Elephant

Great Rock and Roll from basically just the two of them. I love the aesthetic of using no computers to record and no recording equipment more recent than 1963. Down and dirty hit you in the gut rock.

Bare bones, straightahead garage rock without flares or frippery. I think that if you disliked the overall style, this album would be a slog, because they don’t demonstrate much breadth. Fortunately, I like the style.

Funny having a listen to this album and so so Long! And I’m wondering why I haven’t really listened to it in so long because it’s a fucking fantastic album from T to B

Ok

OK

It’s got two great and fully formed songs , the rest feels like screechy and sparse demos to me. best track: seven nation army 2

Which button is the hardest to button?

A perfect slice of well produced garage rock and roll revival.

I can see why people love this, but I don't think I like Jack white all that much. still good enough

Great album!!!

The White Strips have a way of making you tell they care about their music and rock, which is why this album have aged so well. 3.7

Bare bones, but still very expressive and intricate

Seven Nation Army has one of the best riffs ever. The rest of this album is forgettable.

There's a couple massively overplayed songs on this album, but overall its a good one.

could i write poetry to this? y

I think I enjoy The White Stripes more theoretically than actually. That’s not to say I think this is bad. I still love “Seven Nation Army.” Jack White’s influences are on full display and he does a great job honouring what came before while also making it feel fresh. But there’s not a lot on this record that I yearn to revisit past the big hit and maybe one or two others. 3.5/5

The thing is ... About the White Stripes ... For some reason I have always felt that the White Stripes are way too simple, too basic, too not serious... Yet they are right up there with my favorires. They make me smile. I kinda love the White Stripes actually. Even their sad songs make me feel good, kinda like Joy Division or certain other EMO bands, but the Stripes are like a mix of old school hard rock and post punk grunge or something. They really are simple, but not formulated, and it works. It really really works!

só as melhores. coisa fina demais

Compelling from start to finish. A couple of annoyances that I could nitpick, but it's a great album.

Great, that's it, that's the review

Oh dang. Yeah I wanna listen to this one much much more. This one feels really informative. 4.5/5

I actually love this record so this will be easy. Children know these songs so you know it HIT HARD. Jack White did not reinvent anything here but it has a butt, if you will. White people butt tbh.

This one was not for me. I'm definitely not a fan of Jack's vocals. The lyrics, I don't care for.

Always passed this group off as a gimmick and never really gave them a chance. Heavy Detroit garage influence is evident. Somehow, I'd still rather listen to their influences. A lot of this inarguably rocks, but just feels... contrived, for lack of a better term. The recording process and equipment used is all really cool conceptually to me, but it just does not automatically make this a great album. All in all, I find it a little bland for what I feel like it wants to be. Listenable for sure, just not interesting.

Metà del lavoro la fa la copertina, anche la musica non è niente male

OKish alt-rock album with one mega hit. 3/5

Thought I would be annoyed by this, but actually found it quite pleasant (though it certainly overstayed its welcome)

I love this album.

