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THE STROKES, IS THIS IT (RCA) Hipsters who have heard the gigantic buzz about the debut album from the Strokes -- about it being amazing, and a throwback to real, gutsy, arty rock -- have likely heard the counter buzz: Is This It is a derivative piece of poo, ripping off every New York postpunk band from the Velvet Underground to Television.

Well, it's all true: Is This It is one of the year's best precisely because it lifts from the best. In a little more than a half hour the Strokes manage to stir up mayhem and magic with fast, furious songs that pack serious punch and the right dose of pretension and pose. Soma is an example; it's perfect in melody, edgy, angular guitar and oomph. Check out bassist Nikolai Fraiture's spare, stoic bass lines that perfectly buoy the noise.

Yummy interlocked guitars pepper many tunes, reminding lovers of the downtown sound of the symbiosis of Television strummers Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd.

Strokes singer Julian Casablancas has a rough, sinewy voice that adds urgency to his lyrics coaxing a schoolgirl to skip exams and hang with him on Barely Legal. On lots of songs Casablancas sounds artfully detached, cool like a young Lou Reed.

Sure, the band is getting as much press for its fresh sound as it is the fellas' model good looks. More important, all five, in their early 20s, are playing with passion and vim, bringing the delicious sound of CBGB and Max's Kansas City to a whole new generation. A

-- GINA VIVINETTO, Times pop music critic

NATALIE MERCHANT, MOTHERLAND (ELEKTRA RECORDS) It's no shock that Natalie Merchant's new album is a somber sobfest. What is noteworthy is the musical experimentation that permeates Merchant's dark compositions. Opener, This House Is on Fire, accompanies Merchant's soulful crooning with a Middle Eastern themed string section. Violins enhance the striking song, providing rich musical flourishes and adding a little life to Merchant's insular lyrics.

Also interesting is the Southern bluegrass-tinged Saint Judas, which contains guest vocals by gospel singer Mavis Staples. Merchant plays the role of vixen in Put the Law on You, which contains stunning saxophone work. On that bluesy song Merchant sings, "Did you really think you'd get away / Escape my justice until your dying day?" Merchant's sultry voice resonates with power.

Other standouts include the R&B-influenced Build Yourself a Levee and The Ballad of Henry Darger, complete with a chamber orchestra.

Single Just Can't Last and Tell Yourself confirm the stereotype that Merchant's music can be cloying and, yes, a little pretentious. Tell Yourself is the token anthem to her largely female fan base; its "you're special" sentiment is commendable, but by now redundant. This song has appeared on every one of her albums in one form or another. If Merchant gave it a rest and stuck to the new arrangements, Motherland would be flawless. B

-- BRIAN ORLOFF, Times correspondent

ROGER MCGUINN, TREASURES FROM THE FOLK DEN (APPLESEED) Roger McGuinn, the man most famous for pioneering folk-rock, psychedelic and country-rock with his band the Byrds during the 1960s, returns to his roots with a stirring collection of traditional, acoustic songs. Cameo appearances by venerable artists such as Joan Baez, Judy Collins and Pete Seeger enrich a solid effort by the 59-year-old McGuinn, whose untarnished vocal pipes and 12-string guitar skills handle with balanced aplomb the album's various styles, ranging from British sea chanteys and cowboy songs, to Delta blues and Irish drinking ditties. B.

-- WADE TATANGELO, Times correspondent

LEONARD COHEN, TEN NEW SONGS (COLUMBIA/SONY) Unlike the rich flourishes of mandolin, guitars, congas and violin that augment Leonard Cohen's last acclaimed studio effort, The Future (1992), Ten New Songs is a mere exercise in "programming" tracks on a machine.

Cohen's eloquent, nihilistic lyrics and raspy vocals are as sturdy as ever. If only the production weren't as uninspired as the title, Ten New Songs would resemble a stellar musical achievement rather than a nice collection of demos. B

-- W.T.

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