Reviews (page 8 of 14)
YAAW harmonies beatles cool cool cool
So, this is the second album of this band that I’ve listened to in as many days. I just have to say I REALLY like them! Yesterday I heard white blood cells, and today elephant is even better. For me, this is just good old fashioned rock ‘n’ roll! Too bad that I’m 20 years late discovering the band, but better late than never. A very solid four stars.
From bluesy and sexy guitar-driven songs, to sweet and calming acoustic ballads, all the way to anxious, paranoid fuzzy riffs - This album has a little something for everyone.
This is the White Stripes at their best for me. Letting it rip (“Ball and Biscuit, “You have no faith in medicine”) and giving me a port in the storm of their gigantic sound with little diddies (“It’s true that we love one another”). Jack white is fierce and Meg matches him perfectly.
I love the White Stripes. This album was somewhat familiar. The only struggle is whether to go with 4 or 5. I'll hold back on this one, but it's a close call.
Insbesondere Seven Nation Army ist für mich ein unglaublich emotionaler Song weil ich das Riff als Kind auf jeder Gitarre gespielt habe. Das Album steht für mich sinnbildlich für Studioaufnahmen bei denen die gesamte Band gleichzeitig aufgenommen wird. Das bedeutet manchmal klingen die Gitarren etwas dreckig aber insgesamt einfach super ehrlich. Diese Simplizität aus klassischen E-Gitarren Riffs und simplen Rhytmen auf den Drums kann man nur mögen.
Sehr interessant zu hören in welchem Album Kontext einer der bekanntesten Songs aller Zeiten ursprünglich stattfand. Muss man vermutlich auch live gesehen haben
Halt die fresse Punk, jetzt gibts heckmeck. Bin ich ein Punk geworden? Schön dreckig, laut und echte Emotionen. Ja ne ist halt echt nicht meins, sind Banger dabei klar. Für Punk-Fans bestimmt top 5 beste Alben jemals. Ich mag aber die Gefühlswechsel, die kommen von Lied zu Lied gut durch. Würde ich fürs Genre eine 8/10 geben
With The Hardest Button to Button and Seven Nation Army it's definitely one of their best albums. Not many 2 person bands reach the originality and skill we see the The White Stripes, but they've sure influenced a lot of bands repeating the formula. 4/5
- Mit Icky Thumb mein Lieblingsalbum der Whitestripes - Geile Hits drauf - Raw und minimalistisch - Die beiden sind einfach geile Motherfucker - Wie immer bei den Whitestripes klare Handschrift - Wobei ich ehrlich sagen muss, dass mir die Whitestripes früher n Ticken besser gefallen haben Rating: 4/5
- Mega Platte, die mich von vorne bis hinten gut unterhalten hat - haben einfach ihren eigenen Sound, den man wahrscheinlich liebt oder hasst - catcht einen, ohne zu viel zu sein, schöner Ruhepol dazwischen mit z.B. "In The Cold, Cold Night"
It's a good album with some bluesy elements of a duo that works really well together. Rock music that deserved the attention it got back in the days.
9/10. I think that I need to sit with this album for more than a few days to form a fuller opinion, but it made a strong first impression. I may regret not giving it a full five stars.
Garage rock has always been hit or miss for me, but The White Stripes really do a fantastic job of it.
Incredible guitar playing mixed with infectious vocal melodies proves to be all that is needed to create a classic.
Excellent
jag gillar detta.
great; reaaalllyyyyy love the cover, masterpiece; album added, no particular song though (yet)
Ohhhhhh oh whoa oh oh ohhhhhh whoaaaa
Classic 2000s rock if such thing exists! Their best album in my opinion. Starts with the world’s most annoying track that has been ruined by drunk crowds singing it in request for encores at every single concert out there! It is actually a good track though 🤣
Highlights: Black Math, The Hardest Button to Button, Hypnotise, Girl You Have No Faith In Medicine In a nutshell: Jack and Meg at their peak The album where The White Stripes perfected their formula of catchy riffs and hypnotic drum beats. Not flawless, also not bad. Overall: 7/10
Love this album. It rocks. It’s quirky. It has attitude.
