Elephant

Welcome blast from the past! Gonna rate it a 5 because of the limited nuance 5 star rating system lol Black Math, Ball and Biscuit and The Hardest Button to Button are some of my faves

Easy 5 stars My dad got me this on the weekend it came out - he happened to be in the UK and thought I'd like it. I think that these days, this is basically my foundational definition of 'what an album ought to be'. As far as I'm concerned, all other music is basically Elephant, with added bells and whistles. There's just so much charisma! It's like Jack and Meg can make a song out of anything. If they had a guitar with one string and a single broken drum, they could make a banging rock and roll track and fill in any gaps with sheer force of personality. His later work, after he left the white stripes, was never as good, and the problem was always something to do with overindulgence. Even the later albums, with their overdubs and weird organs, lack the energy of this one. It's perfect - the height of their career, the high watermark of rock music in the 2000s. Best songs - the air near my fingers, the hardest button to button, ball and biscuit (which is maybe the greatest guitar track of all time) I get nervous when she comes around, when she comes around, when she comes around I get nervous when she comes around, when she comes around, when she comes around

After the difficult of rating Shaka Zulu, the random generator has thrown me a bone with the easiest 5* I've given so far. The album kicks off with seven nation army, and it doesn't even peak there - probably the highlight for me is ball and biscuit, but the entire album up to that point and beyond absolutely shreds. It's also surprisingly deep in parts - when I picked this up as a teenager Jack and Meg were still pretending to be siblings, so teenage me missed a lot of the nuances of the fact this is an album made by a recently divorced couple, which really does add a whole new meaning to some of the songs.

Jack really shreds on this and Meg is severely underrated. Fantastic.

Love this album. Loaned it from the library in high school to burn it for my personal collection. Seven Nation Army was one of my favorite songs. Really like Hardest Button to Button.

All killer, no filler.

Yeah it's great. Loved it when it came out and love it now.

ah meh det är så braaaa

Some of the best of the white stripes

Classic white stripes

Loved this, never really got into the White Stripes, but this surprised me. Will listen to more on theirs!!!

fucking amazing

Great album, every song is good. I should listen to it more often

I love the White Stripes

Classic?/10 Seven nation army may be an overplayed anthem of every jockball game but the song still slaps and the album that follows is consistently great.

A stone-cold classic. No more words needed.

You cant really go round with anything that starts with Seven Nation Army and covers I just dont know what to do with myself....

Great album, Jack hits that guitar with all sorts of sounds

I was worried that this might just be "other songs released with seven nation army", but actually enjoyed the rest much more than the overplayed first track.

traços brancos

not really a bad song on this one, five stars!

Classic

Let’s have a ball and biscuit and give this album 5 stars

We’re the red and blue army…

Such a great start to an album!

one of my favorites ever

one of the most iconic guitar riffs of all time, on one of the most revolutionary rock albums of the early 2000s 😘#period #y2k

Where do you begin? An album that to this day still is absolutely fantastic. The white stripes have consistently put out amazing albums and finally got the recognition they deserved with Elephant. Ball and a biscuit *chef kiss*

Seven Nation Army was the biggest rock song of my youth and it still rips! There's no skips, and the pacing is fantastic. Meg killing it on In The Cold, Cold Night is an added bonus. 5 stars!

Refined yet raw. It's amazing how powerful and driving it is almost 20 years later.

If there's one thing that I learned by listening to this album it's that half-assing it works well for Jack and Meg. Highlights include Ball and a Biscuit, No Home for you Here, Black Math and Little Acorns. I feel like at a show when I listen to this. So good. So much more to say, but taking a page from their book and half-assing this review.

Already know it! Spectacular album. Full of rocky and chill Songs! And of course it starts off with Seven Nation Army, what a banger! :D

Love it!

One of the best rock albums of the last 20 years. Every riff feels new, original, and powerful. The songwriting is hooky and memorable. I can’t speak highly enough about the album.

Loved it. Very good driving album. Blues, screeching guitars.

One of the greats. No bs rock and roll.

I mean, with the album kicking off with the bassline from "Seven Nation Army," what more could you want? And a clear indication that what would follow would be masterful. An amazing blend of blues and garage rock, by the best 2-person rock group since Local H (and then the Black Keys would come along a few years later!). I could go on and on about every track on this album - its one of the absolute best. Easy 5 stars, no reservations.

Know this one reasonably well - peak grad school.

MASTERPIECE ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Great album with a few top tracks

Peak Stripes

Gehört unter die Top 10

This album slaps, so so good!

First track an absolute classic banger. Few tracks in and it feels like a 4, I know a few of the tracks already and rate them. Gettin towards the end and I've added loads of tracks to my playlist, I'm torn whether it's a 4 or a 5 just cos I've enjoyed it so much. Prob a 5.

So many amazing songs. One of the best albums of all time.

Obviously the best and most known White Stripes album. This deserves an instant 5, as the impact it had on my musical life is immense.

Peut être le plus grand album des années 2000 Ball and Biscuit, seven nation army, hardest button to button, black math, i just don't know what to do with myself, girl you have no faith in medicine, there's no home for you here, Little acorns Jack White est un des plus grands artistes de tous les temps

As amazing, fresh and fun as the first time I listened to it 👌🙌

The only complaint I have about this album is that the White Stripes aren’t still around. Brilliant dirty blues rock n roll - too many great songs to list and barely a foot wrong throughout

Saved Prior: Seven Nation Army Not Saved Tier: 14. You've Got Her In Your Pocket 13. Little Acorns Cutting Edge: 12. Ball and Biscuit Saved: 11. Well It's True That We Love One Another (don't know why there's a minute of silence at the end of this one, would've been higher) 10. Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine 9. There's No Home For You Here 8. In The Cold, Cold Night 7. I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother's Heart 6. Black Math 5. The Hardest Button To Button 4. Hypnotize (if only it was longer!) 3. The Air Near My Fingers 2. Seven Nation Army 1. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself Overall Notes: I had prior exposure to Seven Nation Army and Hardest Button To Button, so I was expecting this to be an out and out rocker. Was a lot more nuanced and personal than that, and it was better for it. Didn't absolutely adore any of the songs, but this was an incredible album regardless. A low-end five, but 11/14 saved songs speaks for itself.

Nostalgic Garage/Retro Rock from the turn of the century.

Cracker

Such a great album that brings backs a lot of mems. There was a good couple of years when these guys were my favourite band and it’s nice to re-listen to it with fresh ears. Still sounds fresh. The sound they created was massively unique. Some classic White Stripe tracks on here. Love it.

Love Jack. Great way to kick off. One of my favorite albums.

Has aged like a fine wine. Still amazes me the breadth of noise and creativity that Jack and Meg produced. Top of my list of "bands that should reform" alongside Pulp and Pavement

Excelente, totalmente de mi gusto

Not listened to this for years. Still sounds brilliant and fresh.

I loved it

¡Un álbum buenísimo!

Uno de los grandes clasicos.

obsessed with White Stripes when this came out.

a masterpiece on how to turn silly songs into classics

Muito mais que um vício Muito mais que amor Não é o puto do grêmio É o Rolo Compressor

Very White Stripes.

Used to listen to this a lot! Highlights include ‘I just don’t know what to do with myself’, ‘you’ve got her in you pocket’, ‘the hardest button to button’ and of course the epic ‘7 nation army’. Cracker!

Excellent, brash, swaggering, bluesy garage rock. So many great tracks, but have to go with "Seven Nation Army" as a fave!

Never expected to like 80 percent of this album

A record for which I am very familiar given the number of singles released. I had never listened to it completely or in running order. Somehow it all works magnificently. Meg's drumming actually accents the sound on this record giving it just enough garage with the simple pounding beat. Like a clock.

Almost missed today. This album is awesome. Got lots of Jack White on my phone. I hope Meg is well. There are at least 2 covers covers for the album. 1 with a black dress and one white with flipped image.

Great album

Most songs worth listening to. Gets repetitive in the middle but finished strong!