### In-Depth Review of *Elephant* by The White Stripes *Elephant*, the fourth studio album by The White Stripes, was released on April 1, 2003. It is widely considered a landmark in the garage rock revival of the early 2000s, showcasing the raw power of Jack and Meg White's minimalist approach to rock music. This review delves into the album's lyrics, music, production, themes, and its lasting influence, while also weighing the pros and cons. #### 1. Lyrics Jack White's lyrics on *Elephant* are both cryptic and direct, often straddling the line between the two. The album's most famous track, "Seven Nation Army," encapsulates this duality. The song's lyrics are straightforward, depicting a battle against an unseen antagonist: "I'm gonna fight 'em off / A seven nation army couldn't hold me back." However, the lyrics are ambiguous enough to invite various interpretations, from personal struggles to broader social commentary. The album frequently explores themes of love, betrayal, and self-reliance. In "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself," a cover of Burt Bacharach's classic, Jack White expresses existential despair, highlighting the album's preoccupation with emotional turbulence. "The Hardest Button to Button" tells a story of familial disintegration through a narrative of a child's alienation, while "There's No Home for You Here" addresses the end of a relationship with biting sarcasm. A standout in lyrical complexity is "Ball and Biscuit," a bluesy track that features Jack White as a swaggering narrator boasting of his prowess: "It's quite possible that I'm your third man, girl / But it's a fact that I'm the seventh son." The song weaves together traditional blues themes of machismo and seduction with White's own idiosyncratic storytelling. Overall, the lyrics of *Elephant* are a mix of raw emotional expression and poetic ambiguity. They draw from classic rock, blues, and folk traditions, while also injecting a modern, almost post-punk sensibility that reflects the uncertainties and ironies of contemporary life. #### 2. Music Musically, *Elephant* is a tour de force of minimalism and raw energy. The album is built on a foundation of distorted guitar riffs, pounding drums, and a minimal use of bass—a rarity, considering it appears on only a couple of tracks. Jack White’s guitar work is a standout feature, characterized by its gritty tone and innovative riffs. The album opens with "Seven Nation Army," a track that immediately hooks the listener with its iconic bass-like guitar riff, created using a pitch shifter. This song sets the tone for the album, showcasing The White Stripes' ability to create a huge sound with minimal instrumentation. The riff is both simple and hypnotic, embodying the band's philosophy of stripping rock music down to its bare essentials. Tracks like "Black Math" and "Hypnotize" are fast-paced, punk-influenced rockers that highlight Meg White's primal drumming style. Her drumming, though often criticized for its simplicity, is integral to the band's sound, providing a steady, almost tribal rhythm that drives the music forward. "Ball and Biscuit" stands out as a seven-minute blues jam, featuring extended guitar solos that pay homage to the Delta blues tradition. Jack White’s guitar playing here is loose and fiery, with a rawness that evokes the spirit of classic bluesmen like Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. In contrast, songs like "In the Cold, Cold Night" and "I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart" slow down the pace, introducing a more intimate, almost tender mood. The former features Meg White on lead vocals, adding a haunting quality to the minimalist instrumentation. The album closes with "Well It's True That We Love One Another," a playful, acoustic number that contrasts sharply with the intensity of the preceding tracks. This song, featuring guest vocals from Holly Golightly, serves as a light-hearted epilogue to the album's more serious themes. #### 3. Production *Elephant* was recorded at Toe Rag Studios in London, known for its strict adherence to analog recording techniques. The album was recorded on an 8-track tape machine, using vintage equipment that eschews digital technology, which was increasingly dominating music production at the time. This decision to use analog recording equipment was a deliberate one by Jack White, aimed at capturing a raw, unpolished sound that would give the album a timeless quality. The production on *Elephant* is intentionally lo-fi, giving the album a gritty, garage rock feel that complements its musical and lyrical content. The sound is characterized by its lack of digital effects and overdubs, with most tracks recorded in a single take. This approach lends the album an immediacy and authenticity that is often missing in more polished, digitally-produced records. The mix is also worth noting, with the instruments often placed prominently in the foreground. Jack White's guitar and vocals are the central focus, with Meg White's drums providing a solid, albeit sometimes understated, backbone. The sparse use of reverb and other effects keeps the sound tight and focused, ensuring that every note and beat hits with maximum impact. While the production style contributes to the album's raw energy, it can also be seen as a limitation. The intentionally lo-fi sound may not appeal to listeners who prefer a more polished production. Additionally, the minimalist approach, while integral to the band's aesthetic, might come across as repetitive or simplistic to some. #### 4. Themes The themes on *Elephant* are diverse, yet they are united by a sense of confrontation and struggle. The album's lyrics often explore the dynamics of power and control, whether in personal relationships, as seen in "There's No Home for You Here," or in broader societal contexts, as suggested by "Seven Nation Army." One of the central themes is the tension between love and autonomy. Songs like "I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart" and "You've Got Her in Your Pocket" explore the vulnerability and possessiveness that often accompany romantic relationships. In these tracks, Jack White delves into the complexities of love, oscillating between yearning and resentment. Another recurring theme is disillusionment. In "The Hardest Button to Button," the lyrics depict a sense of alienation and frustration, perhaps reflecting the band's own struggles with fame and public perception. Similarly, "Little Acorns" uses a spoken-word introduction to suggest resilience in the face of adversity, reinforcing the album's overall message of perseverance. The album also touches on themes of tradition and authenticity. By drawing heavily on blues and classic rock influences, and by choosing to record with analog equipment, *Elephant* can be seen as a reaction against the slick, commercial sound of mainstream rock in the early 2000s. The White Stripes position themselves as torchbearers of a more genuine, unvarnished form of rock music. #### 5. Influence *Elephant* had a profound impact on the music landscape of the early 2000s and beyond. The album is often credited with bringing garage rock into the mainstream, influencing a wave of bands that sought to emulate its raw, back-to-basics sound. The success of *Elephant* helped pave the way for other garage rock revival bands like The Strokes, The Black Keys, and Arctic Monkeys, all of whom drew inspiration from The White Stripes' stripped-down approach to rock music. "Seven Nation Army" in particular has become a cultural phenomenon, with its riff becoming one of the most recognizable in rock history. The song has been adopted as a stadium anthem, chanted by crowds at sporting events around the world, transcending its original context to become a global cultural touchstone. The album's influence also extends to its ethos of authenticity and simplicity. At a time when many rock bands were incorporating more elaborate production techniques and electronic elements, *Elephant* stood out for its commitment to analog recording and its minimalist aesthetic. This approach resonated with listeners who were seeking an alternative to the overproduced sound of mainstream rock, and it helped to spark a renewed interest in vinyl records and analog equipment. #### Pros and Cons of the Album ##### Pros: 1. **Raw Energy and Authenticity:** The album's analog production and minimalist instrumentation give it a raw, unfiltered sound that captures the essence of rock and roll. 2. **Iconic Tracks:** Songs like "Seven Nation Army," "Ball and Biscuit," and "The Hardest Button to Button" have become staples of modern rock, showcasing the band's ability to craft memorable riffs and lyrics. 3. **Innovative Guitar Work:** Jack White's guitar playing on *Elephant* is both inventive and expressive, blending classic blues influences with a modern rock sensibility. 4. **Diverse Sound Palette:** While staying within the confines of a minimalist setup, the album explores a variety of musical styles, from blues to punk to garage rock, keeping the listening experience dynamic and engaging. 5. **Cultural Impact:** *Elephant* played a key role in the garage rock revival of the early 2000s and has left a lasting legacy in rock music, influencing countless bands and musicians. ##### Cons: 1. **Repetitive Elements:** The album's minimalist approach can sometimes lead to a sense of repetition, particularly in the drumming and guitar riffs, which may not appeal to all listeners. 2. **Lo-Fi Production Limitations:** While the lo-fi production adds to the album's rawness, it also means that the sound is intentionally unpolished, which might not satisfy those who prefer a more refined audio experience. 3. **Lyric Ambiguity:** While the lyrics are often evocative, their ambiguity can sometimes make it difficult for listeners to connect with the songs on a deeper level. 4. **Lack of Bass:** The absence of a bass guitar on most tracks, while a distinctive feature of the band's sound, might feel like a limitation in terms of musical depth and range for some listeners. 5. **Inconsistent Vocals:** Meg White's vocal performance on "In the Cold, Cold Night" and other tracks, while charming in its simplicity, might not appeal to those who prefer more technically proficient singing. #### Conclusion *Elephant* is a defining album of the early 21st century, showcasing The White Stripes at the height of their creative powers. Its raw energy, innovative guitar work, and commitment to analog production make it a standout record in the rock genre. While its minimalist approach and lo-fi production might not appeal to everyone, the album's influence on rock music is undeniable. *Elephant* is not just an album, but a statement of artistic intent, one that continues to resonate with listeners two decades after its release.

Love this album. Have loved The White Stripes for a while and this album is an iconic piece of work from them.

The middle section is very good, with a mix of softer and heavier tracks; but there is clearly something I'm missing in this. I can't imagine wanting to listen to this in full at any point.

I never really liked "Seven Nation Army". The other songs are seriously underrated. This album gives me Beatles vibes. I especially like the slower tracks. Remember, always give albums a chance, they might be treasures. I'll give 4 stars to "Elephant".

Heavy on riffs, light on content. Or is it? I was ready to listen again the next day.

I love Jack White. I'll apologize to no one

This is a personal top 10 album

Stupendous! Seven Nation Army is one of my favorite songs of all time. At first I thought this might be a 5-star album, but many of the tracks are just good. For 5 stars tracks need to be almost all great.

seven nation army is an iconic song!! and i can also say that this is an objectively good album. however, its just not my cup of tea :/ i do like the lyrics tho

Good

After only ever listening to 7 nation army, this album really opened my eyes to the White Stripes and their repertoire. My infant loved everything. Easiest 5/5 I’ve ever given

This album was a big taste maker for me when I was younger, and it's easy to hear why now. While it's made up of a lot of pop DNA there's enough different and daring decisions here that made it stand out to me when I was younger and show how to make the most of very little.

So so

Bruising opener, and some fun in the rest of the tracks without being stellar - quite a few too many quirky tracks

In retrospect, the White Stripes were much more of a singles band.

DAAAAA-da-dá-da-da-DUUUHHHH-DUUUHHHH. 6/10

Seven Nation Army is awesome. The rest was meh

The bass is very fun. I recognized some songs that I’d never known the origin of before. I don’t love his voice

More variety than I appreciated. Lil Led Zeppelin rip off

Varied and interesting. An excellent album

Punchy, bluesy, hard hitting rock riffs throughout the album as I had hoped for, with “ball and chain” and “seven nation army” being the two songs I was familiar with already. Musically the album is extremely simple but effective, which is what I look for in a lot of music. In contrast, this band show their diverse talents with songs like “cold cold night” and “well it’s true that we love each other” with completely unique sounds to the rest of the album, which feels like a bit of breathing space from jack white’s extremely charismatic but also repetitive style of vocals throughout Thoroughly enjoyed Best song: There’s no home for you here (seven nation army goes without saying) Worst song: I want to be the boy to warm your mothers heart 8/10

85% - 8.5/10 Without a doubt one of the greatest album openers of all time. This album is a masterpiece in simplicity, Jack White shines as an authentic minimalist, whilst Meg provides her usual “primal” drumming. Great blend of garage rock/modern indie guitar, hints of gritty blues and rock n roll. This album can be occasionally repetitive, but it’s essential to any 2000’s garage rock collection. Cemented in rock history. Best: 7NA Worst: little acorns

Just as great sounding as when it can out

Wasn’t my type they had good songs but I didn’t find what i was searching for

Part of the soundtrack of my teens.

