The Strokes - 'Room On Fire' (Rough Trade / RCA)
5/5
By: Toby L
Intoxicating, it's been, following New York's The Strokes. Iconic from their very initial emergence, comparisons of modern-day relevance to a paralleling, if British, Smiths (they do share a classic, UK label-home, after all, within Rough Trade Records) have been rife, whilst the band's refusal to churn out songs on a conveyor-belt basis has meant that long-awaited, second album 'Room On Fire' has been a long time coming amid the rock 'n' roll pipeline.
And the wait...? Justified, of course. With a voice and lyricist such as Julian Casablancas in tow, The Strokes have proven themselves unlikely candidates for a poor show. And, even though two and a half million unit-sales later of their classic debut-LP 'Is This It' might set a hefty precedent to follow, Casablancas and co. have been intelligent about this - by taking their unique, chiming two-guitars, bass and drums raucous-pop to a more emotive, harder and heartfelt conclusion.
So, let's get it out the way - 'Room On Fire' is better than the band's first: a spiralling, melodic, more complex and enthralling listen. The tunes remain in force, too - songs immediately embracing, some challenging (take dramatic opener 'Whatever Happened', where Julian spews, 'I wanna be forgotten... And I don't want to be reminded,' with touching, hardened sincerity), whilst the maintaining of their signature, downward-strumming, minor-chord panache remains untainted.
And after over two years solid on the road, the band have developed a hoarser growl - not least JC's vocals, which are formidable in both timing and gusto throughout - with the likes of a pulsating 'Reptilia' and thunderous 'The Way It Is' showcasing a band more immediate, frustrated and taut with their rage. The credentials for a few memorable singles along the way are similarly as urgent - the blistering sharpness and glimmering verses of '12:51'; infectious bridge-refrain of 'I never needed anybody' during a hook-laden 'Between Love & Hate'; and beauteous majesty of the ballad-like, LP-highlight, 'Under Control' - as endearing and affecting as they come.
Backed continually with a further raft of instantly loveable contemporary-gems, The Strokes have cut through the mould of fashion-trendsetters and 'bright hopes' to rightly earn themselves a pedestal amongst the classics that in turn influenced and inspired their own produce. So long as the quintet continually follow up work with as much dextrous passion and forward-thinking aplomb as demonstrated herein, it's a challenge to envisage a time where their significance could prove anything other than faultlessly timeless.
Artists in this article: The Strokes
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