Always a classic. Fantastic all the way through

10/10

I love this garage rock masterpiece

Hard riffs, stripped back blues. Simple drums that complement the brilliant songwriting. Another classic. Jack white is a legend

Jack takes the blues to another place. I love everything he does

FANTASTIC. LOVE THE WHITE STRIPES

Great album with a few exceptional songs.

Never listened to one of their album, no regrets, was really good. I'll dig deeper in it

This album was foundational for me in high school. It's nice to know it still holds up as a fantastic visceral listen from start to finish.

5/5

Great blues hard rock album, gotta love seven nation army and hardest button to button

The Sound of garage rock This is how to write ‘stripped back’ rock songs Guitars and drums are rarely flashy but work for the song 100% ‘Deep cuts’ are probably even better than the hits Guitar tones manage to sound classic yet heavy as hell and somehow up to date Ball and Biscuit is a rock classic One of the 2000s best rock albums

I mean it's The White Stripes. Of course you love them.

Excellent album!

great one! definitely gonna be on my playlists

Light 4. I rly wanted to not like this because I think of it as an album for people who “miss *real* music” 🙄. But unfortunately I found this pretty fun.

Great, not my typical vibe but like.... It's the white stripes

이건 인정이지...

Seven Nation Army has become such a meme for me between basketball games and college pregaming that I was unsure how the rest of this album would hold up. It’s still awesome!! Their sound is so raw, analog and youthful. Such a warm, refreshing, face-melting blast of air after getting AC/DC the other day — simple rock but with someone who sings like a normal person. And Meg’s drumming kicks ass. Jack sings so earnestly that it makes me a little sheepish to blast this whole album on speakers, but overall this gets a firm stamp of approval from me.

The Good: We’re going on a safari! The Bad: Ain’t that kind of elephant… The Ugly: A zebra with an elephant’s “trunk”… That was terrible… the above… Album wise. What a way to start an album with a modern day classic… 7 Nations Army duh duhm duhm… I have to say, I never was too impressed by Jack W, but since this list I’ve changed my opinion. He is a great musician, and this band ain’t bad either… but three albums on this list? I guess that is my biggest gripe about The White Stripes: I won’t actively click play on one of their albums, yet, if one of their songs happens to be on a playlist I’d happily pay attention. Anyway, got to give this 4*

Musically incredible. The lyrics are all nonsense, so I try not to pay attention and treat it like another instrument.

Kõva 00ndate alternatiivrokk. Hea album ja tolle ajastu kitarristidel on siit palju õppida. Kõik lood pole bängerid, aga kõik lood on head. 3.9/5

3.5-4/5 Dachte dass nach Seven Nation Army der Rest vom Album bestimmt nicht mehr mithalten kann, aber war eig ziemlich cool und abwechslungsreich

128. Elephant - The White Stripes (2003) 6.30.26 Variety: 4 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 4 Emotionality: 2 = 4.0 "I had opinions that didn't matter/ I had a brain that felt like pancake batter" I bought this album when it came out because I had already bought and liked White Blood Cells, and based on the singles I heard, this was more of the same. In my memory the best tracks from both kind of swim together as one great album as I ended up culling what I didn't like from both and keeping the best stuff in a playlist. The next one - Get Behind Me Satan - failed to capture me, but just to be sure, I went back and listened to the first two and found them lacking that certain something as well. And then I just stopped following them, and that lack of interest carried over into Jack White's solo stuff as well. Only just recently did I finally hear Blunderbuss as it was on the list, and it was ... ok. I gave it a 3 I think. Nothing special but fine enough. So I go into this one a tiny bit trepidatious because I have not listened to the whole thing in easily more than a decade, so not sure how it will hold up. There are obvious highpoints of course, given the impossibility of not hearing a certain track several times a year, from radio, tv, movies, sporting events ( less likely for me) or your kid's garage band practice sessions ( very likely for me). THE TRACKS "Seven Nation Army" - "Massive" describes not only the sound and effect of this one, but the cultural footprint as well. It does not take much imagination to feel the bleachers shaking under my feet right now as it thunders through my headphones and hits with all the power and genius of simplicity as it did the first time I ever heard it. White himself probably would never rank himself that highly in any sort of list of technical guitarists, but his ability to add voice, intention, and flavor to the deceptively simple, highly melodic lines he plays puts him in a special class of players who know exactly how to do what they CAN do to get the exact desired effect. In that respect he's up there with a Keith Richards at least. A seven-note riff that will long outlive any of us. The stripped down sound is still alive and well here, but White I think is too much of a perfectionist to let it sound in any way amateurish. Even the drums and guitar only gimmick is well supplemented by pedal effects and studio sweetening, and all to good effect. This sounds alive and dramatic and nowhere near approaching the kind of ugly dashed together sound that a lot of the other garage acts from the period seemed to cherish so much. Eyes on the prize, and calculated as all get out. And let's not dismiss Meg White's contribution here either. I've seen a lot of takedowns of her as being not very good, and I would say the proof's in the pudding, my friend. She does what she does well, and it's that MASSIVE and iconic groove. Minimalist? Sure. But I'd argue the same can be said of Jack White for the most part. There are plenty of amazing prog drummers from obscure bands you've never heard of that would wipe the floor with 90% of legendary rock drummers from well known bands if it came down to some sort of technical competition. That's not the point though, and these two knew that. To go back to the Rolling Stones - I'll take Charlie Watts any day of the week over Neal Peart ( who I also like just fine). You don't need to be flashy to get the job done. Anyway - I'd argue this is not even overplayed. It's played exactly enough given how awesome it is. "Black Math" - This one comes swinging at you with an energy that rivals "Fell in Love With a Girl" form the last album, but this is no repeat. The heavy fuzz breakdown / bridge section nestled in between a chorus-less song structure adds a bit of a metallic edge before we're thrown back into the crunchy whirlpool. This all works for me. From the not too specific lyrics about learning.... something, to the goatish vocal affect Jack adds at the end. I remember at the time finding the whole vibe of this band to be a pretty refreshing, unembarrassedly performative take on the whole rock genre, especially compared to a lot of the "aren't I so cool" 90s bands who wanted to appear as anti-try hards despite the obvious effort they were putting into their act. The White Stripes were a manufactured product and their goal was to sell you some catchy melodies and hooks. A band of gimmicks and a throwback to when bands were free to do silly shit like dress like pirates or monks. This whole vibes can be felt here. There's a looseness and fuzz and everything you expect from a garage band but you can feel the craft and the precision. "There's No Home for You Here" - A great example of how the band can still say in the same mode while easily travelling up and down that mode so easily. Quiet and subdued, but overbaked lyrics in the verse are contrasted with the bigness of the instruments over top of some easy harmonies and some scratchy noodling. White's lyrics at the best of times could hardly be called deep or even narrative, and operate on a kind of placeholder logic that works just enough to not draw attention. They're complete sentences, but they don't carry any real weight or hang together as anything other than maybe a kind of sophomoric philosophic statement or metaphor. That said, he let this one overcook a bit too long, and it ends up feeling like 3 or 4 ok ideas all at odds with each other, and resulting in a filling, but rather bland stew. "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" - And we're back on track immediately, as we get a Burt Bacharach penned very pretty downtempo sad sack break up song. We get the charmingly baroque bit of choppy strumming over the verses that contrasts very nicely with a chorus that pulls up the garage door and briefly allows a blast of sunlight back into the whole affair. I went back and listened to the Dusty Springfield version, which made me even more impressed with White's arrangement. His chorus is somehow even brighter and more epic than the lushly arranged 60s version. A vast improvement. "In the Cold, Cold Night" - Meg takes lead on the vocals here in a sultry, and simple number that wants to recall the Peggy Lee version of "Fever". It doesn't swing anywhere near as much as that, and avoids being a complete pastiche, but it does retain some the hushed, and breathless seductive quality of that. Great stuff, and a nice bit of variety. "I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart" - About as complicated a narrative as we get form White, it works ok enough, but drags a bit and suffers from a lack of dynamics. The wavy, bluesy guitar licks and piano are a nice touch though. "You've Got Her in Your Pocket" - Another very pretty one that gives Jack an excuse to stretch his folky side. His well known love of The Beatles I think can be heard here in regards to some of their softer acoustic stuff, most notably "Hide Your Love Away" which the key melody here echoes part of pretty closely. Compare White's "Where there's no way out now" line with Lennon's "Feeling two foot small". Again, this doesn't sink to the level of pastiche, and it works very well as a contrast to the brasher, mammoth sounds found elsewhere on this album. The playing itself is more reminiscent of Page's acoustic stuff on some of the softer Led Zeppelin tracks. "Ball and Biscuit" - To keep the comparison's coming, we get a salty bit delta-adjacent of 12-bar blues that ends up sounding more than a little like a cover of some lost George Thorogood song than it does John Lee Hooker or the like, but guessing the latter was possibly more on White's mind here. The fuzzed out scratchy, messy guitar solo as well as White's casual delivery works well to keep the whole piece sounding fresh and not like a poor attempt at a copy. This works really well for me, but I'm glad its a one off as I'm not sure he could pull off a whole lot more of the same. "The Hardest Button to Button" - The other big hit from this, if memory serves as it had a very memorable video. It starts sinister and driving and stays on that path with a couple of detours into some dark, faintly humorous detours involving some amateur family voo-doo which in, a less shaggily structured narrative, might put one in mind of a wry Edward Gorey tale or at the very least an Addam's Family single panel gag strip. The very basic, yet catchy as fuck groove works exceedingly well here though despite the loose approach to the lyrics, and we're left with a nice bit of brooding. It would e very easy to imagine this, filled out with more instrumentation, and done in the style of some underserved 80s UK post-punk band. Maybe one of those "in the style of" Youtubers could do it. Wire maybe. ( The Golden Filter have a great electro-pop version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaoVOWgDsDo ) "Little Acorns" - A swing and a miss! And what a miss. At least the spoken word sample anyway. I'll do my best to ignore that, but it's a pretty glaring misstep. The song proper works well though as a more ragged and blustery version of what we've seen already. For a supposed garage rock band, this is as garage as they've sounded so far, and I'm digging it. Points off for the too goody by half intro though. Bad Jack. No more of that please. "Hypnotize" - The tambourine on this adds SO much. Just a little touch like that can add so much seasoning when used just right, and going back to what I said earlier, White is terrific at figuring out those little solutions. Even the basic as it can get riffs on this one work incredibly well. "The Air Near My Fingers" - As awful as I am with titles, I had forgotten about this catchy little number, buried all the way near the end. We get what I think is maybe an electric organ adding something extra to the pot here which sounds more than a little circusy, but in a good way. "Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine" - The propulsive, fuzzed out blues rock theatrics don't really add much to the proceedings, and feel a little more generic than I'd like. This feels more like a desperate, flailing race towards the finish line than the well-considered, precisely paced stuff we've mostly gotten so far. "It's True That We Love One Another" - An assist from Holly Golightly formerly of Thee Headcoatees, on a very fun and throwback folky acoustic number in the mold of those Johnny and June Carter Cash like "Cause I Love You" ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU1X6B2PdHU ). The playful bickering and vaudevillian vibes are charming as fuck. They stuck the landing. HIGHLIGHTS - "Seven Nation Army" - "Black Math" - "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" - "In the Cold, Cold Night" - "You've Got Her in Your Pocket" - "Ball and Biscuit" - "The Hardest Button to Button" - "Hypnotize" - "The Air Near My Fingers" - "It's True That We Love One Another" MIDLIGHTS - "There's No Home for You Here" - "I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart" - "Little Acorns" - "Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine" LOWLIGHTS - FINAL THOUGHTS As solid as I remember it being, with a few inessential, but not awful leftovers. This one, along with a probably similar number of highlights from White Blood Cells form the spine of my appreciation of this band, and I thought over all it held up incredibly well. It's just hard to push it any higher up in the ratings than the more than solid 4 that it is. I predict I'll maybe have a bit more praise to heap on White Blood Cells when it arrives, ad significantly less so for Get Behind Me Satan. Though who knows. As good as it is, I'd knock it hardest for the lack of any real emotional depth. Aside from the opener, nothing on here really moves me ( even that mainly excites the old lizard brain more than anything), and as great a performer as he is, I never quite believe White when he does extend his voice into any kind of emotional extremes. It's a great act, but it's just that. The stitching is very fine, but you can still see it in the harsh light. For a genre that seems born of rebellious, in your face energy and appeal to the baser emotions, his stuff is pretty calculated and cerebrally assembled. As much as that guitar can burn it up, there's absolutely zero menace. The enthusiasm to provide a good time and the panache with which it is accomplished remain impressive, and I'm almost tempted to go back and revisit those earlier albums once again to see if there are any gems hidden away in that rawer, half formed version of the band. Almost. Maybe if I'm blown away at how unfounded my assessment of Get Behind Me Satan was. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Keep those highlights coming FURTHER LISTENING - White Blood Cells by The White Stripes - You Can't Buy a Gun When You're Crying by Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs - Brothers by The Black Keys - Life, Love and Leaving by the Detroit Cobras

