Review:
The White Stripes’ brand of American garage rock would make them one of the most important bands of the 20th century, but went largely unnoticed with their eponymous 1999 debut. Singer, guitarist, and pianist Jack White produced the duo’s album along with Jim Diamond and dedicated it to blues musician Son House. WK
While the world may not have been listening yet, the band were already crafting the sound that would make them so incredibly influential just a couple albums later. “Minimal to the point of sounding monumental, this Detroit guitar-drums-voice duo makes the most of its aesthetic choices and the spaces between riffage and the big beat. In fact, the White Stripes sound like arena rock as hand-crafted in the attic. Singer/ guitarist Jack White’s voice is a singular, evocative combination of punk, metal, blues, and backwoods while his guitar work is grand and banging with just enough lyrical touches of slide and subtle solo work to let you know he means to use the metal-blues riff collisions just so. Drummer Meg White balances out the fretwork and the fretting with methodical, spare, and booming cymbal, bass drum, and snare cracks. In a word, economy (and that goes for both of the players).” CH
“The Whites’ choice of covers is inspired, too. J. White’s voice is equally suited to the task of tackling both the desperation of Robert Johnson’s Stop Breakin’ Down and the loneliness of Bob Dylan’s One More Cup of Coffee. Neither are equal to the originals, but they take a distinctive, haunting spin around the turntable nevertheless.” CH
Johnny Walker of the Soledad Brothers contributes to Suzy Lee and I Fought Piranhas. He is credited with teaching Jack White to play slide guitar, a sound which became a staple for the White Stripes. WK
In short, “all D.I.Y. punk-country-blues-metal singer/songwriting duos should sound this good.” CH
Review Source(s):
--
--
--