A great album which should be played more often. Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this. Love the production, even the ballads are pretty good. 4
I know this album well so it was nice to revisit it after so many years. A little inconsistent and a little too on the nose with vintage inspiration, but still a great listen and a lovely reprieve from mainstream music at that time.
As I said to Stijn earlier, this is a rock solid meat and potatoes type of rock album. Its a simple meal, perfectly executed by chefs that could make you something way fancier, but know that you don't need anything fancy right now. They do a good job of drawing on a range of early rock influences and styles. You can tell they're real students of the medium. A plain old good time of an album. Also, though it's one of the worst victims of "overplayed at stadiums syndrome", Seven Nation Army is truly an all time great riff. Album cover: (A) Thats a really nice photo.
Absolute classic Detroit garage rock album. This is the album that got me tuned into Jack White as a guitarist and musical talent.
Absolute classic Detroit garage rock album. This is the album that got me tuned into Jack White as a guitarist and musical talent.
It's still a fun album. It's a real shame seven nation army is on here though because I never want to hear it again.
This is an awesome album. The sound is insanely recognisable and I just love the riffs and the drum work!!
Seven Nation Army is obviously an all-time great, so huge and anthemic that it really feels out of place on this quirky album. There are some real bangers on this but some of it is nonsense. A mixed bag but the highs are high enough for 4*
Simplistically original album.
It was actually pretty cool to revisit this album. I was into The White Stripes before Elephant came out, and I loved “Seven Nation Army” at first, but after it got overplayed, I quickly burned out on it. So, I didn’t pay much attention to this album back then and lost interest in the band. Now, 20 years later, with all the hype behind us, I can appreciate that this is actually a solid album. While they still keep that distorted garage rock sound, this one feels way more refined than their earlier records.
One of my faves/. Stripes really clicking in gear, before they split
An album that I never thought to listen to because I figured Seven Nation Army was the one trick this pony could pull. I was wrong. It's a cool album that definitely shows their influences in 70s rock and blues. I can also see the influence of the White Stripes in bands from later on in the 2000s. Very cool.
way better than anticipated. a very good album. 8/10
8/10. Right off the bat, the album starts with "Seven Nation Army", which is arguably one of the best album openers that one can pick. It really sets the mood for the rest of the album, which also rocks, and features various dope tracks. Although, there are a couple of dull ones here and there. I find the history behind The White Stripes really intriguing.
Some of the softer songs didn't click with me, but the rest did. Definitely a lot of 60s/70s influences, but nothing too obvious to spoil the songs. Feels like a four star effort.
Such a great rock album! 4/5
Yesterday I got an album which I said contained one of the most instantly recognisable guitar rifts ever. That was Smoke On The Water but the big track on this album, Seven Nation Army arguably trancends that. I was a late convert to White Stripes and only got into them by seeing them perform on television. I was intrigued on how a duo managed to make such a big sound. I own this album having bought it on the strength of seeing them on TV and wanting to investigate further. I now love the White Stripes and this album is perhaps my favourite. Only caveat is that I need to be in a loud music mood to listen to them. But when the mood hits this is a fine album to spin. 4/5 2/11/24
Fav song: Hardest Button to Button Jack White is one of the most forward thinking and unique sounding guitarists of his generation. Listening to him play is an enlightening experience. Meg White’s performance on this album made me audibly laugh a few times though bless her.
Fun album. The White Stripes do blues rock, while also being very original. I really like how Jack White plays with dissonance with his guitar and vocal work.
вот этот альбомчик мне понравился, грязный блюзец вполне
Pretty cool album. Iconic Seven Nation Army is on it.
Solid, solid rock album. The Whit Stripes had such good chemistry. Songwriting was great, funny in spots, guitar was great, drums great. “Seven Nation Army” is one of the most famous songs of all time. Really solid album overall.
when your opening track is Seven Nation Army, it's really hard for the rest of the tracks to measure up to that driving beat. did enjoy the raw sound. also liked Meg's vocals on Cold Night.
9/10
Seven Nation Army, Black Math, Ball and Biscuit: these songs rule. Little Acorns rips, as does Hypnotize. A rare vocal take from Meg on In The Cold, Cold Night…underrated tune. And yet this isn’t even the best Stripes album (that’d be RBC). It might not even be the second best (arguably De Stijl). What a great fucking band.