I did like the songs since I could understand what they're saying. I love how straightforward the titles is and of course I love the beats and sounds of the instruments of their songs.

“Seven Nation Army” is arguably one of the best rock songs of the 2000s, if not the best, and Elephant really cements The White Stripes as a force to be reckoned with. Jack White is a complete talent, from his singing to his guitar work, making that thing screech, growl, and basically sound like it was pulled out of a haunted garage. But let’s not forget Meg White, whose drumming gives the album this booming, steady pulse that reminded me exactly why I loved this band back in the day. The album jumps through alternative rock, blues rock, and garage rock, all while sticking to that stripped-down White Stripes style. Some of the deeper tracks range from just okay to pretty great, but even when a song isn’t blowing me away, the sound is still so distinct and alive. Hopefully these two play together again someday, because the world could use another reminder of just how much noise two people can make.

fun!

A bit silly but it is Jack White larp fucking his sister after all

More enjoyable listen, while the singles I was deeply familiar with I hadn't really listened to this album. Little Acorns stood out as being an odd but interesting entry in the album in its a huge depature from what you'd just heard before ("Hardest Button to Button") I could see putting this on to a listen to in the future.

One of few of the 1001 albums that I heard before and I looked forward to revisit it in its entirety. Jack and Meg rock the socks off and I enjoy the insertion of the slower songs to cool things down a bit.

Didn’t know I just don’t know what to do with myself was on this album - it was fun!

First CD I bought so I'm emotionally biased but this is a great album, not their best but still very good. Seven Nation Army is an all timer but Button To Button is probably my fav on the album.

really cool sound to it, I love the rock and vocal yelling. It reminds me of almost like silent punk. Seven nation army being a banger along with ball and biscuit

I’m here for Jack White lol, who I am so glad went off to do his own thing. I prefer him solo over him and Meg on this album.

#385/1001. Anyone inventing a riff which gets banned in guitar stores around the world must be a genius. Also the music videos are genial, although Kate Moss sucks as a pole dancer, but that is not the band's fault.

It's a brilliant album but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. It was released right around the time I was getting into music, so it would've been prime for my adolescent mind. But now it's just passed me by. Seven Nation Army fucking slaps though.

Interesting. Really boring musically, but has a really distinct feel to it. Sounds like they like to start their songs by singing the title of the song. 3.75, Ball and Biscuit.

i was planning to say this band was an one hit wonder but this album proved me wrong. it had some decent bangers that i wouldnt have heard in my life if it wasnt for this, so yeah....

Pretty solid album, I've heard the opening song many times in pop culture and pleased to say the ending song was just as captivating. The middle was fun, a few songs didn't hit for me. I felt at times the vocals were in the wrong place in accordance to the guitar but only on 1-2 songs. Overall good album that I'm surprised I never listened to before

super solid album. i think the middle drags a bit, but there are some serious standout tracks here. ball and biscuit, the hardest button to button, girl, you have no faith in medicine and of course, seven nation army. all killer tracks.

One of the greatest stadium pump-up jams opens this album on such a high key. The rest of the album isn’t nearly as iconic, but there are a handful of songs I have added to my library already from listening to this album growing up. Not quite five stars, but a solid four.

