Room On Fire (reissue) vinyl

It's hard to believe The Strokes' debut album is 20 years old in 2023. Of course, it sounds very much like the band did at that time, with reviews upon release even celebrating the fact that they'd opted not to mess about with a musical formula that won legions of fans on their debut, Is This It. High speed, turbulent, angsty rock 'n' roll music that isn't just youthful, it's completely disinterested in growing up. Of course, this might be taken to mean a lack of new ideas, but that's precisely where the genius really shines through. Room On Fire is less a band regurgitating and getting 'found out', and more proof of a singular vision of what a guitar band should actually sound like. Really very loud, not at all comprising, and while comparable to many, entirely The Strokes.