"Jack white doesn't have to list nyquist plots in his sheets to sell his resumes!" Well I do! So fuck him, and fuck you too!

Meg White is a great drummer, as well as being the perfect drummer for The White Stripes. When she swings, she swings with great power - the louder songs on this remind me of early Led Zeppelin. Blues, roots, garage, punk - all these things blended together in an uplifting, ferocious album.

4.5 - I really like how it's mostly just guitar and drums. A lot of raw emotion and example of how less is more.

There have been many songs that I think are overplayed but just stand out as great within the context of their album; Seven Nation Army is not one of those songs. It's almost groan-inducing as the album opener. It's a great song, but its so simple and so ubiquitous that it has nothing left to surprise with. The rest of the tracklist has some moments, but I feel like The White Stripes are like a novelty flavour beer, you can enjoy it in moderation but if you have 13 or 14 tracks of it, you'll definitely be sick. When things change up like in the spoken word on "Little Acorns" or Holly Golightly's vocals on "It's True That We Love One Another" it's a welcome respite. Fave Tracks: I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself, Ball and Biscuit, The Hardest Button to Button 3.7/5

Enjoyed listening to this. Jack White knows his stuff.

Jack White is just a ridiculously talented dude. Makes playing the guitar sound easy and I believe is a hugely talented song writer. He just understands rock and roll it seems. This is a solid 5 for me - I love it.

p893. 2003. 4 stars. Fabulous stripped down guitar rock with some great tunes, that doesn't take itself too seriously. Point deducted for the redundant Dusty Springfield cover.

Been awhile since I’ve really listened to the white stripes. Good stuff

Handing out anthems With oily slick rhymes and riffs, Smoothly delivered

The White Stripes were the most innovative band of the early 2000s. Stripped down yet full, their sound was unlike anything else. Elephant was their masterpiece. Their first three albums were incredibly good but Elephant stands apart from those and subsequent albums in the quality of the songs. Seven Nation Army alone would make this great but the whole album is tuneful while being noisy. Afterwards, the quality of their albums went down. Icky Thump seemed like a return to form after the confusing Get Behind Me Satan but never rose to the level of Elephant. If you want to buy just one White Stripes album (though they are a bit like potato chips - you can't have just one) this is it.

The problem with strong niche aesthetics is that the domain space is pretty small and once it's been explored all future iterations tend to take about the same shape. Moon shoes are pretty fun the first time though.

Love White Stripes. Amazing album.

Mg Seven Nation Army, el resto meh.

It was nice. I don't really dig seven nation army but some other songs were sweet

Loved it

I am so biased because I love Little Acorns 4/5

Great stuff, rockin out

Seven nation army is one of my fav White Stripes songs - 1st song on the album. Such a great start to a great album.

It sucks that most people only know this album (and this band) for being the source of that one sports arena song, because this is a cold stone classic. The White Stripes have a dead-simple blueprint: blues-ily flail around on guitar and drums (and ONLY guitar and drums) for a few minutes at a time, throw in some quiet-loud and stop-start dynamics, and pivot to acoustic guitar once in a while. Sounds like there's not much room to grow there, but that formula has somehow progressed and elevated here in a way that doesn't betray its principles while still evolving into new frontiers. The band kind of peaked here and then just gave up two albums later, which implies Elephant might be the limit of what two blues-punk wackos (only one of whom actually knows how to play their instrument) can accomplish. I'm cool with that, though, as this is a pretty awesome peak. Best song: Little Acorns

Banger

Like the album's namesake, it's a thundering triumph.

4☆/5 07.07.2024

Great Sound, modern bluesrock from his finest 10/10…

This is the white stripes album I thought would be on here, not the other one I already got. To this day I can't remember off hand if they were married or siblings. In the cold cold night make a lovely intermission. I want to be the boy(...) had a nice guitar groove. Enjoyable rock album. Highlights: seven nation army (an amazing opener with its stripped-down start), hardest button to button, in the cold cold night, i want to be the boy...

5/5 for Seven Nation Army. But the rest of White Stripes has alway just been Meh to me. really wanted to get more out of this album.

Love 7 nation army. The rest is good too

F-ing great

So much love for Elephant. It’s a sentimental album for me; takes me back to my teens. Fond memories of my friend and I cranking up the car stereo to blast Seven Nation Army.

According to YouTube music, Seven Nation Army has over 1 billion plays. The rest of the album has about 10% of that for all tracks combined. Surely some of those billion would want to see what the rest is about right? Well the rest is a bit weird and outside of one other track it may not be mainstream enough to keep the average listener entertained. 7NA also has some worldwide stadium appeal, just a crazy popular song. As I listened to olthe rest I guess that is fairly close to how I feel. I really like the songs I like of theirs, but the rest are some I probably don't need to hear very often. Favorite track "Seven Nation Army" 3/5

Seven Nation Army is a fantastic song, but what even was the rest of this album. I don't know why I couldn't get into it, but I can only describe most of it as noisy in a way that didn't work for me (except for the occasional tracks where the sound did a complete 180 and had just the barest instrumentals, which I also wasn't a fan of). I just didn't like this that much, probably more a matter of personal taste because I know a lot of people love this and consider it to be a great album. Unfortunately I am still rating this a 3 (2, +1 bonus star for the iconic opening track). Favourites are Seven Nation Army, I Want To Be The Boy…, The Hardest Button To Button, and The Air Near My Fingers

Too noisy for me

Already one of my go to albums, 5*

nice

Great guitar rock album!

Had few standout spots.

"at the time, didnt recognize myself til I was petrified but half the time Im not myself so most of the time I dont question why"

Seven nation army a classic. Great from start to finish, good energy. Favorite song: Black Math Rating: 3.4/5

I'm well familiar with the garage rock duo that is the White Stripes, particularly for this album the sports anthem classic "Seven Nation Army" and the just as excellent "The Hardest Button to Button". Going through the rest of Elephant proper, the rest of the tunes are about the same level of quality as those two singles. I especially liked the seven-minute "Ball and Biscuit", along with the riffing deep cut "Hypnotize", "Little Acorns" with its fun little opening skit, and Meg White's ballad "In the Cold, Cold Night". It's amazing how much good song craftmanship Meg and Jack accomplished together. I don't quite think it lights my world or blows my mind away at any point, given my familiarity with their influences like Led Zeppelin and the Velvet Underground. But for what Elephant is, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and thus it comes with a solid recommendation.

Somewhat similar to the other White Stripes album.

Seven nation army saved this album in my eyes. The rest was pretty forgettable.

Love it

Classic. A bit more chill than i remembered

Epic album.

Very good stripped back grunge-esque album. Notable vocal performance by Meg White and simple yet emotional song writing from Jack White. The White Stripes would propel a young Jack into rock maintream and earn him a spot in line of a guitar God. Mobilizing blues themes and hard rock energy the white stripes were able to craft a really consisted album that has some great notes of longevity.