Pretty damn good. It's only some of the slower songs I find issue with, and I think the album ends on the worst possible note with a song I really don't like, but other than that I found a lot to enjoy. Best song: Seven Nation Army Worst song: It's True That We Love One Another
A pretty decent album if I do say so myself.
Good
Good Album
Very goog. Seven Nation Army is the obvious standout but the rest is also great.
This album slaps. Just like white blood cells but with more attitude more fun and more angst. Buncha metal buncha blues buncha grunge buncha buncha
Solid rock. Started to drag at the end
7,57
It was actually pretty cool to revisit this album. I was into The White Stripes before Elephant came out, and I loved “Seven Nation Army” at first, but after it got overplayed, I quickly burned out on it. So, I didn’t pay much attention to this album back then and lost interest in the band. Now, 20 years later, with all the hype behind us, I can appreciate that this is actually a solid album. While they still keep that distorted garage rock sound, this one feels way more refined than their earlier records.
Heard it tons, love it
gritty and fun rocka
Classic.
Good sounding album with a few popular tunes. I already had this in my personal library
Good, bluesy rock, stands up well but think I prefer White Blood Cells.
Excellent album! Of course I had known 'Seven Nation Army's previously, but not much else by White Stripes. I didn't even realize they were a duo! I liked the first song (of course) then I felt like the album dipped a little over the next few songs, and I resigned myself to thinking the first song was going to blow everything else out of the water. Not true, I actually enjoyed the album more the longer it went, and I felt it grew in strength after that dip for sure. And although Jack has a very distinct voice (which I enjoy), I have to say I really enjoyed Meg's voice for the couple of songs that she sang. I would definitely listen to this one again.
Not super coherent as an album, but a lot of fun: Jack White is at his best when working with less resources
The comment 'massive' describes the album best! Rock 4 ever!
great album. Brings me back to the early 2000s
I really like this record.
great driving album
The riff on Seven Nation Army feels like it shouldn't have needed to be written, like it's existed for decades already and we've always been able to sing along.
The White Stripes are always a good listen. Lots of familiar songs and sounds here. The last song, “It’s true that we love one another” was a real treat.
Arguably the last truly great album by a great band. Their later stuff had interesting stuff but never quite raised the ante the way the early stuff did. There is no way anyone should have been able to write Ball and Biscuit in this era - a brilliant song that had to be written 60 or 70 years earlier.
Day 46 - September 22nd, 2024 2000s rock at its peak. Phenomenal. 4/5
4st
I liked it.
I'm happy to report I still love this as much as I did when it was released. I enjoy the simplicity of the sound, the catchiness of the songs, the sing-a-long-ability of the whole thing. It puts me in a good mood, the effect almost everything Jack White has done has on me. It would score five but I know some of their other albums are even better.
comecei pulando seven nation army porque ngm aguenta mais essa porra ainda assim, garage rock (blues garage rock???) belíssimo (não supera o white blood cells)
Good album overall, with a couple of absolute bangers
This one takes me back to my middle school years. I was surprised I didn't enjoy it as much as I did years ago. Overall though still quite a solid album that still has it's influences heard today.
Ok so this album has one of the greatest songs of the 21st century in Seven Nation Army. But even after that, this album is pretty good. It's rock built on guitar riffs, drums, and vocals. I enjoyed listening to it and would come back to it.
Loved seven nation army, also got to read about the history of the White stripes. Very interesting take, I did not realize this is what people meant when they listened to aleternative. Little acorns kinda spoke to me. Hilarious yet very clear on the message. It’s true we love another was also hilarious. I also like in the cold cold night instrumental. Very much vibe with the minimalist instrumentals and vocals.
Listening now
Seven Nation Army 4.5 Black Math 4.3 There's No Home for You Here 4 I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself 4.3 In the Cold, Cold Night 3.8 I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart 4.2 You've Got Her in Your Pocket 3.6 Ball and Biscuit 4.4 The Hardest Button to Button 4.4 Little Acorns 4 Hypnotize 4 The Air Near My Fingers 4.1 Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine 4 Well It's True That We Love One Another 3.5 Score: 4.078571429
The album opens up with arguably the most recognizable guitar riff of all time. The rest of the album has a mixed bag of early 2000s nostalgia, taking me back to my middle school days as a dorky teenager at a Catholic School.
it’s good.
