White Blood Cells

Personally, a classic. So influential was this album to me in high school that Citizen Kane is full of references to The Union Forever, not the other way around.

I usually like the white stripes, but this sounded like it was made by a 13 yr old

White Stripes. So massive, so popular and.................. I never understood it. Bores the pants off me

Look, I think Seven Nation Army is great but there was nothing on this album to get excited about. If some of those noises emanated from your teenage kid's bedroom, you wouldn't be rushing them off to sign a record deal, you'd be asking them to move out. "Little Room" was included just to try my patience.

I'm going to be frank- I hate Jack White's nasally voice. I don't love his composition or guitar skills much more, either. I can't even be very objective about this, but practically everything he touches just irritates the hell out of me, and I had no fun here. At least it's brief- 40 minutes in the CD era is basically EP material. I'll try to meet half way for those who see the appeal and give this an extra star, but it's an F for me, dog.

A perfect album that came out at the right time to prove to the world real rock wasn't dead.

I love The White Stripes, I'm happy to see this on the list. This is the least good of their albums and it still kicks the ass of almost anything else. Their music is so simple, yet so different, and they always sound like they're having so much fun. I could listen to them all day and have done so many times. Fun stuff, love it lots.

2.5 | ¿Qué pasa cuando en un periodo de 3 años sacas 3 discos y 50 canciones? Paja... mucha muchísima paja. Tomando en cuenta que de los primeros tres discos este (merecidamente) es el mejor y el que los hizo famosos es todavía más extraño ver entre canciones brillantes como Hotel Yorba, We're Gonna Be Friends o This Protector tanta... tantísima paja y canciones intercambiables y que suenan 75% iguales entre unas y otras. Creo parte de mi problema es algo que tengo con todo el género, todo ese renacimiento de Rock Garage a inicios de los 2000's, todas esas bandas de The... Strokes, Hives, Vines, White Stripes, Killers, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Arctic Monkeys etc etc. Todas tienen el mismo sonido de manera general, regresando sí, a un sonido crudo, de producción simple y poco trabajada, inmediato, "relatable", todas logran sonar "bien"... De hecho en muchas ocasiones sonar "muy bien" pero hasta ahí en mi opinión. Terminan siendo muy intercambiables, con algunas canciones y sencillos muy muy buenos pero como para prestar atención a un disco completo terminan en una nube de rock crudo de buen sonido pero indistinto y con un dejo de sensación de superioridad. Hace bastantes años que no escuchaba este disco y me dejó con la misma sensación que la primera vez... Tiene un par de buenas canciones y lo demás cansa.

Good record. Out of the context of the time, it doesnt make sense anymore. Not because the record is bad, but because in that moment it was shocking, then everyone else came behind and copied Jack White. It's no longer uncommon to find 100 records that want to be Jack White. But if you can listen with the ears and imagination that this sounds fresh, it's a great listen.

Blues and bangers coupled with some sweet folk noise. It’s bonkers and it’s fun and dark in all the right ways.

This is where I came in with them. Saw them on this tour in St Louis. An integral part of the soundtrack to my life and one of those relatively rare instances where the mainstream sucks an indie act into the stratosphere and got it right. Something akin to Nirvana injecting raw energy back into mainstream rock music a decade before.

The musical equivalent of supermarket sushi.

When the White Stripes first appeared in summer 2001, I was initially very keen. However, I quickly found that their songs didn't have staying power - they sound great on first listen, but I don't have a strong urge to revisit. So, this was my first listen to this in nearly 20 years. I haven't really changed my mind - there are some strong singles here, but none that would make my personal playlist, and some of the other songs are one-dimensional. I also particularly dislike his 'proper gentleman' attitude, which I think at the time was mistaken for charmingly retro, but I think in fact is backward chauvanism. Not one I would want to listen to again.

By the end it was barely listenable. Hated it. I can hear the good intentions and enthusiasm, but they didn't make up for the bad songs, awful and intrusive drumming, grating vocals, overbearing harsh sounding guitar. I appreciate the idea of a 'back to basics' stripped down sound, but get a producer.

Good stuff - gonna listen to this one most of the day. May be biased because of past two days of bleh albums, but 5*

Jesus Christ with this fucking band. "Our drummer is barely competent and we recorded in a bathroom using a dictaphone!" The American music buying public: "YES!"

I was somewhat surprised that it was rated one of the 1,001 albums I must hear before I die. I suspect I am some sort of musical philistine, because I could not for the life of me understand why it was unique or important. It had me questioning the merit of the selection committee for this project, though I know it is probably me who is the problem. Nevertheless, it was a heap of lightly smouldering trash.

Solid album. I like the raw, demo feel it has. A lot of songs seem like they could fit into a 90's iPod commercial with the black silhouette and bright background colors. Fuzz. Blues. Garage. Killer.