There isn’t a bad song on this fantastic album. I’m so glad I rediscovered this after not listening to it in its entirety for ages.

Screamy instruments behind lyrics...Yeah..not my thing... Still... found some good music.. -Seven nation army 💪 -I just don't know what to do with myself -I want to be the boy -You've got her in your pocket -The air near my fingers -Its true that we love one another (such a hidden gem )

I had a brain that felt like pancake batter. Great imagery with the lyrics throughout the entire album (and currently very accurate as I board yet another flight…) All songs are good, zero filler. Side B kills it. Album comes in at (4.3*s)

This album hits pretty hard for a band with such a bare-bones approach. Some of the bass lines from the bigger hits are iconic at this point but there's still something that annoys me with this duo. Jack White (actually Jack Gillis) is the talent here and there's a lot to like but I'm not fully sold on him, I don't know exactly what it is (maybe the talk-singing, maybe not). I do like the loud, crunchy, unpolished vibe here. "Ball and Biscuit" is great for it's dirty blues feel, "In The Cold, Cold Night" is also great for being different than the others, but the last song is terrible and just brings me back to contemplating what I don't like about them.

Half great, half ok. Many hits are featured along with some skippers. Jack White has a knack for creating a song with a simple beat and a killer riff. A lot of power from this duo; however, leaving the listener with the final cornball, dud of a song drops the rating...3.3.

I'm always impressed when a 2-piece band can put together an album with a variety of sounds and styles. Almost everything on Elephant works and a couple of songs are still regularly in my queue. Definitely an album I'm happy to see get a nod. Jack White continues to prove to me he is one of the best working artists from the 2000s. Elephant is a great album and probably what I'm most familiar with from his discography. 3.71 stars

You flubbed it right at the last moment! Ah, well... this album is extremely well done, with great guitar playing and singing via Jack White, and even if you don't like the style you cannot deny that this style is undeniably his. Meg White may be a basic drummer, but it gets the job done, and I'd say the constant thumping tempo allows things to hit even harder on tracks like The Hardest Button to Button. What really makes this album shine for me as opposed to their prior work is how hard it goes in on the rocking. Very few songs let up here, and even tracks like Ball and Biscuit at their most bluesy feel like garage rock at its finest. For a majority of this album, I could only classify it as something great. However, unlike White Blood Cells, that's what makes the folk-inspired tracks, such as the before mentioned final song, stand out negatively. On their own they would be solid, but in the context of the album they tend to kill the pacing, and while tracks like I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother's Heart feel like they're supposed to be the We're Going to Be Friends of this album, they end up feeling lesser and overall unneeded. I really want to bump this album up to that next tier, but with a flaw like that really striking the album down at the very end, plus an odd thirty seconds of silence (on my version any way) makes me sit there in relative disappointment. Still, that does not detract from the fact that this album has some excellent songs, and is for the most part some of the best rock we got in the 2000s. Just a couple of things that me feeling unfulfilled, albeit still satisfied.

4.25

Lots of stripped down (I mean, there's realistically only so much you can do with a guitar and drums) tracks. Seven Nation Army is, of course, the stand out track, but I found many thers that I liked. Overall it's a good album.

Heute präsentieren wir Rock aus der Garage … Dumm, Dumdum dudum dumm “Seven Nation Army”. Aber das ist nicht alles was das Album zu bieten hat. Harte Songs wie z.B “Hypnotize” & “Black Math” oder Songs mit einer starken Frauenstimme “In The cold, cold night” sowie ein kleine Country Homage “It’s True That We Love One Other”. Spätesten beim nächsten Fußballgroßereignis wird es wieder durch die Arenen schallen … Dum…DumDum..

This record was great. White Stripes have always been on my radar but I've never taken the plunge. This album is genre defying music. Jack white is a mixture of Jimmy Page meets Pete Townsend meets Kurt Cobain meets Bob Dylan meets The Stooges and dashed with a little bit of Nashville Tennessee. I truly think Jack White is an artist. I'm torn with giving this a rating. Part of me thinks 5 but part of me thinks 4 as there are some songs on this record that were only meh. I can't discredit Seven Nation Army as that song is a staple to the white Stripes and if memory serves me well, Jack White wrote that song as almost an anti single and then it became one his most popular songs. I appreciate Jack White and all that he does for music.

Good surprise!

Fun rock album, with one of the most iconic rock songs of the 2000s, Seven Nation Army.

Not too bad, but it definitely starts off with the best.

no skips.

Nope. Except for Seven Nation Army.

Seven nation army, but so yelley

White stripes are not for me. 7NA slaps tho ofc

The best of the White Stripes

All time album cover

Would it be worse if they were brother and sister who pretended they were married?

Haha babe what if we pretended to be brother and sister haha I mean wouldn’t that be crazy haha as a joke!! Joking!!

Cool. 4/5. Nice bluesy vibes here and there.

Music of my youth. Seven Nation Army was an anthem song at the time. I had a particular affinity with the Hardest Button to Button. Great album, quintessential indie rock of the early 00s.

An ok album, not my cup of tea, but someone else’s.

Not sure why 1001AlbumsGenerator decided to include a one-hit wonder album. "Seven Nation Army" was great, and rightfully so, but the rest of "Elephant" was self-indulgent, pitiful and uncomfortably hollow. The website could've easily included "Meteora" instead and it would've been more meaningful.

solid album, the chemistry is good between the 2 members, the ending was a great concept for the band and was pretty funny

Really good music, but not fully fitting to my taste (as of yet). Definitely have to check it out again to dig into the lyrics more, there seems to be quite some hidden meaning in a lot of the songs

Buen disco! Tiene varios temas que me hicieron acordar a cuando estaba en el colegio. You’ve got her in your pocket y Ball and Biscuit me gustaron mucho.

Favs: nation army, black math and the hardest button to button

I'm just not that into the white stripes I think

I remember being 10 and liking this album

Why garage rock came back in the 2000s is still a mystery to me, but this is a damn good example of that movement.

Some great tracks on here. They have a distinctive sound that I like.

Very raw album, i absolutely love the swagger employed in Jack's performances, from the super relaxed and cool vocals to the nasty twangy blues riffs, employed in a very simple setting with straight forward drum lines and a very standard distorted guitar tone, it's just some fantastic and fun rock'n'roll to jam to. Some super catchy songs as well, my favourites might be the obvious ones, Seven Nation Army, Ball and Biscuit and Hardest Button, but also Don't Know What to Do With Myself, Black Math, Cold Cold Night, Hypnotize, Little Acorns, No Faith in Medicine and We Love One Another.

Catchy music, a lil something for everyone. Overall a pretty good listen, dk abt a must listen though

At some point, my wife drew my attention to this album from her collection. I didn't know it yet and was thrilled. Since then, Seven Nation Army has been a permanent fixture in my favorite songs and party playlists. I find it remarkable that I always had the impression that I had heard this album in my early youth. Great 5/5

No. 198/1001 Seven Nation Army 5/5 Black Math 3/5 There's No Home For You Here 3/5 I Just Don't Know 4/5 In the Cold, Cold Night 3/5 I Want to be the Boy 3/5 You've Got Her In Your Pocket 3/5 Ball & Buiscuit 3/5 The Hardest 4/5 Littlr Acorn 3/5 Hypnotize 3/5 The Air Near My Fingers 3/5 Girl 3/5 It's True 3/5 Average: 3,29 Very good rock album.