Peak White Stripes. I often found their albums hit and miss but this one is filled with cracking tracks and even the ‘fillers’ are of good quality - aside from the last track which is a bit naff. Still, a well deserved 4 stars.
yeah that's the good stuff. this is what made the white stripes the white stripes and they never fully recaptured it across a full album in followup efforts. almost all of this is really good and no frills in an authentic way instead of feeling like it was a gimmick (a lot of the rest of their catalogue and jack white's solo career)
This was pretty good! I especially enjoyed the last song for some reason. Until rather recently, "Seven Nation Army" was one of those songs I knew but had no idea what it was called. Jack White is a musical genius, but I wasn't in love with this whole album.
This album kicks ass. It rocks throughout, and I love the retro vibe it's going for. Nothing really even approaches Seven Nation Army as a single song, but there aren't any stinkers in here.
A great listen - provides one of the greatest tunes ever in seven nation army
Great album. Heard some tunes I never listed to before cementing my love for Jack White. Strong 4.
I once read a quote, which I'm paraphrasing: "Knowledge is knowing Meg White is a bad drummer. Wisdom is knowing Meg White is an amazing drummer." Having listened to this album in full, not to mention performing "Seven Nation Army" countless times on drums, I'm inclined to admit that wisdom wins out. The drumming is stupid simple, but it just works.
You know within 3 notes when it is Jack White on guitar. Love his sound. This is a very solid rock n roll album.
A 2000s classic!! Got some good memories with Seven Nation Army from the time I was learning how to play guitar. Good Album!
The pretend sibling thing will always be weird to me, but it's such a good album. Good blues rock that's often intentionally just a but off in the best way. Jack White helped ignite a bit of a pop culture Renaissance for rock guitar, and we should be forever grateful.
Good album! I remember all their singles from this one but never got round to listening to the album.
I might have a generation too late to truly appreciate this album, reaping the fruits of all the other artists that went on to get inspired by the White Stripes. As such, I admire the album's high octane rebelliousness, anthemic even through the small two-instrument scale. I also cannot unhear the moderately dated fuzziness in the mix and sound, accentuating the 00s obsession with shrieking guitars for riffs.
The rest of the album forms a nice listening experience around Seven Nation Army and In the Cold, Cold Night, but in order to be that it became a slightly weaker White Stripes album, especially when compared to some earlier efforts.
Great album! A little bit noise rock while still being stripped down. In my mind, this album started a trend of channeling "classic" rock in a contemporary era. It's like artists time traveled from the 60s and 70s, skipping right over the 80s and 90s. Wolfmother, Black Keys, all came after this pair of time travelers.
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.
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
There's a couple massively overplayed songs on this album, but overall its a good one.
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!
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.
Metà del lavoro la fa la copertina, anche la musica non è niente male
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".
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.
Good
More variety than I appreciated. Lil Led Zeppelin rip off
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
It was nice. I don't really dig seven nation army but some other songs were sweet
I am so biased because I love Little Acorns 4/5
Great stuff, rockin out
Banger
4☆/5 07.07.2024
Love 7 nation army. The rest is good too
Great guitar rock album!
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.
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)
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..
Good surprise!
Fun rock album, with one of the most iconic rock songs of the 2000s, Seven Nation Army.
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!!
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.
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.
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
Favourite song - Hypnotize
7/10 acorn song was weird, and i never really liked sna but the rest was really good! would recommend!
Loved
Seria 3 estrelles però té seven nation army que és un temazo i un parell més que m'han agradat molt. ELR: 3/5
Already knew the album. Liked ~3 songs on it.
A lot more range on this album than I remembered. I enjoyed it quite a lot.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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
Un solide album rock, même si Seven Nation Army fait le gros heavy lifting.
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
Muy buen disco, con muchos temas tranquis, arreglos sutiles. Me gustó mucho, nada que ver al otro muy ruidoso de la banda.
