Just thought Id start a discussion off where people can talk about their favorite artists. My favorite band for the last few months has been the White Stripes. I bought Elephant a while ago on the advice of a friend, one who actually knows about music, and I was pretty amazed. I was totally blown away by White Blood Cells and De Stijl, and Loretta Lynn's new album is the bomb. And I dont even like country music.
I havent been this much of a fanboy about a band since I was 12 and first heard Nevermind. Anyway, I vote the White Stripes because they are the band that single handedly restored my faith in rock music, and contemporary music in general actually. Jack White = God.
Posts: 335 | Location: Sydney, Australia | Registered: 14 May 2004
I agree completely. Someone in this forum mentioned that rock is dead. For the most part I agree, but Jack White is absolutely carrying the torch for good ol' fashioned bluesy hard rock. I saw them at the El Rey in Los Angeles supporting their last album, and I was blown away by the guy. I wasn't quite sure what to make of Elephant until I got to "Bell And Biscuit" which blew my doors off. If that album were available on casette, I'd call it a "B-sider" because the last 7 songs are so damned good.
Posts: 314 | Location: Cali | Registered: 14 May 2004
The second half of Elephant is so good. The first half of the album is really enjoyable, but after listening to the album as much as I have, songs like "In the Cold, Cold Night" and "Youve Got Her in Your Pocket" have worn a bit thin. If someone asked me to pick a favorite song on the album Id have to say about 5 or 6.
I just think its so cool that in our day and age of glitzy production, perfection of every note and tons of musicians on one song, that you get the White Stripes. A band that says screw all this. A guitarist and a drummer blaring out things and recording them onto an 8 Track. Its got such a refreshingly stripped down sound, but each song has so much personality. My White Stripes CDs are prize possessions of mine.
Posts: 335 | Location: Sydney, Australia | Registered: 14 May 2004
Hmm, I'll play the role of the indie snob who has to put down any band who was once "indie" and has since seen some success...
No, actually, it has nothing to do with that, I actually love when a great underground band starts to get some mainstream exposure. That's why I'm cheering for all the (minor) success Modest Mouse is enjoying right now. The truth is, the White Stripes were never a great band. I don't even know if you can call them a band, but rather a faux-incestous brother and sister banging out boring, uninspired and downright lackluster songs in their basement. Honestly now, was "The Hardest Button to Button" written in 5 minutes?. Absolutely unbelievable. I was shocked when I first heard it on "Elephant" and was even more surprised they released it as their second single.
The last thing the White Stripes (or even the equally boring and uninspired Strokes) are is the "saviors of rock n' roll". If anything, they embody the near worst of the rock stereotype (okay, I'll conceed that they aren't among the Creed/Nickelback/Staind/Limp Bizkit level of horribleness). Jack White is obviously not a bad guitar player, but Meg's laughably horrible drumming is truely embarassing, and two people simply can't "fill" enough of an album or a song. If that's not enough, the song writing is very pedestrian and basic. I could forgive the very horrible "I-Just-Learned-How-To-Drum-Last-Tuesday" 4/4 drumming and the lack of depth in sound (hell, Nick Drake recorded "Pink Moon" with basically just himself, and that turned out pretty a-okay), but the songs just aren't that good.
"Rock" has never been dead and it never will be, artistically, commercially...that's another issue, but I could care less about that. The White Stripes and the Strokes are doing nothing that hasn't been done many times before (and often better). If you want some truely good music with some character, life, colour, any of that just check out Interpol, The Flaming Lips, The Decemberists, Sigur Ros, Modest Mouse, Polyphonic Spree, Broken Social Scene, The Shins etc. etc. etc.
If I want basic, melodic, well played monochromatic rock, I'll listen to the eons better Franz Ferdinand.
meg may not be a good drummer, but in the commercial arena the white stripes are easily one of the better bands now, Jack White is a great guitarist and a great live performer. Franz Ferdinand cannot be used as an alternative with regards to the white stripes, the are completely different.
Posts: 33 | Location: United Kingdom | Registered: 20 May 2004
The popularity of the White Stripes is very obvious. First off, they have Jimmy Page and Robert Plant all rolled into one. After that, you can add Hank Williams, Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry. I think that covers most of what people love about rock and roll. I'm sure that the next Stripes album will be pretty much mind-blowing in a Beatles-type way instead of just following the imprint of their first four very good, if not totally original, albums.
"Naked Woman, Naked Man Where did you get that nice sun tan?"
Posts: 12874 | Location: Behind the Orange Curtain | Registered: 14 May 2004
I can tell you why I like the White Stripes. It has nothing to do with talent or technical musicality (although I do think Jack White is very talented). It's just the emotional impact of the music. Listening to it makes me happy and it makes me want to rock out, or jump around the room or something.
It's the same reason why I like to listen to AC/DC sometimes, or the Sex Pistols. It's energizing and catchy and fun to listen to.
The last two entries remind me of an old Jimmie Page quote that was under somebody's high school yearbook picture: "Technique doesn't come into it....I deal in emotions." I thought that was so damned cool at the time, and I think it applies here. Obviously, Jack White is not the greatest technician, like the dudes in Slayer or Yngwe Malmsteeen, but his innate sense of bluesy rock is more advanced and developed than anybody out there today. Other than the red/white thing and the husband/wife joke, there's nothing gimmicky about White Stipes music. It's just simple, blow-out-the-speakers rock. I couldn't wipe the grin off my face when I saw their show. I know that people get anxious when their little unknown jewel becomes the next supergroup, but I think they've transcended that. Hopefully they'll grace us with another 10 or 11 albums over the coming years.
Posts: 314 | Location: Cali | Registered: 14 May 2004
I think Jack White is a pretty good guitarist, but he just chooses not to flaunt it with wildly exorbant guitar solos every 2 minutes. And I dont think Meg's drumming is supposed to "wow" you. Its not what the White Stripes are about. They are really into simplicity, and I like that.
Posts: 335 | Location: Sydney, Australia | Registered: 14 May 2004
quote: I disagree. Jack's awesome guitar and Meg's basic drumming have a perfect chemistry when combined.
Is that not what I said??!! "Meg's basic drumming" is the same the thing as simple drumming....is it not. Also, basic drumming, though it is used well in this context, is not in any way remarkable.
quote: That could very well be the worst insult you could possibly lay on Jack White.
How is that an insult???
Do you really think that Meg White is a great drummer????
I think he was joking, saying that to even attempt to place them on the same par is to disparage Jack's guitar abilities by even putting them in the same sentence as Meg's drumming.
Best wishes, ~V
Posts: 570 | Location: Boston | Registered: 17 May 2004
I'm not a huge White Stripes fan (for boy/girl duo action, I'll take the Handsome Family), but I have to say, I didn't realize how much impact they were having until I heard them being played in the midst of a mostly electronic and hip-hop music set in a dance club. And "Seven Nation Army" got that place pumpin' almost as much as local faves J-Kwon and Chingy.
Since then, I've grooved hard on that song. It's a good Pixies song, and a great White Stripes song.
I'm not sure they are gonna save rock and roll, but it's nice to have them around in a world where the top of the record charts are dominated by non-rock stuff like Usher, Mario Winans, Norah Jones, and Josh Groban. (Please don't take this as a dig on easy listening or R and B...it's just that ROCK bands are selling that many records these days. I don't like easy listening or R and B, but I'm not dissing these artists because, in all honesty, I've never really listened to them)
NB...I ran into Jack White and Renee Zellweger shopping for records here in St Louis. They were both friendly and nice, and Jack didn't sucker punch me, which was nice.
Posts: 3875 | Location: ATL, GA | Registered: 25 May 2004