Favourite song - Hypnotize

7/10 acorn song was weird, and i never really liked sna but the rest was really good! would recommend!

Loved

What an absolute banger. From the calmer songs to the legendary ones. Only would point out 'Little Acorns' as a let down for its intro. Enjoyed this album a lot. Expected Marc Rating: 4

Seria 3 estrelles però té seven nation army que és un temazo i un parell més que m'han agradat molt. ELR: 3/5

Home Depot burger indie. Not my fav genre, but good for that genre 👍

Already knew the album. Liked ~3 songs on it.

I just don't know. Everybody says this guy is a genius. I must be getting old.

A lot more range on this album than I remembered. I enjoyed it quite a lot.

One of, if not the, best rock albums of this century. That includes probably the most recognizable guitar riff of the last 30 years in Seven Nation Army. "Ball and Biscuit" is also a personal favorite.

it felt derivative

Pretty fun album actually! Not completely my style but had enough different types of songs for me to enjoy.

This is good stuff. I'd never heard a White Stripes album top to bottom. It overstays its welcome a little bit, but that makes it all the meatier. Highlights: Seven Nation Army, I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself, I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother's Heart, You've Got Her In Your Pocket, Ball and Biscuit, The Hardest Button to Button, Girl You Have No Faith In Medicine

Very rhythmic and pulsating.

"Seven Nation Army" is quite a banger.

3.5

One of the greatest of all time

Low 4 Not my favourite white stripes album but I am a big fan of them. I enjoy this one but it dips in the middle which is stopping it from being even higher.

Not much to say... Overall a good album.

Ironically I think this challenge has made me appreciate what The White Stripes do, at least more than I did when I was a teen and they were actually popular, especially with all my guitar-nerd friends. I still don’t find it groundbreaking, but the fuzzed out version of traditionalism put forth by Jack and Meg here is interesting enough and done with enough skill and finesse to make for an enjoyable record. It helps that this has some of their best hits in “Seven Nation Army” and “The Hardest Button to Button,” which add some hard pop choruses to blue-rock solos. But I’d also say tracks like the jammy “Ball and Biscuit” and the sultry “In The Cold, Cold Night” show diversity and range that make this a unique listen. The biggest weakness here is the run time, because even though I’d say Elephant has variety, it’s still a long listen, with too much material for one sitting, and wears thin in the last leg. And it also gets a bit annoying whenever Jack feeds into his egoistic desire to be a Rock Star™️, which is more frequent than I’d like it to be. It’s not my favorite album ever, but I’m more pleasantly surprised than I expected. I may be overrating it for a first time listen, and I expect it will be on the bottom end of my 4 star ratings by the end of this challenge, but for now, I support The White Stripes, especially on this album.

3.8

This album is amazing. Defined an entire genre.

do i even need to tell you this is a 10/10 album

Some cool guitar and effects but ive never been able to get into them. Weird and not in an awesome way. Saw them live in the fall of 02 and they were very forgettable :/

This is just the type of music I'm usually in to - but I just can't get into this Wasn't terrible, just a bit meh 3 ⭐️

Full and meaty sound…iconic opening track. A musical talent for sure and always intriguing on what sounds he’ll curate together. Unpredictable and I’m here for it.

rock. kinda whiney. one or two good songs out of the album

Non stop bangers. Each song hits it out of the park

Tiene mérito el sonido con batería y guitarra pero no hace falta limitarlo en todas las canciones.

2 Stripes album in the last 10 days. Love it. Great album.

Het beste werk van Jack & Meg, zo kan dit album wel bestempeld worden. Naast de mega stadium hit Seven Nation Army zitten er nog een hoop goeie songs op dit album. Af en toe bedacht ik me dat ik een figurant in een whiskeyreclame was. De muziek lijkt er soms echt voor gemaakt, vooral bij een Ball and Biscuit. In the Cold Cold Night is een nieuwe favo voor mij, kippenvelnummertje. Al met al absoluut een solide album, weinig op aan te merken, maar toch niet mijn favoriete genre of band. Rating: 7/10 Highlights: Seven Nation Army, Ball and Biscuit, Cold Cold Night

Ik doe het niet graag, maar ik geef Koen gelijk. Dit is hun beste werk. Nouja, het is in ieder geval Jack's meest gebalanceerde werk. Ik vind The White Stripes vaak wat te veel de vuige, bluesy, garageband uit hangen, waardoor elke song uiteindelijk toewerkt naar een climax van scheurende en krijsende elektrische gitaarsolo's. Niet helemaal mijn pakkie an, en het neemt vaak de glans weg van zijn intrigerende songwriting skills. Daarnaast vind ik veel nummers vaak een sfeervolle scene tekenen, diep geworteld in Americana-cultuur, waar dan vervolgens een lading distorted gitaren overheen worden gesmeten. Het neemt vaak een stukje uniekheid van een 'White Stripes song' weg, ondanks dat het een energieke lading geeft. Maarja, die ruige instrumentatie is ook wel weer wat deze band maakt wat 'ie is. Dit album weet deze uitspattingen te doseren, en kent ook fases waarin de piano, de akoestische gitaar, en Jack's pen game wat meer ruimte krijgen. Van een fusie tussen hardcore punk en garage in 'Black Math', naar de introverte, gloomy pop song 'In The Cold, Cold Night', en het Jimi Hendrix-achtige 'Ball and Biscuit'. De band toont een wonderlijk breed spectrum voor een tweekoppige act. De plaat kent eigenlijk geen echte zwakke momenten, al blijft het echte speciale werk - waar de band wel degelijk toe in staat is - achterwege. M'n favorieten van ze staan eigenlijk allemaal op andere albums, die als geheel wel echt minder indruk maken. 'Seven Nation Army' is een uitzondering. Heb erg m'n best gedaan om even langs alle verbasteringen en ludieke covers te kijken, om te concluderen dat het wel een ijzersterke song is. Een ander hoogtepunt is de cover van de Burt Bacharach pop hit 'I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself', die volledig op z'n kop wordt gezet en wordt ge-owned door Jack. Verder had ik nog wel wat vaker Meg White willen horen, die me verrassend goed beviel op 'In The Cold, Cold Night'. Deed me erg denken aan de onverwachte switch op de self-titled LP van The Velvet Underground, waar na het alt rock geweld van Lou Reed opeens de sereniteit van Maureen Tucker's stem te horen is in 'After Hours'. 8/10 Highlights: Seven Nation Army Black Math I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself In The Cold, Cold Night

Beste werk van White Stripes. Ook wat meer afwisselend de vorige plaat die we mochten beluisteren. In the Cold, Cold Night is een verrassend Nico-achtig pareltje van Meg White. 7/10 Highlights 7NA (banger) In the Cold Cold Night

I’ve never been sold on the greatness of the White Stripes others seem to see. This album starts off with an insanely famous song. Some other songs are pretty good, some are okay.