Good. Fucking. Album. I'm not big into The White Stripes, but this album rocks. Standout stadium songs and down to earth blues songs all in one. Totally deserves the hype.

I feel like this album shows the band in a much more technically proficient place, but it misses the passion that made White Blood Cells such a classic. In their efforts to expand their sound they lost the focus of their earlier stuff, and I think their ambition works against them here. Regardless of that, however, this is still a really impressive collection. There are some really strong songs in here, even ignoring the obvious Seven Nation Army sized elephant (see what I did there) in the room. Favorites: There’s No Home For You Here, Ball and Biscuit, The Air Near My Fingers

I actually really like The White Stripes. Before embarking on this list I would have thought this was an easy 5. I went in for the relisten expecting to find it wall-to-wall excellent. Maybe my tastes have changed? I don't know. Elephant is their best work for sure - bombastic, confident, and full of excellent licks. Meg's outstanding performance on drums remains iconic (with THAT mixing!), Jack White is one of the few guitarists allowed in the Bass hall of fame, and the smattering of popular singles continue to be amongst the best of alt-rock of any era. But the album itself is also half-stuffed with somewhat frustratingly mediocre filler. The country-leaning bits just never really fit, either cohesively or sonically. If the album was cut, or at least if the inbetweens had half of the punkish character of a Seven Nation Army or a Hardest Button to Button it would be an easy 5. But alas, Jack White's biggest albatross around his neck continues to be his inconsistent sound. Still an excellent album though, a high 4. Fav tracks: Seven Nation Army, The Hardest Button To Button, There's No Home For You Here, Little Acorn, Girl You Have No Faith In Me

I Just really hate little acorns

Hårdtslående garagerock fra øverste hylde. Albummet starter med “Seven Nations Army”, som er en af rockhistoriens mest kendte sange, med et af de mest ikoniske rifs nogensinde og indeholder også hittet “The Hardest Button To Botton” og den skramlende blues rock-sang “Ball and Biscuit”. Er man glad for garagerock og har interesse for rockens mange facetter er dette album uundgåeligt.

I really liked most of this album, especially the first two tracks. There's an excellent blistering guitar and solid rhythm section. The only downside was that I thought that some of the lyrics, which I assume were supposed to sound badass, instead were kind of goofy, like I wanted to pat him on the head like "yeah you're a big badass guy, aren't you!" But I have other records with goofy lyrics, so that's ok. 4

oH mY GoD iT's tHe WhItE sTrIpEs!!!!!

The White Stripes have always had a lot of talent in their songwriting, and each song from this album illustrates their ability to create a lot of simple, yet broadly enjoyable songs. However, this album also showcases the lack of complexity in their music, as every song is predicated on the most basic rhythms and hooks, and only the guitar ever steps out into anything remotely sophisticated. This shortcoming aside, there's a lot of well-executed genre blending and variety in the album, and each song is at least of undeniable quality. Ball and Biscuit was a notable track, featuring some technical blues guitar licks and a slightly sophisticated beat, with enough length to develop the elements of the song that made it interesting.

This is the one White Stripes album I think I can give as high as a 3.5 on, as it feels their most substantial, not just because of "Seven Nation Army," but mostly because it is their heaviest and riffiest, which I think just ends up being their best material. There are still some songs on it I don't like, and I still don't generally like their gimmick or general sound, but I'm will to give this one 4 stars on this scale due to what I think was the zenith of The White Stripes's approach.

Tiene 2 temas muy reconocibles y muchos que no los reconocí. Es de un género musical que no escucho pero si me gustó el álbum entero.

Good cold cold night is a highlight

I can't decide if I love or hate this album. Bangers and duds

I listened to it while working out, but it really goes down in energy after the first track. Of course it's a classic thought, and Seven Nation Army by itself would probably get 4 stars. If there were a few more tracks like that, it would have been an easy 5/5

I’ve always loved The White Stripes. I know, own, and like the songs Seven Nation Army, In the Cold, Cold Night, It’s True The We Love One Another, and their cover of I Just Don’t Know What to do With Myself. I also knew the song The Hardest Button to Button.

A great album that shows a mix of electric and acoustic styles for a great record overall. Seven Nation Army is obviously one of the greatest iconic album openers ever made, but the rest of the album is in no way outshone by it. A very solid album and one I’d definitely come back to.

4.5

This album is pretty good in my book. It starts off with the electrifying listen of Seven Nation Army, and after that, mellows out, bringing a sense of calmness and emotion to the project. My favorite song is "You've Got Her in Your Pocket."

some bangers in this one

I recently bought a guitar and one of the first riffs I learnt was Seven Nation Army, of course! Very enjoyable racket!

Haven’t listened to this in ages and it’s a great album. Such a sure footed sophomore effort. Really love the cover of “I just don’t know what to do with myself” and other deeper cuts like “ball and a biscuit” are so good.

This is an interesting album, you can hear the punk rock heritage and multiple different influences in Jack’s vocals and the music. Some harder Beatles tracks come to mind in addition to Dead Kennedies. Interesting amalgamation. And them the indie rock sound which became dominant after this

Probably The White Stripes's best album

Enjoyed this a lot when it was released.

I really like this and it rocks hard. I saw them the year this came out, at Coachella. But I never listened to this record before. Some of these they played, so I remembered them from the show. It stops short of 5 stars for me just bc it doesn't particularly move me, but I like it. The live experience was great. They definitely made a joyous noise unto the heavens. Truly a shame that Meg did not come to the HoF induction, would have been great to see them play again.

Heard Many Times; 3.5; I really enjoy this album, and after listening to an earlier White Stripes album earlier in this project, I can certainly see that this is their better effort. The songs just sound more filled out, have catchier hooks throughout. The fat, crunchy guitar sound is distinctive, and I feel like it's mixed much better with other instrumentation on this album. Hard to not stomp when you hear a lot of these riffs. Favorite Track: The Hardest Button to Button

It's a consistently strong album with a number of highlights. Lacks replay ability though.

I like this album, I liked it 20 years ago. Some banging tunes and good memories. Not going to get full marks though, I must be hard to please.

A hell of a thing. Everyone knows 7 Nation Army, but it was the intro to the next track, Black Math, that grabbed me by the throat. Solid, back to basics, rock and roll that's good for the ears and the soul.

Enjoyed! Would listen again. Catchy. Last song was odd and seemed out of place on album.

Really really good album. I never loved their sound but you can’t help but admit that it’s a vibe here. Ball and Biscuit is an amazing song

Sparker fortsatt bra fra.

7 nation army is iconic

Best White Stripes album for sure, nothing bur bangers, Jack White writes great riffs and Meg is really what separates The White Stripes from most modern blues rock

Really good songs medium energy will re listen

Such great drumming

I've liked the Album so far!!! The slow songs are low key my favorites.

Good album but I think White Blood Cells is better

Decent rock album

White Stripes are not my thing. I don’t really care for Jack’s voice but he sure knows how to shred. Meg gets ripped for her drumming but it is exactly what this album needs. Surprised there were a few songs I really liked on here.

I like their raw energy. Love Ball and Biscuit.

Got some bangers

branding is good, great alt album, very garage rock with tons of ‘60’s ‘70’s and grunge influence. rock has reached a melting pot at this point of all its predecessors. has intensity yet also sensitivity

I really liked this. Two exceptional musicians with a very clear, interesting sound, putting out music that is thoughtful and engaging. The fact that one of the songs became a sports anthem is kind of funny in retrospect as I'm sure that was not the goal.

I dunno what they drank between 2003 and 2005, but I liked this a whole hell of a lot more than Get Behind Me Satan! This was some really great bluesy garage revival, probably one of the best examples of that sound I've heard.

This album is an absolute tour de force in the first three quarters and a sadly I felt like it lost its luster in the final quarter so I had to put it down to a 4. I just want to say this album has some of the best pacing I have ever experienced.

A seven nation army couldn't hold my sack They're gonna rip it off Taking their time right inside my crack

I sure hope none of my loving friends has written a vile review of this album!