The best of the White Stripes/Jack White albums, top to bottom, so far.
Rock music
This jack white guy is pretty 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
Wish I could play a guitar like this guy. Damn.
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
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
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.
Metà del lavoro la fa la copertina, anche la musica non è male
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
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
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.
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?
terrific--liked this album much more than the other white stripes on the list.
Better than I expected. Surprisingly so.
Kicks hard, right out of the gate!
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.
A lot of listens in the early 2000s when this came out.
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?
I’m almost positive I listened to this already. I think I probably liked it.
Favourite songs: Seven nation army, Hardest button to button.
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.
very good
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
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
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.
More interesting than I would have thought. Seven Nation Army. 4/5
3.8
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
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
It's amazing what you can do with just a guitar and a drum kit.
Iconic 2000 album
Started off strong and kept that pace for most of the album. Had one or two that didn't quite stand up to the quality of the others but overall pretty good. 4 stars
This process has given me a new found live of the white stripes and this is another banger
I definitely owned this album when I was 13. Didn't like it as much now as I did then, but it held up surprisingly well
I liked more tracks than initially expected. Nothing groundbreaking; Jack carries.
3.6 stars. Musically interesting, the songs had a cohesive and recognizeable sound but were not too samey. inb4 "bu'in"
6,5
Really grows on you .
The last great White Stripes album!
Quite surprised by this album. Of course I had heard seven Nation army, but hadn't tried the rest of the album. I'm impressed with and refreshed by the lyric style and bluesy garage guitar. I wish I had tried this album out when it came out.
3.5 rounded to 4, prefer white blood cells but only just.
What a sound, what an album. Gotta let this one sink into my brain too.
Liked it better than I did during my childhood. Very bluesy. Wry and fun
ITS QUITE BE POSSIBLE THAT IM YOUR THIRD MAN GIRL BUT ITS A FACT IM THE SEVENTH SON
favourite: Seven Nation Army (obv), There's No Home For You Here, Ball and Biscuit least favourite: In The Cold Cold Night jack white guitar hard carries the album, his vocals are kinda ass meg white vocals on in the cold cold night are great but the song itself isn't great mayb 7-8/10
Jack White's distinct vocals compliment this an album that takes a lot of inspiration from its blues and hard rock influences. There's some great riffs to be found on the more up-tempo and aggressive tracks, and the more down-to-earth acoustic tracks help to balance that out. The back half of the album does feel like it drags itself out just a bit, but it's a great listen throughout.
I loved this. Jack White can't do much wrong in my book, he's the perfect mix of classic influences with a twist. He's very cool.
Avoided them for years because of the hype and not particularly liking Hotel Yorba. What an idiot I was.
Not sure what I was expecting. A lot of banging and thumping. Really enjoyed it. Might even listen to it again 😀
Great album.
Banger! Hard to think that I didn't like the White Stripes as a teenie.
Jack White’s signature distorted guitar riffs and Meg White’s primal drumming. A sports and commercial anthem Seven Nation Army. I also enjoyed Ball and Biscuit and The Hardest Button to Button.
Really solid album, I personally enjoyed “Seven Nation Army,” “In The Cold, Cold Night,” and “Little Acorns.”
I always like their music and I like Jack White's work post-The White Stripes. He is so superbly talented. One of the best guitarists I've ever heard. And hearing Meg White sing lead on "In The Cold, Cold Night" makes me want to hear more songs in which she has the vocal lead. So good!
I liked this one a lot, boarderline 5 star album 4.6*
Great album. Lots of bluesy riffs. Meg White is a solid drummer for what she does. She doesn't deserve the hate she gets.
#138. I didn't expect to like this as much as I did. It's as weird as you'd think, but I dig it. 4/5: it good
Excellent Album - 4.5
I would’ve told you, I hate the white stripes, but this album was really good. I’m surprised.
Not my favourite White Stripes album, but the most important one since it was the record that really got me into them and made me want to listen to everything they had made before and would make in the future (even if that proved to be very short-lived). “Seven Nation Army” still bangs, even if it has become part of popular culture in the most obnoxious way (being badly yelled off-key at sporting events).