I like this album, is it a classic - can’t say but some really good banging tunes on it

Starts with an epic track and although it never reaches those heights again there are some really good songs on this album. Will definitely give it some more listens.

An album I’ve heard but never really listened to if that makes sense. I didn’t get into the white stripes - probably because I was going through my “it’s popular so can’t be good” phase. Well I’m proven wrong as this album is an absolute joy from beginning to end. Starting with the best bassline ever and just keeping the momentum going for the entire album. Ball and biscuit being an absolute highlight.

When this album came out I wasn't a big fan, but it was better than I remember it being. Probably because most of these songs have been forced upon me through adds or radio for two decades, but I did enjoy it on this listen. It was a good listen, bluesier than I remember.

Somewhere there is a wretched man rending his dri-fit polo over the fact that the White Stripes started using a bass in this like some sort of Millennial Dylan going electric.

Such an underrated album. Everyone has heard Seven Nation Army. And for most bands with one-hit wonders like that, you wouldn't expect much from the rest of their catalogue. But the White Stripes hit a home-run with this album for me. It is filled with unique, high energy songs front to back. Jack White's vocal performance reminds me a lot of Robert Plan from Led Zeppelin.

Out of the gates this album has a feel and momentum that is exceptional especially for the time,it tightens back up rock and has a feel and purpose that feels like a pivot away from grunge. I think it starts to slack a bit on the second half and could have been helped by pulling a few songs out. Look forward to hearing white blod cells which my son says is better I hope it is on this list.

I'm gonna catch em all

Great album

Jack y Meg son buenos artistas, y sin duda este es su trabajo más sólido, pero en lo personal no me gusta este bluesy rock :p

Un solide album rock, même si Seven Nation Army fait le gros heavy lifting.

First time listening to this album. I only ever knew Seven Nation Army from playing it as a stand tune in high school marching band. It's perfection.

Pretty fun. Get the one song everyone knows out of the way quick and then have some fun. They don’t all sound the same like it seemed they would. Decent Friday afternoon listen. Songs added to Spotify: 3

Mediocre music for mediocre people on a mediocre planet. Wearing a White Stripes t-shirt in public is a sure fire way to make me not want to strike up a conversation with you at a bar

Muy buen disco, con muchos temas tranquis, arreglos sutiles. Me gustó mucho, nada que ver al otro muy ruidoso de la banda.

5, bitches.

It's true we love one another, cold cold night, ball and bisquit

Uhhhgg! The White Stripes again. No more!

Seven Nation Army earns this an extra star, otherwise so over the white stripes.

The best of the White Stripes/Jack White albums, top to bottom, so far.

More Jack White. Unbelievable. This 1001 generator guy loves him some Jack white. With that being said, this is the best one yet. Much better beats and rhythm. Lyrics, wow, dude is weird. The acorn one I could not decide if I should be inspired or just weirded out. Anyway, good enough for a 3.

Besides the opening track, nothing really stands out. Just feels like more of the same from The White Stripes.

Rock music

I wasn't a huge fan of this album (though the live album that came after this one on the deluxe set was killer).

Ah, Jack White. Took the world by storm. I was caught in the downpour myself, but came to my senses pretty quickly and found some cover. Now I look at this album, and the rest of his work, as whiny, self-indulgent, and seriously overrated, a common occurrence during the last gasps of the rock era.

Was not expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. I thought it was all about "Seven Nation Army" but the back end of this album in particular is pretty glorious.

This jack white guy is pretty cool

Great song

3.35 per track.

A really good album!

Going in the only songs I thought I knew were 7 nation army and I just don’t know what to do with myself, but I was surprised to discover upon listening that I’d actually heard most of these songs at some point or another. Also, the title of this album definitely fits the energy of the music which is cool.

seven nation army black math there's no home for you here ball and biscuit the hardest button to button hypnotize the air near my fingers well it's true that we love one another

Timeless. Fresh. Weird. Edgy. Very deserving of a place on this list.

Josiah - 4 Elen - 3 3.5

A lot heavier than I thought. Some of Jack White’s guitar tones on here are so dirty. Venturing into noise/shoegaze level dare I say. I was also impressed with the range of styles on here. I would assume a power duo would be rather limited sonically. There’s some surf rock, blues, and metal influences. That being said, I wasn’t a fan of the overall songwriting. Some songs were weak. And Seven Nation Army is so overplayed I just can’t enjoy it.

Wish I could play a guitar like this guy. Damn.

Brilliant album. Jack White is a genius.

Fun to listen to. Got a little samey in the middle, but finished strong. 4/5

Been awhile since I gave this a listen, but it holds up real well. Some absolute classics on here, and overall just an album with really excellent vibes.

This is a great album. I had a lot of solo road time this weekend so I actually just let it roll 2X. It was stronger than I remembered, especially the second half. 7 Nation jumps out of the gate super strong and the next few are good, but really enjoyed it a lot midway through the end. Bangin drums and very creative guitar work with multiple effects and styles. Will add to the rotation for sure.

Revisiting this one 20+ years later definitely makes for a different listen. There’s some great variety throughout and learning more about the primitive recording process using pre-1963 gear elevates this elephant even more. It’s also important to note that the White Stripes would most likely not exist if not for the influence of mid-80s The Flat Duo Jets whom White speaks highly of in the documentary It Might Get Loud. I will stop short of debating whether Meg is a great drummer, but she is definitely great at serving these dirty, imperfect, raw, gritty, unapologetic songs in this powerhouse duo. It’s rock n roll. And I like it.

Listening to this left me with the feeling that I take this band for granted. Their songs are everywhere (particularly track one of this album), so I don’t feel the need to listen to their records start to finish. But that’s a mistake, because this is great. If you love guitar and you don’t love this and pretty much anything Jack does, you’re doing it wrong.

I absolutely love Jack White’s guitar. His tone is unique, the fills are great and his solos wail. So much feel and diverse influences (blues, rock, country). And then complimented by Meg’s simple yet hard hitting drums. It just hits in all the right ways and creativity throughout. Seven Nation Army is a generational song that will stand the test of time. 20+ years later and still getting sports fans hyped. Great video too. One of the greatest (if not the greatest) power duo of all time and a solid album in their collection.

Love me some Whizzy Strizzies. Album is great, but even better is it led me down a YouTube rabbit hole of their live performances. Amazing so much sound came from Jack’s guitar. And Meg does her thing, too! Leave Meg alone! 4/5

A true classic, one I have listened to many times!

Raw, punk rock attitude. The tracks are creative and sincere and make good use of that iconic lofi guitar sound. Favorite track: Ball and Biscuit

Brilliant. Just brilliant!

non mi uccidere marti :))

Marti I see you, è impossibile dare una valutazione negativa a questo album. A parta Seven Nation Army che è una mina mega conosciuta, anche il resto è una grandissima scoperta.

Semplicemente pazzeschi.

Metà del lavoro la fa la copertina, anche la musica non è male

Not my style

This was a decent album. It's what you expect from Jack White. There's a time and a place for me for this album. I hit it at the right time and enjoyed the rawness of it.

4 great stripped down album but still has a huge sound

Bopped my head along to this, but probably not something I’d go back to.

