The Bottom Line: Like rock? Sick of all the over-produced rock bands populating radio and MTV? Then, you might just consider checking out Detroit's own The White Stripes.
lambchops's Full Review: White Blood Cells by The White Stripes
Michigan’s music scene has been shaped by the likes of Motown, Ted Nugent, Bob Seger and even Madonna. As of recent other artists like Kid Rock and Eminem have made massive impacts on the rap and rock scenes. There is also a pretty big electronic music scene in Detroit. But what is seriously lacking from this stellar lineup is the kind of band that I’m most attracted to. No, not British or led by Scott Weiland. Alas, I’m speaking of a band that is new, different, and probably classified as indie rock.
The White Stripes represent a musical move in the right direction for the whole of Michigan. The band was officially formed in 1997 with a goal of minimalist rock music…breaking the sometimes overly complex music down to the most basic and necessary elements. And to accomplish this mission, the band is actually just a duo consisting of Jack White and Meg White. Jack provides the guitar, lead vocals, piano, and even acts as producer. Meg adds her vocals in the background and thumps away knowingly on the drums.
No electronic elements, no bass guitar, very little mixing (what mixing is needed is done by Jack), and very few “extras” can be found on each of the band’s three albums to date. Before hitting it big with their third release, The White Stripes toured with rockers Pavement and Sleater-Kinney along with a successful round through Japan and Australia. The eponymous debut and 2000’s De Stijl were critically acclaimed, but it was with 2001’s White Blood Cells that mainstream audiences were finally exposed to the southwest Detroit native siblings.
White Blood Cells was initially released on independent label Sympathy for the Record Industry. Soon after the release of that album, they were signed to V2 with the new label subsequently reprinted the album on a much larger scale. For good or band, The White Stripes were embraced by radio (though not in Michigan surprisingly) and MTV as a result of the simple, catchy pop-rock song Fell in Love With a Girl. The two found support in print on the pages of Rolling Stone among other magazines. And fortunately for fans of the band’s earlier work, White Blood Cells is by no means a sellout album.
At sixteen songs in length ranging from less than a minute to barely over three, the mood is quick paced and catchy. The rock rhythms are simple, yet shining examples of what can be done with a song if all the unnecessary junk is thrown out the window. The production is scant, though not bad. It seems that this disc captures with rusty ease the places which The White Stripes have traveled while clearing the way while they head in new directions and attempt world domination.
The White Stripes sound a bit like a newer version of You Really Got Me’s the Kinks. They also come at the same time as other similarly themed bands like The Strokes also have splashed onto the scene. I suspect that a load of other acts will soon follow, however it’s The White Stripes that I’d prefer to pop into my stereo. Though, I must admit that not everything that the Whites do is perfect. It’s just a step in the right direction for the music industry and my native state alike.
White Blood Cells is introduced by Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground. Slightly psychedelic, slightly punk, slightly pop, and slightly 1970’s classic rock, the song is a smashing example of why listeners enjoy The White Stripes. The song, the sound, the lyrics, and the melody seem as comfortable as your favorite pair of sneakers (or Birkenstocks in my case). As a result of the scantly layered music, the band comes across wonderfully. You feel their emotion and their love for creative music making.
Hotel Yorba is short and sweet. Jack is reminiscent of a young, energetic Mick Jagger on a bluesy country song. And Meg holds up her end of the deal with metronome-steady drums. The song is much too brief at just over two minutes. So much more could of and should have been done with the idea.
The most popular track here is undoubtedly the infinitely catchy speed-rock-pop track Fell in Love With a Girl. It’s not exactly what you expect to hear when you turn on MTV, yet the cable megalith lent their support to the duo. It’s impossible to not appreciate the sweetly innocent yet completely rocking nature of the band. And then there’s the fact that the lyrics and melody are full of hooks and are amazingly catchy. You know the song…
my left brain knows that
all love is fleeting
she's just looking for something new
and I said it once before
but it bears repeating
I can’t help but admit I love the steady rock track The Union Forever. I also take pleasure in the melodramatic, heartfelt almost-ballad The Same Boy You’ve Always Been. Also of note is the melodic, intelligent, folk track not unlike some classics from the Beatles, We’re Going To Be Friends. I Can’t Wait strikes a nerve with its clean combination of emotional lyrics and vocals, an insistent electric guitar, and Meg’s restrained drums.
Of the sixteen tracks, merely two rub me the wrong way. Aluminum is on it’s surface strange. Any further investigation reveals that it’s repetitive, full of annoying feedback, anti-climatic, and wholly pointless. Also difficult is Now Mary. I don’t like that track’s unpredictable tempo, uneasy vocals, or uncontrollable guitars. In my opinion, the album could have done well in eliminating those duds.
Some of the other songs I’ve not mentioned are simply okay. They are more than just filler, but less than great. White Blood Cells is a good album. In fact, it’s better than average and should appeal to a very wide audience. The rock adheres to standards of the 1970’s rather than those more common in today’s artists. That kind of formula could have come across sounding manufactured. But, the brother and sister duo sound like they are having fun more than anything else.
I recommend White Blood Cells [2001] to rock fans and pop fans willing to cross over to the “dark” side. Many of the tracks recorded for this album are timeless…if placed along side songs from twenty or more years ago they would fit right in. Not a great album, but definitely worth a look-see.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground
02. Hotel Yorba
03. I’m Finding It Harder to Be a Gentleman
04. Fell in Love With a Girl
05. Expecting
06. Little Room
07. The Union Forever
08. The Same Boy You’ve Always Known
09. We’re Going to Be Friends
10. Offend in Every Way
11. I Think I Smell a Rat
12. Aluminum
13. I Can’t Wait
14. Now Mary
15. I Can Learn
16. This Protector
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