The Strokes: 'Under Cover Of Darkness'

Five years... five! An aeon in the fast-moving world of pop - and the last time we heard any new material from The Strokes. For a band who burst onto the scene with such spark, it's surprising how quickly they seemed to fragment into time-out, bickering and solo projects. In their absence, 2001 debut Is This It has been called everything from the saviour of rock 'n' roll to the overrated nostalgic shovel which dug the landfill too many indie careerists gleefully filled. The truth - as ever - was somewhere between the two, but the quality of the songs and their inherent freshness definitely placed that 11-track record nearer the former.

What hits you about 'Under Cover Of Darkness' is how much it apes the early Strokes sound. Despite its beefier production and occasionally twiddly guitar work, it could still slip between any two tracks on that first album and not sound out of place. Sharp, jagged riffs, Julian Casablancas's (slightly reined-in) throaty vocals and the delightfully simple drums recall 'Last Nite', 'Someday' and the rest. It's solid, catchy stuff, but the regression is unsettling. Despite the nervy step back from critics and fans alike, there was much to be said for the bravery shown in the tentative elecTronics of Room on Fire and foggy in-your-face stumbling of First Impressions Of Earth. This is a welcome enough return, but let's hope there's a bit more of a look forward on comeback LP Angles.