I mean I could just be super basic and give it 5 stars just for 7 nations army, but honestly I thought the rest of the album slapped too

A solid album that proves there are still some really great blues rock guitar records and the White Stripes do justice to the genre. Meg's drumming is consistently good and it allows Jack to wail away and rock out. I'm not a big fan of the band, but they did release some pretty fine albums during their run and Elephant is their most satisfying. This album is better than I remember it when it was released and I admit I miss seeing them perform. An excellent live band!

Meg white is a good drummer! Really digged track 4

Ball and Biscuit on is a real treat.

Heard of the white stripes and this album - especially Seven nation army haha. A decent album and have added a few songs to my library.

"Elephant" by The White Stripes is a thunderous and electrifying album that showcases the raw energy and stripped-down brilliance of the duo. From the pounding drums of "Seven Nation Army" to the bluesy wails of "Ball and Biscuit," each track on this album is a testament to the White Stripes' mastery of their craft. Jack White's guitar riffs are as fierce as ever, cutting through the air with a razor-sharp intensity, while Meg White's primal drumming provides the perfect backbone for the songs. The album's production is deliberately minimalistic, allowing the band's chemistry and charisma to shine through. Lyrically, "Elephant" explores themes of love, loss, and longing with a poetic honesty that resonates deeply. Jack White's impassioned vocals inject every word with emotion, drawing listeners into the heart of each song's narrative. Standout tracks like "The Hardest Button to Button" and "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" are instant classics, but there's not a weak moment to be found on the entire album. "Elephant" is a masterpiece of modern rock, a timeless collection of songs that continues to captivate audiences with its raw power and undeniable charm.

Good stuff

I so love this damn album...and the Stripes!

I need to be careful, because I could describe all the things I love about this album in detail, and I don't want to get too long winded. The songs are incredibly well crafted, from lyrics, to guitar riffs, to offsetting the drums. The back half of the album simply cannot keep to the same standard of the first half, but it's still really good.

I remember a video of some aggressive bladers using a remix of Seven Nation Army to the soundtrack of an edit. At the time, I couldn’t imagine anything cooler.

A monster of an album. Whatever happened to Meg White?

Now *this* is the White Stripes album that should be in this collection--so much better than "White Blood Cells", and so much better than a lot of albums out there, frankly. I own this album, and I enjoy it every time I hear it, even if Jack White's voice can sometimes be a bit grating. I feel like they achieved a really nice balance in this album, and nearly every song is both fun and (fairly) distinctive. I'm not sure it deserves a full five stars, but they're getting it nonetheless. :)

terrific--liked this album much more than the other white stripes on the list.

Started out with seven nation army and I thought it was going to be a one hit only album, but I loved every song. 5 stars.

Another White Stripes album? Hell yeah. I've said in my other reviews that I wish I saw them live and have been a big fan for almost 2 decades. I didn't really need to listen this album since I know every White Stripes song forwards and backwards. So good.

I've never really understood the mass appeal of this band... Jack white is clearly a decent musician but meg can't drum for toffee and whilst some people think it gives the music character, I just think it sounds pish. The album itself is decent enough, the middle section really drags for me with the slower numbers and the long blues jam.

- Good god, inject this straight into my veins. Pure garage rock sound. I knew the White Stripes were talented (and had heard of this album and its incredibly famous opening track), but I did not realize how stellar their sound was overall. - Raw...so fun and raw that you keep feeling it in your chest; the blues influences are right in your face. And simultaneously simple, surprising, and masterful. - Jack White essentially makes his guitar into a tommy gun with the staccato syncopation of many of these solos. - I added half the songs on this album straight onto my "Liked" playlist. First time that has happened.

Enjoyable overall, but not super memorable outside the singles.

Better than I expected. Surprisingly so.

Alternative title: The White Stripes parodies the 1960s for an hour, and creates the most obnoxious guitar riff in the process. It has a few moments of beauty, but come on…

Ok

First time listening. Really good stuff here.

Kicks hard, right out of the gate!

Fantastic

The hit - "Seven Nation Army" - doesn't sound like much else on the rest of the record. Everything was a good listen, I just don't have a deep connection to this band like I do other music.

I love Jack White (and the White Stripes). I'm not sure I've ever really heard anything I didn't like. Not being that familiar with his discography, I couldn't say if this was is best album or not - but it's gotta be up there.

Nothing special …. same old, same old …. Quite boring really 🤷🏻‍♂️

A lot of listens in the early 2000s when this came out.

Nice. Even if you skip "seven nation army", it's a very solid album.

*Update this was an easy 5 and there’s quite literally no misses Okay so.. popularity rot for the opening track.. and 3 tracks in I was almost ready to throw in the towel not liking this.. BUT.. In the cold cold night flips a switch in my mind, switches up the vibes a bit and I throughly enjoyed the album thereafter. In the cold cold night sets such a chill riding with the windows down at midnight vibe, and it's just fuckin awesome. I also enjoyed "I want to be the boy" and "Ball and biscuit" the riffing on ball and biscuit is nuts! I know for a fact this is an album that will grow even more over time, so it's deff getting bookmarked.

Like I said one of the greatest intros of any album ever. This song has become more than itself. The battlefield 1 trailer with this song hit so well man. Anything after that just does not have the same punch and listen I listened to alot of Jack White in 2018 when he put out his solo album but I think that this album really fails to capture me UNTIL in the cold cold night and then we are just okay for a bit UNTIL Little Acorns to the end. I love the ending. I think the breaking the 4th wall for the last song is so funny and I think it is a beautiful piece. There are good beats and instrumentation here but I was not blown away. 6/10

Elephant is undoubtably the best garage rock album of all time. It's a shining piece of 2000s music and should be cherished by future generations. It also spawned one of the most iconic (but maybe overplayed) songs of all time, Seven Nation Army. Overall, it's a top tier album that deserves it's flowers. Best Songs: I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself, In The Cold Cold Night, I Want To Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart, Ball and Biscuit, Hardest Button to Button Worst Songs: NA

There's a macho approach to rock 'n' roll that The White Stripes didn't exactly avoid in previous albums, but on this they somehow became Led Zeppelin all of a sudden. Almost overconfident without the self-effacing charm of previous albums. Still brilliant in a lot of ways: clever lyrically, solid grooves that maintain the DIY trope, and some 5-star guitar playing - Jack White's guitar sound speaks to me, and some of the solos on here are wildly expressive. Drugs make an appearance, though? What's up with that?

Great album! Solid rock grooves, lives up to it's potential. The album that so many wannabes dream of

iconic, sure. but i think its just so-so. 3/5

Good

I enjoyed it but it didn't really grab me.

The reach of The White Stripes imagination finally match their grasp on their fourth album Elephant. Gone were the incomplete song fragments that littered the previous three albums. Meg White's singing on "In The Cold, Cold Night" makes me wish that she were the lead vocalist on all of The White Stripes tracks instead of Jack. But, at the end of the day, after "Seven Nation Army", it is just your typical The White Stripes album. Anyone know why there is nearly an extra minute of silence after the conclusion of the final track "It's True That We Love One Another"? I expected a hidden track, but nada.

I’m almost positive I listened to this already. I think I probably liked it.