Made me want to listen to Beyoncé

Overall: 3.52 (rounded up to 4) Originality/Innovation: 3 Track Consistency: 3.57 Enjoyment: 4 Virtuosity (includes instrumental, compositional, lyrical): 3.5 1. Seven Nation Army - 5 2. Black Math - 5 3. There's No Home for You Here - 4 4. I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself - 3 5. In the Cold, Cold Night - 2 6. I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart - 3 7. You've Got Her in Your Pocket - 2 8. Ball and Biscuit - 5 9. The Hardest Button to Button - 5 10. Little Acorns - 4 11. Hypnotize - 3 12. The Air Near My Fingers - 4 13. Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine - 3 14. It's True that we Love One Another - 2

Fave: Black math

За севен нейшн арми лайк. Остальное ну норм, 7/10

Hell yea Seven nation army is obviously up there for one of the best songs ever but there a loads of bangers on here I’d not heard before like Black Math 4

Quite unique.

I liked the first half more but overall pretty good

Fun, grungy. Should be listened to on bigger speakers fo sho

4.5. I am a big fan of this album. It's rare for me to find enjoyment in some of the more rock focused stuff, but this album really stood out to me. 7 Nation Army is a classic hit, but on top of that, There's No Home For You Here, The Hardest Button to Button, and even It's True That We Love One Another all resonated with me very well. All over the place in a great way, and I think that the acoustic tracks break everything up nicely. Jack's voice pairs very well with the instruments all throughout the album, and the lyrics were clever enough to keep this music in the foreground of my thoughts during this first listen. I'll be back

First half a little too loud for me but the second half was great

Really great rock album. Weird, heavy, and just unique. Had obviously heard seven nation army, but not much else off the record. Has that element of a great record, where the sound is consistent throughout but doesn’t get repetitive. Very impressed. 4/5.

i didn't expect to like it so much highlights: 'there's no home for you here', 'ball and biscuit' and 'in the cold, cold night'

personally i probably prefer their first two releases but we owe them a small debt of gratitude for adding an actually good stadium anthem to the culture 4/5

Containing one of the most iconic rock songs of all time, let alone the oughts, this record is often hailed as The Stripes' best album and it's easy to see why. Of course you have their expected brand of minimalist garage rock revival with inventive guitar playing thanks to the wizard Jack White, but in addition to the snappy and surprisingly powerful rock music you also have some more tender moments that reveal a mode 3 Dimensional angle to the songwriting you may not have expected. Meg and Jack were in the middle of their divorce during this time, and it's made immediately obvious. Right down to the imagery on the album cover, the lonely sounding "In the Cold Night" (performed by Meg White), and the various songs deeper in the cut that explore themes of restless feelings, failed expectations, and various other frustrations you could ascribe to a strained relationship. The variety in the track list actually works quite well in favor of the album, avoiding repetition and giving a lot of breathing room for some of the heavier songs to really sink in. "Ball And Biscuit" is a 7 minute long blues rock jam, but you don't feel the length and Jack uses this track's runtime to his advantage, to rock out and give one of his signature guitar solos full of wankery and unorthodox style. "Hardest Button" is probably the most straightforward song compositionally, but it's steady stomping rhythm paired with the bizarre lyrics and power chords make this one instantly sticky and remains a fan favorite for many, myself included. The end of the record is also rather solid, with the manic "You have no faith in medicine" and the super tongue-in-cheek "It's true we love each other" featuring Meg, Jack and Holly Golightly on vocals. This song is rather awkward in it's own cute way, but offers a rather lighthearted conclusion to a complicated relationship between Jack and Meg, and rather than the spiteful and spurned feelings of say; Fleetwood Mac's Rmours, you get a cathartic and multi-angled rock album with lots of food for thought and some of the most iconic rock songs of all time. I recommend!

Can’t really give any album with Seven Nation Army less than this, honestly.

I struggle with popular bands from my own generation. Bands like the White Stripes, Kings of Leon, Black Keys, Arctic Monkeys, Green Day (early works aside) are all in this bucket. I think these are “good” bands, but I can never quite love them (as I type this, I realise the White Stripes are probably a cut above the aforementioned artists). I think this has to do with how we’d consume music. You used to purchase a CD, for the equivalent of $125 in 2026 dollars, then you’d go away and listen to it. Listen to it a lot, in fact, otherwise you were a sucker who wasted their money. Then if you actually liked it, you’d play it at parties and burn copies for your mates and try and get them to love it as much as you did. And if you were lucky, your friends would do the same to you. This is the way I have discovered my favourite artists of all time and cemented favourite friendships of all time. The other way of consuming music was listening to the radio. This is where the big bands come into my life. People played them at parties, but without the “hey, you gotta check out these guys!” speeches. It felt less intimate, more transient. And once exposed to something via this channel, retreating with the headphones to digest the album just never happened. I guess this is why the before-your-time classics are immune from this general feeling of unease - there was still the element of the hunt. Anyway, I like this album. I think it’s good.

Two great 2000s albums in a row? What happened to the 1001 I know? Seven Nation Army just might have one of the best riffs of all time, and its pretty hard not to get emotional thinking about all the times baby Spencer would get hyped when they’d play it during a tight 4th quarter at a football game. There’s quite a few other damn solid songs on this one; I thought Ball and Biscuit was pretty cool. There’s some nice variety on here, really not a whole lot of repetitive music. Jack White’s vocals aren’t particularly special but they work just fine for what’s being done here I do think a couple songs just kinda drag unfortunately, I didn’t care for Little Acorns and really most of the end section of the album didn’t leave a huge impression on me. Still though, definitely not bad music, just think the lead single kinda steals the show Pretty sure this is my first time listening to White Stripes other than Seven Nation Army and Fell in Love with a Girl, so pretty surprised that they have that much range. Pretty easy 9/10 album for me, but think I’ll round down this time

Very classic album; Seven Nation Army is only one of the most well known songs of all time. White Stripes is really a fascinating little group. Because there's only two people playing, the songs are simple, but that lets the riffs and vocals shine. Lot of really iconic tracks. I think there's this very genuine edge to the music that makes it compelling.

I used to really like this album a few years ago. But now, listening to it again, I realized this album is more of a collection of songs that I would normally skip to get to the good stuff. A true 5 star album is something I would want to listen to all the way and not want to just skip the boring songs to get to the absolute bangers. Anyway, a good collection of song that are easily recognized, but that's about it for me.

Some great tracks

'Seven Nation Army' by itself likely would've dragged this album into a high rating, but pleasantly the rest of it is a joy to listen to as well.

Deep and thunderous at times, whimsical and joyous at others

This is one of the cooler sounding albums there is. I love their sound. Seven Nation Army is a great song and one of the great pump up songs of all time. There isn't a bad song on this album.

More often than not, Jack comes across as a rascally old-school chauvinist. Along with his mannered vocal style and the ludicrous insistence that he and Meg were siblings, fans gobbled it up as part of the White Stripes' theatrical intrigue. This album was the occasion when the Detroit odd couple triumphed on their own irresistible terms. Righteous fury, melodramatic wit, hookline-and-sinker choruses – it was all here, in one excellent package. The intro track, Seven Nation Army, is a five-star classic, and the rest of the album is full of 3 and 4 star goodies.

