Elephant

by

The White Stripes

Edit

It's the same White Stripes you've always known. Great garage rock mixed with folky acoustic songs. Somewhat odd song titles and somewhat odd lyrics. Still no bass (the "bass" on Seven Nation Army is actually a guitar). And who's complaining? Not a soul.

Despite how similar Elephant is to the rest of the White Stripes catalogue (in a couple instances songs even partially use the exact same chords and melodies as songs from White Blood Cells), it does show continued musical maturation and experimentation. In addition to longer, more creative solos, songs such as Black Math, There's No Home For You Here, and Ball and Biscuit show some changes to the White Stripes sound. Black Math juxtaposes a punk rock chord riff with a more heavy metal sounding guitar (like the acoustic and electric in Now Mary from White Blood Cells). There's No Room For You Here is almost a rewrite of Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground until the music breaks off and there is only feedback and the chorus sung in harmony. Ball and Biscuit contains a classic blues riff repeated over and over, until it bursts into an amazing blistering solo. These songs are different from the normal White Stripes formula (is there such a thing?), and provide even more evidence of Jack White's songwriting skill.

Some fans of the hard garage rock songs may be turned off by the softer, acoustic/piano songs on here. There are three; You've Got Her in Your Pocket, In the Cold, Cold Night, and Well It's True That We Love One Another. Well It's True (a country sing-a-long type song, with Jack, Meg, and Holly singing to each other about Jack's love for Holly) is the worst song on the album, because of it's novelty. The others, however, are good acoustic songs, much like Hotel Yorba from White Blood Cells, although not as great. Even if you don't like these types of songs, I think the strength of the electric material would outweigh the acoustic, and you would like the album anyway.

The White Stripes have done it again. Another great garage rock album you can listen to on a day when you feel like banging your head and air guitaring (or playing real guitar, depending), without skipping a track. Any fan of White Blood Cells should buy Elephant without hesitation.

I just bought this CD today, so this review is basically a first impression. Some have been saying the White Stripes are the most amazing thing ever, while others hate them to no end. I side with neither of those two groups. I will give them more credit than some will, because they can play instruments, and there is nothing wrong with Jack's vocals.

The kind of music I normally listen to includes bands like Marilyn Manson, Korn and Slipknot, so this Album is a different style and mood than I usually listen to, but I still like it. Hopefully that means something. Basically I'll listen to this if I'm in the mood.

Of the 14 tracks on this album the ones that stood out the most to me were "Hypnotize", "Little Acorns" and of course, "Seven Nation Army".

I understand why some people love this band, and I can see how others hate them, but this is a pretty good album. Not for everyone, but the same thing goes for any band out there.

For some reason the fact that so many people hated this band attracted me to them..

(I probably would have given this album 3.5 /5 but that wasn't an option)