When they first emerged, people noted that the Strokes bore a surprising similarity to Definitely Maybe-era Oasis. Their best ideas were all nicked, but sharp songwriting and a fantastic image elevated them beyond mere copyists. Two years later, the comparison still seems apposite. Like the Gallaghers' second effort, (What's the Story) Morning Glory, Room on Fire is an album that appears to punch above its weight. A roaring opener, a trio of great potential singles and a remarkable slow number successfully divert attention from the fact that half of Room on Fire is uninspired filler. The Strokes have managed to come up with just 15 minutes of decent music in two years, but you wouldn't notice while 12:51 or Under Control is playing.

Room on Fire is liable to shift more copies than Is This It, for precisely the same reasons that the second Oasis album outsold Definitely Maybe. The band's public profile is higher this time around. Since the Strokes' debut, no guitar band has emerged to challenge their dominance over alt-rock: the Libertines are too complex and messy and no one knows if the Darkness are a joke that's about to wear thin. In the absence of any serious alternative, audiences and media alike still want the Strokes to be successful, so success seems assured. For the time being at least, the Strokes have just about got away with it. If they can do so again in the future is anyone's guess.

source: the Guardian