1 - Seven Nation Army (this is the one we all know, but it's still a top tier track. The whole thing is justified when those guitars come in for the first time and really prove Jack White was essentially the last true guitar hero. Nothing else to say about this considering I and everyone else have heard this one a million times before) 4.5/5 2 - Black Math (a very raw riff for such a polished album. It's downright crushing in places and I was NOT expecting something so utterly wired and unhinged on this album!) 4/5 3 - There's No Home for You Here (this one sounds like a Beatles song they're playing way too loud. I actually really like the shuffle and the rhythm that makes the song rock back and forth, along with those dynamics. Maybe one of the most unique and innovative takes on blues rock in the last quarter century) 4.5/5 4 - I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself (a classic dad rock type of song title and structure. Not too much else to say about this one considering its brevity but it's strikingly old-fashioned in its structure but very modern in its sound, and Jack White gives one of his best vocal performances on this one) 4/5 5 - In the Cold, Cold Night (almost completely barren and almost interlude-like in its quality. This one is sung by Meg White and her voice is calm enough but there's something very off-putting, like something terrible is always about to happen. It captures that old-time folk tune atmosphere well) 4.5/5 6 - I Want to Be the Boy... (a soulful start with the energetic pianos and 70s blues rock inspired sounds overall. Jack White sounds so much like another singer from that era but I can't exactly put my finger on who...! This one comes and goes before it really gets going, unfortunately) 3.5/5 7 - You've Got Her in Your Pocket (entirely acoustically driven, this is definitely the sad times ballad of the album - a staple of virtually all the classic albums this one is aping. I really wish it was spaced farther apart from the previous slow songs because it makes the entire middle section drag) 3.5/5 8 - Ball and Biscuit (this one gets the hill country blues going right away, I just love how the guitars buzz like they're made entirely of batteries. The punk blues blast wakes you up immediately and really ratchets up the power-generator feel of this whole piece. The ultra-repetitive grooving stomp of this song doesn't at all outstay its 7-minute runtime; this one really does go above and beyond and perhaps synthesizes everything the band was trying to do. One of this album's highest points) 4.5/5 9 - The Hardest Button to Button (there were a couple of songs around in this era with the same sort of fuzzy bass intro. Despite its status as one of the band's better known songs, there isn't much that makes this song stand out among the best and is a definite step down from the all out blitz that was Ball and Biscuit. This one is completely serviceable, nothing else or more) 3.5/5 10 - Little Acorns (quite the jarring start to have an educational spoken word intro on this one. I really thought all of the songs would be played totally straight, but I've been proven wrong more than once for this album. The riffing on this one is downright stoner metal but it drops the tempo rather suddenly here and there. An interesting song but goes in circles at some point for me) 3.5/5 11 - Hypnotize (the shortest track on this album and this one is a straight up rockabilly track; I find the White Stripes do this kind of thing the best, forcibly pulling those old styles into the 21st century. This one is also a highlight late into the album's runtime. This one doesn't waste a second) 4/5 12 - The Air Near My Fingers (a midtempo rocker to bring us back to a more reasonable speed. This one is kind of slick sounding, like some sort of detective or PI singing it to himself. It's just different enough rhythm wise to stand out on this album) 4/5 13 - Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine (another hooting and hollering track, how I wish the album had more of these...! Jack White sounds the most engaged he has in a while on this song and actually shows a different side of his voice, which has usually been secondary to his incredible guitar playing. Few songs will ever do so much with so little, which is something you can say about this album and band as a whole) 4/5 14 - It's True That We Love One Another (the final track is actually sung by both. It's actually an ironic song as its lovey-dovey subject matter is immediately shot down by its passive-aggressive lyricism about the things they give away to each other and the other person's peculiarities that irritate them. Its so obvious and in your face it becomes funny at some point. Another old-timey country tune dressed up for the 21st century and a very fun way to close out this wild album) 4/5 OVERALL - 8/10

Jack white doing jack white things

GARAGE ROCKKKK LETS GOOOOOO

A fun rocking time, hits hard but has some good range at the same time

Banger! Great opener!

a masterpiece of music. Expect that stupid intro to the track "Little acrons"

Overall I enjoyed this. My picks: black math,there's no home for you here,I just dont know what to do with myself,in the cold,cold night,ball and biscuits,the air near my fingers.

What a great surprise this album was. The solo Jack White we had was just ok so I was expecting something similar. I was surprised at the range of music from garage rock to blues to acoustic. It kept me engaged and interested in what’s coming next. I’m also impressed it’s just the two of them making all those layers of music. Glad we had this album on the list, I probably wouldn’t have listened to it otherwise.

Shame on me for not having listened to this album before now. Love this. I'm a fan of low tech garage rock, so I'm an easy target. What impressed me most were the slow, and sometimes quirky songs. Same energy as the big booming up tempo songs, but delivered with a delicate touch. I couldn't help but think of modern soul artists. One of the things that makes them successful is taking a familiar style and modernizing it, giving the music a contemporary sound while keeping the soul of the old masters. Amy Winehouse was masterclass at this. Similarly, Jack and Meg White take old 50s rockabilly and give it a big sonic modern feel. Like Amy, Jack and Meg are masterclass. This album is an amazing success.

I like this more than I expected to. I’d mostly written off the 2000s blues revival, but I think this rises above the rest as a pretty strong example. It’s still not completely to my tastes but I like it.

I thought this was a great album by The White Stripes! Had some very catchy tunes with alt-rock, punk, and blues vibes sprinkled in throughout. Overall, I really enjoyed my time listening to this album and I would listen to it again soon!

It’s good but despite the big hit they are capable of better in an album. Still great though.

oh yes

Damn I forgot how much I liked this album. A lot of high school nostalgia. There's No Home For You Here fucks, I Don't What To Do With Myself, In The Cold Cold Night, damn. Only halfway through the album and I'm remembering all the non-singles on here which are so so good

Didn't expect some of the more folk inspired elements on this album to exist, but I think that's cool and I should've listened to this album earlier in life when my dad was playing some of their songs in his car.

Wow Jack white can carry an entire album, by himself. It’s amazing how cohesive the sound is but how unique every song is-never feels bogged down despite being two instruments the whole time. Underrated is how much work the drums do-Jack is so tight rhythmically on guitar and Meg has this lackadaisical out of the pocket feel that just brings enough tension to the mix that it’s wonderfully chaotic. Like each song is teetering on falling apart and yet carries the whole way through.

Love Jack, Love Meg, gett in

Preferred the harder rock songs. Liked Ball and Biscuit and Hardest Button best.

I like this album less than ACTUAL elephants, but more than most other albums.

4.2/5 One I have listened to a few times before. I love the creativity of the riffs and the play of the musicality. And, ya know, Seven Nation Army is an all-timer.

This album is like...I don't know man this shit slaps. 4/5

Man patiko. Gera gitara, jo balsas malonus.

Admittedly, I prefer the album just before this one. But this is still pretty great. It sounds like a band that’s been on the road for two years straight. There’s something about the song structure, and the way songs just explode. It’s designed to be played at a massive outdoor festival or arena. And the first track is still sung at football games around the world, almost every day since it was released. Jack White was having a lot of fun here, living his rockstar dreams.

4/5

Kinda banging. Different vibes throughout. Almost timeless

Rockier music isn't the usual style that I like to listen to, but this really caught me off guard. I had only ever heard 'Seven Nation Army' by The White Stripes before, and with it being the opening track of the album, I expected the rest of the album ot sound very similar to this. I was very quickly proven wrong. 'In The Cold, Cold Night' really shifts the direction of the album quite early on, leaving me wondering what the next song would sound like each time. I actually struggled to just pick three favourites for this, as I really enjoyed quite a few of them, so I am writing down five. Favourites (in order): The Air Near My Fingers In The Cold, Cold Night The Hardest Button to Button It's True That We Love One Another Ball and Biscuit

Fun, simple, stripped down rock. O like the Stripes.

didn’t expect it to be so good

I've always been a little cool with this album, despite liking White Stripes a lot. Revisiting it, I think it's a pretty great album with a few songs I like a little less (the run from Cold Cold Night -> You've Got Her in your Pocket). Still, I think I was a little overly harsh in my judgment. I still prefer other White Stripes albums over this, but this is great in its own right. 3.8/5

Made me zone out!!! In the best way possible Already new / heard : Seven nation Army Fav : in the cold cold night, You’ve got her in your pocket, hypnotize I think it was vary close to my usual likings and classics

Very good album. pretty close to 5 stars. fav song ball and biscuit probably. amazing rock

8/10

Solid rock album, great writing on this one. Even with only two members, it really feels like a whole ensemble. Great songs on this, standouts being Seven Nation Army and Black Math.

Es un buen album, ya lo habia escuchado unas cuantas veces pero nunca deja de sorprenderme, personalmente le pongo un 4

Me recuerda a la naranja mecanica You’ve got her in your pocket es la que mas me está sorprendiendo La ultima cancion m la ha bajado q flipas pero el album entero es increible

I forgot how much I like this album. Obviously opens with the big hit, but there's a lot of fun stuff.

i liked it!! the most popular song aka the first track is alright but i mostly liked the second as it reminds me of 2020 songs i like!

