Two whirlwind years after releasing a debut, the original “”The”” band is back, surprisingly unfazed. “”Whatever Happened?”” opens the album on a high note with their now-familiar, retro-minded minimalism. It¹s a great song, to be sure, but how can the Strokes get away with essentially making the same album again?

They just do. Questioning what makes the second song, “”Reptilia,”” so great is like questioning why you enjoy your favorite dessert ‹ it¹s just great. Julian Casablancas screams “”the room is on fire as she¹s fixin¹ her hair”” with more gusto than ever before, and his bandmates strangle every possible melody and rhythm from the song without overdoing it at all. It sounds incredible.

The same goes for the new-wave guitar riot “”12:51,”” currently burning up the charts, for the surprisingly slow and pretty ballad “”Under Control”” and the train-chugging “”Automatic Stop.”” Same goes for the entire album, which is not classic like the first album was, but more consistent. By never relenting on their rhythmic attack and paying equal attention to memorable melodies and sophisticated but lo-fi sonics, the Strokes refine their sound without losing their touch.