman Julian Casablancas and company, the Strokes are not reviving anything.

In fact, the band does have a sound all its own. Whether that's a splendid thing is for the listener to judge, but "Room On Fire" combines many influences into a stew that tastes just right. "Under Control" even features riffs and vibes seemingly almost entirely ripped off from Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.

Casablancas, who writes the band's words and music, does his most admirable work executing the melodies he penned. His Mick Jagger-esque swagger has settled down to the point where he exhibits true vulnerability on many tracks. Though there are a few incidents of weak lyric writing, the strength of emotion he intensifies on tracks like "Reptilia" - as he howls "please don't slow me down if I'm going too fast" - and "You Talk Way Too Much," is priceless.

By far the most amusing part of this, and both, of the Strokes' records is the way Casablancas can sing as if he is simultaneously in control and almost passed out drunk at the same time. "Between Love & Hate" exhibits a sort of half-in-the-bag approach to recalling school and, with his warbled "I never needed anybody" prechorus, is downright hilarious.

The possibility that this record will be over-hyped is more than just a possibility; it's a certainty. Sadly, this will turn a lot of would-be fans away from the record, which is eleventy-four times better than their debut. Maybe, this is better. Keep it all a secret.

This comes recommended for fans of: The Cars, Cake and Longwave.