Favourite songs: Seven nation army, Hardest button to button.

It was ok.

так ничего кроме 7на и не поняла. надо будет потом продолжить

Probably no denying Seven Nation Army has to be the rock anthem of the 21st Century with potentially nothing else coming close. But I don't find the rest of this album to be nearly as appealing. There's some tracks here and there that I enjoyed, but maybe I was hoping for more raw rock sounds than this record delivered. Not necessarily a bad thing but also not as much for me.

To me, one of the key parts of the album is the cover art. It's striking and atmospheric and sets up the tone for the next hour of music. Now going into the music itself, I honestly have a difficult time forming opinions on an album just by listening to it only one time, but I imagine that the more I do this, the more decisive I will become. For this album specifically, it had more moments that stood out to me than my first album from yesterday. Overall, it is very consistent and cohesive, with some moments of contrast. Though I will say, on the tracks when the instrumentation is more stripped back and White is singing, I am not the biggest fan of his vocal delivery but that didn't necessarily take away from the overall musical experience. I enjoyed the touch of petal steel guitar in "I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mothers Heart", which stood out in the wall of mostly homogeneous grunge-y rock sound. They know who they are and what sound they are trying to deliver to their audience, which I assume they also know quite well. Since the rating system does not include half stars, I'm not quite sure how I want to rate this. If I could, I would rate this a 3 1/2 stars but I'll round it up to a 4 since it was a good listen overall and would recommend this to people looking to find more music within this genre.

Fantastic, easy 5 stars

very good

Amazing !!!

The raw energy of good rock n roll. Loud and unpolished. Almost balances between image and honesty but ultimately feels a bit too acted. Mostly because the heavy retro leanings I suppose.

Good album. Not as good as Get Behind Me Satan

Every generation there’s always a reinterpretation and repackaging of blues or blues influenced music. Well The White Stripes was one such band for the millennials with their minimalist punky style. I prefer De Stijl but this album is pretty good too

Conocida Seven Nation Army.

Let me start by saying Seven Nation Army is by no means a bad song, but is so wildly overplayed that I was not looking forward to this album. Color me surprised it's very unique. I had no idea how bluesy The White Stripes are, and there are so many better songs that 7NA on this album. Top tracks: In the Cold Cold Night, Ball and Buscuit, Little Acorns

# Playlist track - The Hardest Button to Button # Notes - Seven Nation Army has been played to hell, but it still SLAPS. +1 - Interesting, fun and energetic throughout +2 - Not one bad track +1 - Cool visuals +1

Well, my first consecutive albums by the same artist, and after having declared that Get Behind Me Satan was possibly my favourite White Stripes album. Time to put my money where my mouth is? Elephant is a more perfect work, an exploration of love and courtship, that’s always surprising in the tenderness displayed, despite the ragged nature of the duo’s music. Both I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother’s Heart and It’s True That We Love One Another are almost Country-esque in their corny sincerity. In The Cold, Cold Night is one of the most seductive things I’ve ever heard, and Meg White’s voice has an untrained sweetness that always reminded me of Mo Tucker. She’d do a great version of After Hours. Oh man have I enjoyed my couple of days with the Whites. I’ve not listened to them for a while, and as soon as I heard the opening salvo to Seven Nation Army, I was in Uni again, watching bar bands cover it, getting the crowd to chant ‘Oh, Jeremy Corbyn!’ along to the riff, doing my special melody to the final verse. I do still think that Get Behind Me Satan is my favourite of their albums; I have a soft spot for flawed works, I have a soft spot for vulnerability, I have a soft spot for acoustic works, it’s basically a perfect storm of soft spots for me. But Elephant is definitely a perfect work of art, and despite not being my favourite, it is damn, damn close

One of those bands that I've liked most everything I've heard, but just haven't ever listened to an album in full. This was a good start. Very solid start to finish. 4.25/5 Favorite track: I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart

The best thing about the White Stripes is that they weren’t afraid to sound sloppy—extra notable because the 2000s was probably the most “polished” sounding decade for popular music. They would come out of the gate with music that was loud, manic, and really rocked, making them one of the last truly huge rock bands. And “Elephant” certainly has cemented its place in the canon of great rock albums, largely thanks to its lead single, “Seven Nation Army,” which features a guitar riff so iconic, it feels crazy that it hadn’t already been written. Jack White’s vocals and guitar work always feel like a clear homage to Led Zeppelin, but nevertheless, he and Meg always manage to be their own thing. Now, as for my rating, I was planning to give it 4 stars, but I didn’t know why. In fact, I must admit that this is a better album than some I’ve given 5 stars to. So I gave it a second listen, and I think considering the pacing, the variety, and the special thing this was upon its release, I’m giving it the full 5.

I was only familiar with Seven Nation Army and Hardest Button to Button (and the original of I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself - fun to hear this cover!). Really enjoyed the rest of the album, thought there was great variety and the last track was very fun. It made me want to insert some family names - “I love Nate White like a little brother.” 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 (just slightly below my beloved Pogues and the Beatles!).

This was very enjoyable, haven’t listened to it since it first came out. Don’t always like Meg’s drumming, but overall the musicianship is very solid. Doesn’t have my fave WS track, “We’re Going to Be Friends”. A great performance of it when they were on SNL.

One of my all-time favorites. Easiest 5 of the project so far.

Echoes of Jimi Hendrix aswell as the blues of The Rolling Stones I thought at times throughout the album but maybe that's just me. Not sure what thought overall. Not bad, not great.

Insanely good and consistent album. Really loved some of the variety here. Great from front to back

When I was younger I thought that Seven Nation Army came out in the 80’s based on how engrained it became in popular culture. Every other song on here is fantastic. Jack White is a fantastic guitar player and Meg is the perfect drummer for the band.

boring, did not like

A couple interesting things in here but this is mostly boring and annoying to me.

Good rock and roll but boring.

More interesting than I would have thought. Seven Nation Army. 4/5

I mean, I love 7 Nation army if only because of the fact that it's one of the 5 five songs I ever learned on guitar, so points there.

I've honestly never been a huge fan of The White Stripes. I mean, they're alright, but they're just not for me.

Noisy and intimate, mostly simplistic musical arrangements. The outbursts of the guitar solos really make the record come to life. They feel very focused on call and response melody and rhythm lines. I don’t like how Jacks voice is often mixed very boxy with unpleasant frequencies. What I do like is the signature bass sound, bass heavy but still griddy.

3.8

A legitimately great rock album. Equal parts of the Beatles, Nirvana, rolling Stones and The clash; but still distinctively Jack White.

This is a good album. There is a nuance to Jack’s playing. Gentle and unhinged at the same time. “I just don’t know what to do with myself” is my favorite so far. This album gets better the further you go. Ball and biscuit is my favorite track so far. Hypnotize is great

dost dobro. 7 nation army udara

not their best work with the exception of seven nation army. I swear after 20 years, that song still hypes me up every single time

Was just talking about seven nation army and how its a popular song that you never want to listen to. its completely been consumed by utility (being used at shit like football games to get people hype). Black Math is fire im pretty sure its in scott pilgrim i could b wrong. Awesome alt blues rock, girl you have no faith is rlly good

The best.