HOT TRACKS LISA ROBINSON

WHAT sophomore slump? New albums from the Strokes, Nelly Furtado, and Alicia Keys all prove that there is hope after hype.

With Room on Fire,the Strokes don't change much, but do take their welcome garage, punk-pop, New York vibe up another step. Nelly Furtado's long-awaited Folklore is a celebratory, joyous work. Alicia Keys can sing, and on The Diary of Alicia Keys, she showcases her talent for what, alas, seems to be a dying art—melody.

Freshmen:Obie Trice, who was signed to Eminem's record label after freestyling to him through a car window, releases Cheers, a hard-hitting debut that features creative, excellent production (as well as melodic background vocals) from Eminem himself. Fefe Dobson is a spirited 18-year-old singer, influenced by Coldplay, Nirvana, and the Vines, who has an impressive, self-titled debut. The Thrills are five Irish guys who, on the catchy So Much for the City, sound at best like the Beach Boys and at worst, the Monkees. Young, handsome country singer Billy Currington has a strong, eponymous debut. Sheryl Crow, Lenny Kravitz, Jakob Dylan, and Gillian Welch all help out on Broken Promises, the debut CD from V.F. contributing photographer Mark Seliger's band, Rusty Truck. New school:Kid Rock

claims he's a "redneck, rock 'n' roll son of Detroit" on his terrific Pain Train.Britney Spears tries again to "shock" the prurient with lyrics about underwear, all-night parties, sex drives, shopping sprees, freak shows, and whatnot on Get in the Zone, and has a track produced by Moby yet. Moby himself recycles his last album, with outtakes on the new 18 B Sides. On Try This, Pink rocks, rolls, and wails with some strong songs written and produced by Rancid's Tim Armstrong. With clever wordplay, underground rap fave Aesop Rock (a.k.a. Ian Bavitz) releases Bazooka Tooth. Primus'sAnimals Should Not Try to Act Like People is the usual zany stuff from the unpredictable mind of leader Les Claypool. Rufus Wainwright has undeniable talent; his excellent Want One is stylish, layered, and occasionally over the top, with angry, desolate, yet hopeful lyrics. The latest entry from reggae's first family is A Time & Place, from 27-year-old Julian Marley. Good new albums are also out from Boo Yaa Tribe, RZA, Howie Day, and Ludacris. Class of their own:Ryan Adams's fantastic Rock n Roll features his best singing and guitar work ever; it's the album he—and we—always knew he could make. Streetcore, the final album recorded by the late Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros, is poignant, urgent, and wonderful. Paul Westerberg has two new albums out: Come Feel Me Tremble, the soundtrack to a documentary film about him, and Dead Man Shake, done by his blues-countryrock 'n' roll alter ego, Grandpaboy.Sea Music, from Dan Zones, is a folk excursion not specifically for kids, with songs about homesickness, drunkenness, drowning, and fish.

Old school: Lost Highway Records releases rarities on Lost & Found— including the ultimate version of an otherwise cornball Glen Campbell hit, the Jimmy Webb-penned "Wichita Lineman," done brilliantly here by the late Johnny Cash. Plus, Unearthed is a five-CD boxed set including four CDs of previously unheard Johnny Cash material. Paid in Full is the two-CD deluxe edition of the 1987 masterpiece from Eric B. and Rakim.

Also out: CollideOscope, from the reunited Living Colour, Rod Stewart's second disc of standards, Barbra Streisand's favorite songs from the movies, remastered, expanded versions of Television's gems Marquee Moon and Adventure, and new ones from Van Morrison, Al Green, and Brian Setzer. Other greatest hits, reworked boxed sets, and re-releases: Grace Jones, Culture Club, R.E.M., Peter, Paul & Mary, the Eagles, Rosemary Clooney, Love with Arthur Lee, four CDs of 70s punk, and Live & Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection, with Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra.

When you've loved and lost the way Frank has, then you know what life's about.