Great album, had a good time with it
White Blood Cells wasn’t exactly a groundbreaking album to me. I enjoyed parts of it, and I understood the influence it had. It was just a very middle of the road garage rock album to me. But I also saw the potential there was. And I figured that if certain things were changed, I would probably like future albums from the duo better. I’m happy to say that Elephant is an improvement on their previous record in almost every way. White Blood Cells was a raw album, but I felt like it could still get heavier. And this record embraces that heaviness. It’s more intense, more raw, and truthfully the songwriting feels much stronger. I mean, the last album didn’t have anything like Ball and Biscuit. And no song portrays this change better than Seven Nation Army. I’ve never been a huge fan of this song, but there is no denying how much of a 2000’s rock anthem this was. And it sets this album apart from its predecessor from the get go. Jack White’s writing abilities are as strong as ever, and they make up for the lack of a bassist with some really dense and distorted guitar parts. I will also not tolerate any Meg White slander. If Ringo is able to get by and be referred to as one of the greatest drummers of all time, why can’t she? Just like Ringo, she plays all the right parts for the songs, even if they are simple and amateurish. They are still effective and still intense. Plus I think her drumming improved significantly since the last album, and she has some really great parts here. This really was the height of The White Stripes’ existence as a band. Not only did they improve their sound immensely, but they also continued to push forward a revived genre and created a massive hit at the same time. Basically any bands dream. Rating: 8/10
This is such a fantastic album. I absolutely loved it from to back. Some iconic song and hidden gems. Very close to 5 stars but a little to grunge or something. 4.5/5
on the lawn they’re white hot listening to rock all day long
Sonically striking with flashes of raw brilliance. All the burning urgency of the best garage rock, with bluesy overtones and moments of real emotional depth. I don't personally love every song on this album. But its power is pretty undeniable and it's possibly the best thing the White Stripes have ever done. Fave Songs: Seven Nation Army; Ball and Biscuit; Hypnotize; I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself; I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart; Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine
Classic album with several bangers
First five tracks rocked. Even 7 Nation Army which is erm, a little over chanted...? I liked Meg singing. Didn't finish but would listen to again
Oh hell yeah. Seven Nation Army will be timeless. The sound is so dirty and it works so well. Ball and Biscuit is a great blues-based rock song. Very Led Zeppelin.
seven nation army <333 sehr nices album, aber fallt zum teil echli in hintergrund
Enjoyed it
Some good classic weird modern Rock
aww 2003.
The White Stripe exuded the energy and creativity of Jack White. Meg White certainly played a role, and her drumming was a significant addition to the White Stripes sound. That said, Jack White wrote all of the songs, and their sound was defined by Jack's brash guitar work and his distinct vocals. The White Stripes have a raw, bold energy that few bands could ever match. Elephant is their fourth album, and many regard this as the White Stripe's best work. It opens with "Seven Nation Army," which may be their most famous song, and has become a stadium anthem, especially in the soccer world. The rest of the album is filled with the White Stripes fierce version of alt-rock. Their sound has a foundation in the blues - like found in "Ball and Biscuit" - and developed with Jack's skilled, raw guitar riffs.
I was blown away by this album when it came out. When “Seven Nation Army” became such a big hit, The White Stripes felt like a breath of fresh air and so, not necessarily original, but so different than anything else that was happening at the time in mainstream music. I found them to be very exciting then, and still enjoy this album now. Musicians are great, but rock stars are really fun, and The White Stripes were rock stars. The mythology, the motifs, the brashness and confidence; all classic rock star stuff. And the songs are worthy of all the trappings that accompanied them. This is definitely an album everyone should hear.
Like how much 'sound' they can produce with just 2 people. Also love the way that their songs are all just a bit different.
I liked the vibe of this album
Seems like it should be a 5-star because there are so many bangers, but there are actually several tracks I don't like on here. Still a great album by a great band
One of my favorite alt-rock records. It's very much of its time in some ways, but it still holds up as a great listen.
Good overall, seven nation army still carried.
