The Strokes - Is This It

The chasing pack has had almost a full decade to surpass the giddy heights of Is This It – a title that now almost feels like a sneering retort to the hordes of leather-clad copyists that have tried and failed to do so since its release. And while it might not be the most original of debuts, the fact of the matter is that any band (The Strokes themselves included) would be hard-pressed to match the style and swagger of modern classics like ‘Someday’ and ‘Hard To Explain’, songs that make Is This It the brashest, coolest rock album of the noughties. (Paul Harrington)