How do you follow a debut record that caused a splash akin to a Fat Joe cannonball in a crowded pool? If you're the Strokes, you make the same record again and call it Room on Fire. Strokes 2.0 follows to the letter the blueprint laid out on the New York quintet's first album. That's not necessarily a bad thing -- Is This It? was an undeniably good album that merited at least half the plaudits it received. The release of Fire has been met with the sort of anticipation usually reserved for legends at the height of their creative powers. Whether these handsome prep schoolers peaked early remains to be seen; the band is still too young to have amassed anything resembling a body of work. Is Fire any good? Depends on your perspective. If you liked the first one, the second one offers more of the same. Tunes such as "Reptilia" and "Under Control" manage to be catchy, cool and clumsy without ever trying too hard. Fire retains the effortless, just-out-of-bed charm that made the Strokes' debut a breath of fresh air. On the other hand, it's disheartening to see a talented young act take the easy route. Casual fans won't stick around for a third helping of the same; the band will have to expand its aural palette next time around or face the been-there-done-that syndrome that makes each new Oasis release such a nonevent.
