794 The White Stripes - The White Stripes Stripes (1999)

 794 The White Stripes - The White Stripes Stripes (1999)

Studio Album - Garage Rock



About the Act:

Jack and Meg White were known as the White Stripes, and American rock duo. At first they perpetuated the idea that they were brother and sister, when in fact they were a married couple, then a divorced couple. Their music was generally categorised as Garage Rock, due to its simplicity. They used a strict aesthetic of the colours red, white and black, and are best known for the single "Seven Nation Army".


About the Album:

This was their first album


My History with this Album:

I have heard it before a couple of times.


Review:

There is something quite unique about the White Stripes, they definitely have a sound. There are limitations to what they can do, like the legendary One Trick Pony, with a electric guitar, a drum kit and voice. And most of the album is just that although there are a few overdubs, or extra bits on some of the tracks. I guess there are few enough elements here that I could talk about each.

The guitar, with nothing else to get in the way, is huge. The sound used fills the whole spectrum and it is meaty. Mostly with distortion, to varying amounts, there are riffs and twiddles and chords, it's rock guitar at its most exposed. It's not technically sho-offy, but it is good enough, giving a strong, confident filling of the sonic space, and very human. There are elements of blues, rock, punk, even metal in there, and it sounds like a decent guitarist having a jam. Amazingly, as a bassist, I don't miss the bass, it's just...full.

The drums, well again the sounds used are full and meaty and kind of crunchy and warm. Again, Meg White is not the world's most technical drummer, but what she does has a simplicity to it that matches the guitar. It's very odd, in some ways, to hear a drummer following rather than leading, but this is definitely what is happening. Between them, they make good use of the fact that there are only two, by being really interactive, playing off each other, and particularly, their ability to change speed, is something you don't often hear. Between them they make this big banging sound. I respect that they have turned their weaknesses into strengths.

Jack's voice is generally compressed, distorted and filtered to sound a bit like he is using a megaphone. It's a good voice for the music they do, again simple, strong, gritty.

The songs are OK, not many have lyrics that have a big impact. There are a few covers that I spotted, and thought another one was, but it wasn't maybe I'd heard it recently. It's reasonably standard rock fare with a strength and vulnerability to it that is appealing. It's a good album. I'm more likely to enjoy an isolated White Stripes track than a whole album, but I listened to it while driving and that's a good context for it.


7/10


Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/4Nemfc7fJzJmmqhBQ8khhj

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7A6C8DB82556B5DF

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_White_Stripes_(album)



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