I like a lot

Just super blues rock solid. With more listens I bet this rises to a 5.

Det her album svinger for mig i fuldstændigt i begge retninger. Det er dog et album som jeg er endt med at holde ret meget af og som af en eller anden årsag har hængt ved i mig

Probably their best work.

Very familiar with this album. Used to be in regular rotation. Not too much to say about it. I've always really like Meg's drumming style, simple but emotive. Great guitar playing that still sounds really cool to me. I perhaps suffer from a bit of Jack White oversaturation, but his voice does grate on me a touch. Really good album, 4 stars

I can’t quite stretch myself to five stars because, impressive as it that two people can make these sounds with just guitar, voice and a rudimentary drum kit, and as good as most of these songs are, it’s still essentially blues rock of a type we’re very familiar with. But it is a really good album.

Interesting album. I've not heard much White Stripes before so this was new to me - although I did recognise a couple of tracks. Kind of punky (post-punk?) and fairly heavy in places but very listenable.

An eclectic collection of songs. Diverse, entertaining with some absolute classics thrown in.

It’s 2026!and rock n roll is dead. This album might have been one of its last hurrahs.

I already love this album. One of the first I ever bought with my own money Not listened to it for a while, it is still super weird and great

Not many standouts to me (besides Seven Nation Army), but all of the songs are pretty good.

The Stripes' raw, stripped down sound feels like it ought to be a throwback yet seems remarkably fresh. But it's also a bit repetitive and very reliant on good hooks: most of the songs deliver but a few just grind on a little too much.

Enjoyed it. Not quite a 5 for me. They have a great / unique sound - which gets a little samey over the course of the album. I prefer the slower numbers - especially when Meg sings. A good stomp.

Seven Nation Army is legendary. The rest is an interesting mix of rock n roll. Overall, decent

Full of classics 3-4

Great white stripes album

Never listened properly to the White Stripes before, and I was surprised by how much I like it. The punky simple drums work so we'll with the bluesy guitar.

Exited abouth this one, ive heard good things abouth this band. "Seven nation army" is good but the years of overplaying this song on the radio made me kinda tired of this song. Ho its a garage rock band or something ? Well whatever the genra is, this album slaps. The softer tracks are nice but kind of a stepdown. Loved the bluesy "Ball and Biscuit" and the catchy "The air near my finger". Really good album. A big fat 4 stars.

liked it. i dont think it's as good as these critics say, but i think that's because i dont have any context for what these guys have done before this album. you can clearly hear jack white's influences in stuff like ball and biscuit, his use of fuzz was great in stuff like seven nation army, and there was a nie mix of slow and fast songs which i liked, and there was minimal filler.

Good shit, never liked them when i was younger, but enjoying the hell out of them now

Fairly good. I like Jack White's vocals a lot. Some of these songs blended together a little, and I felt the latter segment majorly trailing off, but still good.

It was good I wish I listened to it better tho

listening to this now as opposed to when i was 13 makes it easier to appreciate the blues influences, but that also (perhaps paradoxically) makes me less inclined to be as impressed with it overall, considering the sound itself is not super mind-blowing in its originality. but in all honesty if i didn’t have my own adolescent cringe associations, i would probs rate this 4 stars… fav tracks: in the cold, cold night; ball and biscuit; hypnotize; i just don’t know what to do with myself; the hardest button to button (the latter mostly for nostalgia reasons)

This whole album is an amazing classic; all the songs sound great, and I love it whenever I get a chance.

Heavy and teeming with character. Outside of the obvious song, tracks like "Ball and Biscuit" and "In The Cold, Cold Night" are a great sendoff to the rock n roll our older generations knew and loved. The intro to "Little Acorns" - how fun! My favorite might be "Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine". Such a simple, sticky hook with a totally memorable subject. And some nice guitar riffs to boot. 4/5 easy

Great album! I liked the mix of different sounds on this. At times their sound was a little odd (hard to explain), but that was okay! I’d give this a 4.5, but don’t feel right with a 5.

Still not White Blood Cells. As a cohesive unit, 4/5. Individually, some of the songs are not good, though.

This is my third White Stripes effort in this albums generator, and this is the only project so far I feel truly deserves its spot. It feels gritty and dirty, blues influenced, with real good composition, and a rebel energy that's built for rock and roll. The retro low budget recording techniques make this special. It's got pretty good replay value, despite the obvious banger starting off the project. 3.7/5

3.8

Good 4.3

It’s phun!

4.5 stars. Pounding "basslines", that drive the album. The simplicity is it's strength as an alt rock/blues rock staple. Avoids being repetitive with some down-tempo tracks, fully-acoustic tracks, occasional piano. Standouts are super catchy anthem leadoff "Seven Nation Army", "Hardest Button To Button", and "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" .

weird but cool

Mostly good album. White Stripes is another band like Foo Fighters where I never choose to listen to them even if I enjoy them while they're on. The radio hits shine here, the rest is fine. I dig the lo-fi/basic sound.

Good opening track. Overall consistent

So much fun. Fav tracks: Seven Nation Army, Black Math, Ball and Biscuit, The Hardest Button to Button Saved a song: Y RYM: N

Of course the opening is an all time classic, few to no misses and good music all the way through.

Very fun to listen to, knew more songs than I though it would.

very good

I was there (again lol) but this time quite literally. The band I was playing for supported the White Stripes on their Elephant tour in Australia. This was a huge record for them. Seven Nation Army is one of THE big songs of all time due to that undeniable riff. This was around the same time as a lot of other "indie" sounding music was making it into the mainstream, against the current. They had the whole package, good songs, live show, intrigue, unique sound...Good on them for doing something interesting. That said...this record doesn't beg me for another spin. I found myself slightly relieved when it was over...so many songs! Blessedly a lot of them are quite short.

my fav songs: seven nation army the air near my fingers 8.5/10

4/5. Im personally more of a White Blood Cells guy when it comes to the White Stripes (spoilers that will almost surely be a 5/5 for me when it pops up), but elephant is also a damn good album. You of course have Seven Nation Army which has become one of the biggest songs ever and a staple at sporting events. But beyond that, this album is packed with bangers like “black math”, “I just don’t know what to do with myself” or “the hardest button to button. My favorite song however is “Ball and Biscuit” which is a 7 minute long blues jam with some of jack whites best guitar solos. only thing going against this album for me is that I think the final 3 songs are weaker than the rest of the album. But this is still a great one and the White Stripes are one of the best bands to come from that late 90’s/2000’s garage rock revival.

Excellent. Still holds up

Simple. Impactful.

Favourite tracks: Black Math, The Hardest Button to Button, Little Acorn, and Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine A classic. Simple drums, catchy riffs, and a strong voice. That's all you need for a rock staple. I remember covering some of these tracks with my best friend and it was so much fun. Jack White is a legend and an inspiration to me as a guitar player. Can't wait to listen to the other White Stripes albums from this list. 4/5

half of the words were just yap but some of the intros were so good I was levitating

Suffers from coming shortly after Get Behind Me Satan, which is a superior album, just. Again, at their best, they're fantastic - button to button, 7NA, ball & biscuit and a few others are top notch, but there is some filler, and it doesn't have quite the same variety of vibes as GBMS. It's right on the 4/5 borderline. Probably a 4 purely because it pales in comparison, and having this many White Stripes albums and not the artists who inspired them is short sighted.

Ahh, the White Stripes. This marks my third Jack White album of the project so far(after Blunderbuss and Get Behind Me Satan in that order). It also contains his most iconic song, "Seven Nation Army". Now, for the actual review; Elephant is a loud, raw album with just enough polish to be palatable to the average ear. White's lyrics mostly deal with themes of love and identity, but they're rather simplistic in nature. However, the musical backing is exactly what you'd expect; in your face, filled with overdrive and distortion, driven by the same four-on-the-floor beats every time. It is also filled with hooks and ready to get airplay until the end of time, especially with "Seven Nation Army". It is less experimental than Jack's later efforts, and is happy to be a straight-ahead rock album. While 2000s albums tend to get slammed with low ratings by me, this is an exception. It knows exactly what it is and pretends to be no more, a refreshing quality amidst a sea of landfill indie records from the decade.