1. 4.9 2. 2.7 3. 4 4. 3.7 5. 4.3 6. 3.6 7. 3.8 8. 4.7 9. 4.8 10. 3.7 11. 3.5 12. 3.6 13. 3.9 14. 3.6
I need to give deeper on the white stripes. I judged them too quickly the last time.
Excellent work. Raw ane effective. Uneven but great overall.
It’s a banger. Solid throughout, but nothing hits like Seven Nation Army no matter how many times it’s played at sporting events.
CLASSIC! Of my era. Finally
Garage blues
This was better than expected.
It all slaps.
Quite a fun album. Nice hooks. I found myself wanting a broader sonic palate.
a classic
It's ok. Some great songs on there and it's very of the time. I remember enjoying it at the time but it hasn't aged well, probably because of how much music was just like this looking back.
Not my favorite by the White Stripes or Jack White, but it’s easy to see why it’s considered their best. “Seven Nation Army” is a masterpiece and the rest of the album is full of awesome blues-rock jams.
4.5 The whole world has heard Seven Nation Army and The Hardest Button To Button but I think they deserve the hype. In The Cold, Cold Night has been a favorite of mine for a while as well. Happy to have discovered Black Math and Ball and Biscuit today.
8.5/10 - 4/5 This was the first album that I really knew from this list. Super good listen, as always. Really interesting flow of energy, with even the slower songs having jamming sections. It was pioneering when it first came out, and holds up.
favourite song: Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine really really good album. had heard a few of the songs before but never a full listen
raw sound, powefull, like it !
It's been a few years, but I listened to this quite a bit when it came out. This album is at turns screechy and jarring, and then as adorable as a bunny. I don't really know what to make of them, but they're utterly unique. There was a spot on Samantha Bee's show where they played some of his noisy-ass guitar playing and she said "I'm so glad someone told me to like this." It's sure as hell not soothing, but very often sweet.
Absolutely enjoyed the first two songs and the last three songs. Can’t say the same about the others though. I noticed that it has greatness, but I just could not sink that into my mind. Yet, fun album, great music, and quite a positive rating.
Good stuff.
Really solid album. Everyone knows Seven Nation Army but Black Math and Little Acorns are unknown bangers that cook. Kind of wish they would get back together. This was an enjoyable listen.
Amazing how much sound 2 people can produce
FUCKED HARD
Rating: 8/10 Great album overall. Really enjoyed the guitar riffs and energy throughout the album. Most of the songs, especially the more upbeat ones, were played with a lot of charisma and personality from Jack and Meg White. The guitar riffs and drum beats in these songs really stood out and is what carried these tracks. There were also a lot of incredibly catchy melodies on this album. The production on this album is also the best up to this point in their careers and really complemented the instrumentation. However, some riffs were definitely recycled from their earlier albums and some slower songs were not interesting to listen to. Favorite songs: Seven Nation Army, Black Math, In The Cold Cold Night, Ball and Biscuits, The Hardest Button to Button, Hypnotize, The Air Near My Fingers, Girl You Have No Faith In Medicine. Worst song: You've Got Her In Your Pocket.
Do not have a lot of comments here.
Start to finish great songs. Would listen on repeat
Really liked it, will definitely listen again. 4.5
Classic. Loved this album since it came out!
Simple but good garage blues.
i love seven nation army SO!! MUCH!! consistently good guitars and drums and i like the atmospheric stuff like in the cold cold night. i probably won't listen through the whole thing often but some of the songs i will
good album
Simple but great!
Enjoyable, pretty consistent album
From the off can we just agree that Seven Nation Army is the greatest sing of this first quarter of the twenty first century?
"Elephant" was not at all what I expected. I guess I was thinking most of the songs were going to be like "Seven Nation Army," which was indicative of early 2000s rock. But I was pleasantly surprised that there's a bit more eclecticity to the music. I love the bluesiness of "Ball and Biscuit" and the lyrics for most the songs were intriguing and worthy of a few more listens.
I appreciate the sound more now- so full for two people. Only a few tracks I remembered.
Some of my favorite white stripes but still think I like De Stijl and White Blood Cells more. Rating: 4.4
3.5
Great record. Almost every song is memorable and recognizable. The sparse instrumentation gives it a unique sound that no other band can fulfill.
keep I keeps 097
Good tunes.