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| The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan |
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| (XL Recordings - 2005) |
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| | The success of The White Stripes has always been a surprise. The poppier elements of the sound have never been predominant but are scarce on Get Behind Me Satan, maybe even heading for extinction.
Whereas The White Stripes are an unusual - yet always entertaining - live act, a lot of this charm comes down to the feeling that each experience is unique. Consecutive gigs are rarely the same and who knows which Jack White will turn up. It is the enigmatic nature - and occasionally contrariness - of Jack White that means it is hard to predict just what a White Stripes gig or album will sound like. Is it the Jack White who laments the modern world and will only record on ancient equipment in charge today? Or has the Jack White who'll write the music for a coke commercial and complain about fans buying enough merchandise turned up for work?
On Get Behind Me Satan, it is the former Jack who is in control. Anything as immediate as Seven Nation Army, Hotel Yorba or Fell In Love With a Girl is out of the window. Complexity and breadth hasn't necessarily expanded, it's just at their very best The White Stripes manage to mix blues and a chorus together to spine-tingling effect.
Here blues is winning hands down and I guess it's this that I have the problem with.
Get Behind Me Satan is occasionally very good. The Denial Twist has undeniable (ho ho!) energy and I'm Lonely shows an agreeable tenderness rarely seen on a White Stripes record. In fact, there is nothing awful here (though maybe Meg shouldn't sing) but that there isn't anything "light", no throwaway pop number amongst the blues guitar twiddling and erratic piano playing, makes Get Behind Me Satan a rather laborious listen.
There is a happy middle ground, one that I've heard before on a White Stripes album. But that Jack White wasn't in work that day.
I look forward to Jack White's forthcoming material with Brendan Benson, as Brendan will hopefully be able to tease the pop sensibilities from Jack once more. However, hopefully not every song will be about Jack's favourite soft drinks. Fell In Love With A Lilt? Hotel Fanta?
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Glenn 20th December 2005 20:40:31 |
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