Review Summary: Dividing opinions though it may be, this White Stripes album has something for everyone.
The 6th White Stripes album is gleefully dividing opinions around the globe. Fans of the old school garage rock Stripes are moaning about a lack of straight ahead rock songs while others are applauding it for its epic experimentation. And experimental it is. For the first time the White Stripes have recorded in a modern studio (Blackbird Studio in Nashville) and the freedom that this has allowed them is apparent.
The album roars open with lead single and title track Icky Thump. Icky sounds like a Native American meets Scottish war march set in space- and I mean that in the best of all possible ways. A Univox synth provides faux-bagpipe rhythms and solos which stop and start to open the way for clanging back and forth guitar riffs. Along with Jack's nearly rapped semi narrative and stream of conscious lyrics of a white American man's odyssey and downfall through Mexico, Icky nicely sets up the listener for the experimental edge that is present throughout Icky Thump. And with a quiet "One, two, three, four" count in we are subtly and slickly slipped into the albums second (and somewhat safer sounding) track, You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told). A warm piece of 70's country rock, it differs considerably from the previous track. Set against a backdrop of country arpeggios, slammed guitar chords and Hammond organ the song has Jack chastising a woman for staying in a doomed and difficult relationship: "You're not hopeless or helpless, and I hate to sound cold... But you don't know what love is: You just do as you're told." A more approachable track than Icky Thump, but it's really going to come down to whether or not you particularly like country rock (I happen to be a sucker for it) that will tell whether or not you'll appreciate the tracks charms. The song line dances happily into the next track, the acoustic chill out with a mother of a name: 300 MPH Torrential Outpour Blues. With a simplistic acoustic slide riff and a maracas and snare backbeat Jack ruminates on marriage, leaving a legacy, and the past all in the first two verses. With nothing but the lightest stabs of electric this seems like the albums As Ugly As I Seem (albeit with more backbone)- until it reaches the two minute mark and things go ape***. A sudden squall of feedback and a sledgehammer beat pick up and Jack starts a brief solo up that sounds like a pig being pushed through a digital slaughterhouse. And then as quickly as it starts it stops and the acoustic comes back this time with some heavier slide in the background. A well honed representation of The White Stripe's quirkiness.
Next we get to my personal favourite track on the album, the mariachi infused cover of the Corky Robbins song Conquest made famous in the 50's by songstress Patti Page. The song consists of a muscular duel of trumpet, heavily distorted guitars and Jack's multi-layered harmonies backed by Meg's Wild West drum beat. Topped off by Jack's howls of "Coooooonqueeest!!!" this tale of a serial womanizer having the tables turned on him is the albums crown jewel. And as quickly as it started it ends ushering in the first track on the album that sounds more like The White Stripes the garage band then White Stripes the new King Crimson. Bone Broke is built around a back and forth guitar chord riff and a smacking drum beat by Meg while Jack howls about having to slave away for no cash while ripping into the rich for living off the foresight of their parents: "You're mother put her money into platinum and now you never have to pay attention." It's not the strongest return to the 'old' form on the album nor is it the strongest track present, but it's sure to please the "The White Stripes are a garage rock band only" fans.
And with a slap of the knee (literally) the Stripes of old are ushered back into the wings as out step the Scottish infused double act of Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn and St. Andrew (This Battle Is In The Air). The first track is a paean to Jack's ancestral homeland of Scotland complete with bagpipes, mandolin and a "Li-de-li-de-li-oh" chorus. The track works and is reminiscent of Little Ghost on Get Behind Me Satan as a very literal composition of a country's folk music, this time round being Scotland as opposed to an American hoedown. However it's when the track slips into its awkward second half St. Andrew that things go a bit askew. As the bagpipes start playing backwards and Jack noodles maniacally Meg reads out a poem inspired by a Scottish war king who, during battle declared St. Andrew was watching over his army when he saw a cloud in the sky (possibly not the man you would want leading you). It works as an oddity but you'll probably start to skip after the second listen.
And now we enter the second half of the album which is a bit friendlier to those aching for some more rib cage rattling garage rock and blues. Little Cream Soda comes at you with a knife, from full on assaults of slammed chords to subtle caresses of minor riffs as Jack wishes for days when "all I wanted was my ice cream colder and a little cream soda." The track is aurally friendlier than Bone Broke with it's siren like chorus licks and easier to make out lyrics.
Rag and Bone, another love letter from Jack White to British culture is a stand out track. With each verse broken up with Meg and Jack bantering about taking people's trash and turning it into something useful "Well we wanna get it granny while it's hot, you think it's trash granny but it's not!" It's a great piece of old Stripes blues rock that will have you shaking your head and thinking about swiping your neighbours toilet seat, and really what more does a rock song need?
The Hammond organ lead I'm Slowly Turning Into You is my second favourite track on the album. With a thumping verse section and some great word play the song builds into it's spine tingling distorted chorus's where Jack and Meg swirl around the listener whispering into their ear the songs title till Jack whimpers with the air of a defeated man "I'm slowly turning into you." A fine slow burning track ending in ghostly "Lalala's" over mammoth distorted guitar solos. Epic.
A Martyr For My Love For You is the albums most lyrically sophisticated song about Jack loving a girl but fears he's not good enough for her, deciding that his love will only hurt her. At the end of the song he begs his beaux to try to understand his actions: "And I'm beginning to like you, it's a shame... But what can I do? I'm a martyr for my love for you." With cello like seesawing organ bass and heavy choruses the song lends the album a dusty cabaret feel, a style I would love to see The White Stripes pursue.
Catch Hell Blues is the albums slide-showcase. Just to put it forward now, Jack White is one of the best living slide improvisers and I will fight anyone who says otherwise. So from that view point the song is a great workout for his slide skills- and yet the song itself lacks soul and swagger. It's not a stitch on the creamy slide work of Elephant or the rough and ready blues of the first two albums (particularly the well known Son House cover Death Letter). The lyrics are made up of uninspired non sequiturs that bizarrely tend to read better then they actually sound in the song: "If you're throwing you're voice in bed singing a note I'm gonna catch hell." Not bad, but I suppose I expect better of the Stripes particularly on blues songs.
And finally the lights come up and we wind up with the good time acoustic romp Effect And Cause. Much like De Stijl and Elephant, Icky winds things up with a quirky and fun number that leaves with a smile on your face. Full of clever wordplay and tongue in cheek touches: "You're like a little girl yelling at her brother when you've lost his ball, well you can't take the effect and make it the cause!" Jack even starts laughing mid way through. It's a fine and happy closer to what's a hell of an album.
In the end the sixth White Stripes album is an experimental feast and your enjoyment of it will essentially come down to how open a mind you approach it with. That being said the album definitely has something for everyone which may truly be its greatest strength. I personally love it and am glad the Stripes are trying hard not to get boxed into their more renowned sound, much as I may enjoy it. The only question that really remains is, where the hell can they go from here? But then again, I tend to say that after every White Stripes album.
