call me crazy but i'd say that they've become the better of jack white's creative outlets. i mean, icky thump was good, but i like consolers of the lonely waaay more. how does everybody else feel about the two bands and their respective newest releases?

I just picked up Consolers... yesterday but I really like it so far. Now to say that the Raconteurs are better than the Stripes? Jack White isn't as limited with the Raconteurs as he is with the White Stripes, but all 6(?) of the White Stripe's albums are pretty damn good, so the Raconteurs have some catching up to do....but I am very pleased with the new album.

So far, it seems like a better listen than Icky Thump. Unlike the last Raconteurs album, this album seems to have more of its own sound as opposed to seeming like a collection of White/Benson leftovers. I don't know if it's top 20 material, but it's not bad.

It's still early but I like it too and I hated their debut album. This just sounds really fresh and entertaining.

quote:

posted by FKA
I hated their debut album.

Really??? But it's such an innocuous thing. Strumming, big choruses, singable melodies; I woulda thought it was right up yr alley Fraggie.

I just hope the production on the new one is better; and if so, i'm likely to buy.

I definitely like this more than the first one, but I like the Raconteurs albums less than the White Stripes ones because, let's face it, Jack White is a better songwriter than Brendon Benson. I find that the BB songs (the ones that he sings anyway- I'm not sure how much co-writing they did) are not as melodically or lyrically interesting as the JW songs. The first line of "Many Shades of Black" makes me wince: "Go ahead, go ahead smash it on the floor/ take whatever's left and take it with you out the door."

I agree that a full band behind Jack White is a good thing, but I would prefer it if he did all the songwriting himself so that we'd get an album full of great songs.

I agree with everything that playdough said. And yeah, the idea of a full band behind Jack White sounds like a great idea—it's just too bad that be lets Brendon Benson write as well.

The first album was too "blah" for me; the same qualities that you described are what turned me off from it, Ish. This new one sounds really great so far.

Yeah, after a couple listens this is pretty awesome, particularly "You Don't Understand Me."

Jack should do a Matt Friedberger (Fiery Furnaces) and release a whopper of an album of his own songs. I liked Friedberger's "Winter Women/Holy Ghost Language School", and I'm sure JW's would be a more exciting listen.

As far as The Raconteurs, I couldn't stand their first album, but this one seems to be a MAJOR improvement. Consolers is more listenable than Icky Thump, but I'm not going to jump on The Raconteur bandwagon yet. They'd have to make something on par with Get Behind Me Satan, De Stijl, etc. before I'd consider them superior.

quote:

Originally posted by typewriter:
Jack should do a Matt Friedberger (Fiery Furnaces) and release a whopper of an album of his own songs.

Isn't this called a White Stripes album?

I thought Icky Thump was excellent, up there with their best and I liked the Raconteurs (they're called the Sabateurs down under) first album, but I liked Jack's contributions more than Brendon's. I look forward to hearing the new one, from the praise it's been getting here.

quote:

Originally posted by Stocky:
Isn't this called a White Stripes album?

Haha, good point.

I liked Icky Thump too but then again, I like all of their albums. I think that Jack White is a bit undervalued because he does make music at an intense pace. In these times, that's a rare attribute but his work is easily overlooked because it appears so often.

This is a great album though, I have been listening to it a lot lately.

I have to agree wholeheartedly that this album is much stronger than the debut. I disagree, however, with the people who argue that Benson is a weaker songwriter than Jack White. While Benson and White make a strong pair, Benson's solo work is much different than Jack White's and I suspect that the people who feel he is inferior are simply reacting to the fact that while White is more rock/blues, Benson is more pop. I am the rare case who comes to the Raconteurs more in the Benson camp, as his last two solo albums, "Lapulco" and "Alternative to Love" are both amazing. I like "Consolers" as well, but it's much too different to compare.

Been enjoying Consolers today, and definitely my favorite of the two Raconteurs releases. "You Don't Understand Me", "Old Enough" and "Attention" are the tracks I'm liking best, so far. Comparing to the Stripes? Nah, can't compare, the Stripes are my favorite band, but still the Raconteurs are getting better. Any Jack White is fine with me.

quote:

I suspect that the people who feel he is inferior are simply reacting to the fact that while White is more rock/blues, Benson is more pop.

Not true. I am a total pop-head-to-the-core. I find Benson's songs to be okay, but they never grab me and I often find them to be awkward. It has nothing to do with genre.

I keep on thinking that it's the same as if John Lennon had formed a band with Gene Clark in 1968. Sure, Gene Clark was okay, but he would have been out-classed.

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
It's still early but I like it too and I hated their debut album. This just sounds really fresh and entertaining.

Agreed. Broken Boy Soldiers was pretty forgettable (save Level and Steady, As She Goes) but Consolers has a lot of tunes I seem to be going back to. (Old Enough, You Don't Understand Me, Top Yourself, Consoler of the Lonely)
I'd give it a 8/10, as opposed to the debut, which I'd give a 6/10.

However, I enjoyed Icky Thump MORE than Consolers of the Lonely.

havent had a chance to listen to the new album yet but it sounds like its worth the purchase. ive always enjoyed the white stripes and loved the first raconteurs album.

get the bluegrass versions of "old enough" and "top yourself". fantastic!

i wasnt fond of first raconteurs album either, but loved counselers.