The White Stripes

Elephant
/v2; 2003/

 

 

 

more info:
www.whitestripes.com

The whole rock n' roll revival thing is hopefully over. The release of the long-awaited let down album by the Yeahs Yeahs Yeahs will probably bring this ridiculous circus to an end. And I'm pretty sure Meg & Jack White just don't give a fuck. I mean, they didn't sign to a major label after the release of a three songs ep. They are indier than Julian, Karen and Craig. The attention paid to garage rock n' roll put their music in the spotlight but certainly didn't create or make-up anything. It is the perfect time for the White Stripes to release Elephant. During earthquakes, quickly built buildings collapse. When all the one-hit wonders/hi-jackers are gone The White Stripes will stand up. 

The great thing about Elephant is that it is better than White Blood Cells, in which they clearly repeated themselves after their two previous lps. It starts with a bass riff. There are more than two instruments at once on the album and it was probably the only way out for the band. And, well, now the band sounds heavily 70s. Jack White spits his words out with an incredible assurance and his nasty riffs always impress. The beginning of the album is filled with hits, from the bass driven Seven Nation Army to Meg White's cute rendition of In the Cold Cold Night. And well, sometimes it sounds so 70-ish it almost sounds 80-ish. You've Got Her in Your Pocket sounds like an outtake from the b-side of Led Zeppelin's III and Ball and Biscuit, the album's 7 minutes long epic is really enjoyable when it gets angry. My dad told me it reminded him of Jimi Hendrix. It reminds me of the Junkyard Birds because of the stoner guitar riff. The Hardest Button to Button, Little Acorns and Hypnotise just rawk. Even I Want to Be the Boy is enjoyable, despite its unbelievable GnR piano. To conclude the album the band affords a cute duet about the tabloid controversy regarding their relationship (brother and sister or plain lovers?) in which they quietly sing "it's true that we love one another." Actually, after Is This It, Elephant could very well be the second great album to come out of the garage revival. 

**phone call**

NME reader: what?? only two ??? no... it can't be... I feel... I feel like I've been cheated. what about the Datsuns?? the Vines??? the Hives??? the Yeah Yeah Yeahs ????

Now don't make me laugh, I thought you had learnt the lesson the hard way back there in Seattle. How could you fall into such an obvious trap again

NME reader: I don't know, maybe it's the leather, or the haircuts... I'm sorry, I feel really bad, I promise never to fall into trends created by record labels in collaboration with trendy magazines ever again. 

Good, but please stop crying. Two great albums are better than none.

-Barbara H

/apr 1st 2003/