The opening baseline is iconic, this is a solid rock album, you can hear a lot of blues influence in jack’s playing

Impressive how full of a sound you can get with just 2 very talented musicians! A banger of an album, and Seven Nation Army will go down in history as a forever classic. Listened to this album quite a bit when it first came out, but not really something that is part of my regular listening anymore.

Fun album!

Ça pourrait être leur seul album.

Rock alternativo muy piola, el primero temón

I liked this one better than Get Behind Me Satan ! Ball and Biscuit and Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine are so entertaining.

such a fun album 4

I was wondering how I would handle this one when it came up. My roommate and I absolutely got this the day it came out and played it through several times that day, loving every minute of it. "Seven Nation Army" was already everywhere and we were thrilled about it -- the White Stripes taking over the world! Even then I wouldn't have said "they're one of my favorite bands" but I might have said "this is one of the bands from right now that people will look back on as brilliant." Does it hold up? Sorta kinda maybe. I haven't listened to the whole thing in about 20 years. I was happy to revisit some of my favorite moments but also rediscover ones I'd forgotten about, even within Seven Nation Army! Those are the moments that tempted me to give it a five. But at the same time, the schtick seems more obvious now. When I listen to "Ball and a Biscuit" I don't think, "Wow, you're going back to the roots of rock." I think, "Dude, everyone knows you're not Bo Diddley." Similar for the supposed spontaneity of "Little Acorns" and "It's True That We Love One Another." Small criticisms, but they make it somewhat less than an eternal record to me. Overall, I find albums like this the hardest to rate... it would definitely be a 9 or even 9.5 out of 10, but not a 10. It's a record that makes me smile and play air guitar but that I would never insist on playing for my kids. It seems weird to give it a 4, but also dishonest to give it a 5, so there we are.

wowzers im in highschool again

A blistering, garage rock statement that cemented The White Stripes as a defining force of the 2000s. “Seven Nation Army” is the obvious anchor, but for me the album’s real depth shows in the blues of “Ball and Biscuit,” the icy mood of “In the Cold, Cold Night,” and the ragged charm running through every track. Two people can be loud.

Que discazo cabrón, me cuesta un poco algunas canciones de la mitad pero el inicio y final estan cabrones, mis favoritas Girl, You Have no Faith in Medicine, Hardest Button to Button, los riffs de Jack son tan brillantes que hacen no necesitar de ningún otro integrante en el dúo ni que la sesión rítmica tenga que hacer nada espectacular para hacer funcionar el disco.

Gran guitarrista el mr jack

good rock!

3.5

What a nostalgia bomb! Loved this album when it came out, listened to it non stop in my car back when 6 stacker cd players were a thing. I love how this album grabs you by the balls straight away with 7 nation army, such an iconic song still chanted by football fans around the world. I think white blood cells slightly edges this one as best white stripes album, but still a banger

Hugely influential and prolifically successful. Sounds great and still fresh 20+ years later. This was a real kick to what was becoming a tame indie (landfill) scene.

Very good

I’ve heard seven nations army before but never realized it’s White Stripes! I enjoyed the album though I’ve only listened to the first four songs. It’s fun!

Me salté la primera canción, el resto me gustó bastante.

1/14 bekannt 8/10 Beste Songs: Seven Nation army, there’s no home for you here, in the cold cold night

Undoubtedly the best the Stripes put together in their run, taking their cocktail of garage punk and blues into a new stratosphere by blasting the noise charts off the stratosphere. Sure, "Seven Nation Army" got entirely too much attention, but the true heroes of this record are songs like "Black Math" and "Little Acorns" that pummel you with fuzz. This sees the band stretching the most they ever would, and while no White Stripes record is perfect, this one comes pretty close.

The White Stripes pull off the rare feat of their best record also being their most commercially successful.

This is my favorite album by The White Stripes.

Album- Elephant (2003) Favorite song from album- Seven Nation Army, Hypnotize, and Girl you have no faith in medicine Album Rating- 8.5/10 3 Songs added to playlist

Elephant starts off with one of the most instantly recognisable basslines of the 21st century so far with Seven Nation Army. The use of a climactic muted guitar riff to build tension before dropping away to the stripped down bassline sounds simply amazing. Jack White’s solo reflects the pattern of the main riff albeit pitched higher, making great contrast with the deep tones of the main bassline. So much to say about this song. Lyrically I don’t quite understand the song, seems to be a standard tale of revenge and struggle, but with a main riff like that the lyrics take the backseat anyway. Black Math continues the heavy fuzzy feel of the first track with some great chromatic shifts in the main chord progression. The faster tempo of this track compared to the previous really kicks the heaviness of the album up a gear. There’s something Queens of The Stone Age-esque about this track. Beautiful staccatoed solo, sounds like some use of muting via the pickup switch which I like. There’s No Home for You Here kicks off with some extremely lazy (in the best way) vocals from Jack White before giving way to an extremely rushed verse. Really interesting melody in this. Best track on the album up to this point by far. Crazy monotone bridge followed by a RATM-inspired solo. Switching up to a cover with I Just Don’t Know What To Do, this track has a much rawer stripped down feel compared to the previous tracks while still maintaining that signature bassy fuzz. Meg White shows off her vocal talent in In The Cold Cold Night, the softness of her voice compared to Jack’s provides a beautiful and honestly needed contrast to the harsh fuzz of the rest of the album. Favourite track of the album. I Want To Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother’s Heart brings some piano into the album and layers the guitar over the main piano melody in a really tasteful, not quite overpowering, but definitely noticeable way. Really enjoyed the sound of that. You’ve Got Her in Your Pocket has the most delicate feel of any song on the album up to this point with its calm fingerpicked acoustic. This fits well with how Jack sings delicately and clearly cares for the subject of this track. Ball and Biscuit has a great blues inspired intro lick. Really sounds phenomenal. Enjoy this one alot. It fits really well with the almost broken-sounding distortion that gives the guitar its signature Jack White fuzz. This track features an absolutely SCREAMING guitar solo. Really fighting hard to beat Meg’s big contribution earlier in the album. Sorry, not one, but TWO screaming guitar solos. GREAT use of a blues walk to finish up that second solo. I think this one does have In The Cold Cold Night beaten, and look at that, a third solo. Yep. Best track. Spooky and uneasy lyrics in The Hardest Button to Button made even more uneasy by Jack White’s delivery of the lines. Big fan of this one. God I cannot put into words how much I love a seemingly tame and innocuous monologue in an intro being followed by a surprisingly heavy and harsh guitar riff. Little Acorns delivers. Hypnotize weirdly reminds me of early to mid 2000s British rock, thinking WPSIATWIN Arctic Monkeys era. Great song but felt a tiny bit out of place. Certain progressions throughout this album start to feel a little bit same-y, noticed this first with The Air Near My Fingers. A good song but clearly derivative of other tracks on the album. Honestly not much to say about Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine, a little bit worn out by the similar sounds in the album at this point. Much needed switchup for the closing track of the album with a playful and silly song that sounds very dissimilar to anything else on the album. Almost a country twang to it thanks to Holly Golightly’s vocals. Overall a great album, however the repetitive nature of the fuzz heavy guitar can make the tracks towards the end feel tiresome. Ball and Biscuit is the shining star of this album.

wooooahhhh ohh oh ohh ohhhhh ohhhh

The energy starts right away with Seven Nation Army and it doesn't let up. Tight drums throughout. Whats not to love?

Very very solid album. The guitar hooks are fresh and hit you right in the face from the get go. Drums and singing are great throughout, with lyrics being interesting enough without being inspiring. Found myself headbopping despite myself at quite a few points - some of these tracks are definitely headed for the playlist. Not quite a 5 stars, but close. 8.5/10

sympa de fou

Solide

Not my very favorite white stripes album bust still a full and complete effort by the duo.

Better than I remember with multiple good songs, but I’m probably not coming back to it much. 3.5 stars