I'm familiar with later White Stripes, but not this album. This album rocks! It feels a bit like classic 70s rock to me a lot of the time, which is a good thing. "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" is one of the harder rocking songs. I wouldn't have been surprised to have heard something like this from Bad Company in the 1970s. Great opening to the album! "Hotel Yorba" has a really great jaunty beat and a fantastic chorus. SO so good. One of my favorites. "I'm Finding It Harder To Be a Gentleman" is a slower but still awesome rocker with some great organ. Really great organ. "Fell In Love With A Girl" leans away from 70s hard rock and more towards punk. It's another impressive song and makes me wonder how a single person created such a diversity of songs. There is not a song on this album that I don't like or love. "Expecting" has a very interesting stuttering guitar. "Little Room" brings an intense drumbeat with some incredible vocalizations by Jack White. This guy is amazing. "The Union Forever" is a dark, moody rock song and I love Jack's voice with its incredible intensity especially as it cracks on the choruses. Then suddenly near the end has a vocal solo accompanied by a tapping drumstick before lapsing back into its somber melody. Incredible! "The Same Boy You've Always Known" is one of my absolute favorite songs on this album. Again that strong 70s rock vibe with a beautiful vocal performance. This is a perfect rock song. "We're Going To Be Friends" is a really sweet song that is about a school day in the lives of a couple of kids that perfectly captures that infatuation and joy of a young kid making a new friend. It gave me chills in its ability to take me back to the best times in elementary school. "Offend in Every Way" has really great, interesting guitar work and that strong beat that drives so many of The White Stripes' songs. I can rave about all the rest of the songs. But instead I will just wrap up by noting that this is one hell of an album that offers so much. Rock was alive and well at the turn of the 20th century in this incredible album. There is great variety but the album holds together well. Really liked the piano-driven closing song "This Protector." Meg White joins in to great effect! One of my favorite listens in what has been a journey filled with great listens. This is a great rock album!

I love the energy Jack Black brings. It always feels a little hillbilly meets hard rock. Sort of carrying the CCR, John Cougar-Melloncamp thread alive.

I truly forgot about this album so it felt like rediscovering an old friend

The thin vocals paired with minimal instrumentation somehow result in a sound that is greater than the sum of its parts. I think the Whites could have shaved off 3 or 4 songs to maximize the punch of these particular Blood Cells.

This was a badly needed breath of fresh air when it came out and now I'm pretty tired of breathing it. So stripped down, it brought to mind Billy Bragg and Violent Femmes, at least to me, at least in 2001. Just the way that, without a ton of studio tricks, these songs were compelling. 'Hotel Yorba' is a sentimental favorite and I still like its optimistic view toward relationships. 'I Think I Smell a Rat' is abysmal and I don't want to hear it ever again. That's a big range. A lot of it sounds kind of samesy after a while and fades into the background.

Not quite avant garde traditionalism, but elevated for sure by its commitment to playing fast and loose with its own fidelity to the blues. Barely any of the songs feel like they've been conceived as songs, but all lined up they definitely sounds like they've been conceived as an album. So okay, maybe avant garde traditionalism after all.

Well this is not very enjoyable. I have respect for Jack White and everything he does for the music industry, namely actually pressing decent quality vinyl records, but dear lord is his voice ever annoying. He’s got this weird whiny early Beatles John Lennon style that I just can’t seem to enjoy listening to. Musically it’s.. fine.. nothing groundbreaking. Meg Whites drums continue to be the bare minimum. The guitar riffs are full of boring powerchords and again, very boring. Full disclosure: I had absolutely no idea that “We’re Gonna Be Friends” was a white stripes song. It’s perhaps the only redeeming part of this record. Delightful little folk track that, despite being overused in every indie movie of the era, is still really fun to listen to! I won’t be listening to this again. 2* but only cuz “We’re Gonna Be Friends” is catchy as hell.

Whilst there are a couple of stand out tracks, this feels more like a collection of songs than a coherent album, so once it finished I was left feeling underwhelmed and unimpressed

Has the same energy as rice crispies, a static television or a scratched record. Impressive what you can do with just a guitar and drums. Far from virtuosic on either of those instruments but the album has an energy and rawness which you can only admire. I'm a fan of The White Stripes but given a choice of their albums this is not the one I would listen to.

There is so much I could write in detail while actually analyzing my feelings and thoughts and strangely enough - emotions - about each song, each chord change, the arrangements and each note of this record. Instead I'll keep it simple: I unequivocally and wholeheartedly hate everything about this album. 2/10 1 star.

A classic. Felt like revisiting my early teens.

can't underestimate the impact of when this came out. there was absolutely nothing else that sounded like it and it was brilliant

I forgot how stacked the first half of this album is, a lot of great garage rock / bluesy songs. This is my favorite White Stripes album out of the ones I've heard. Some of the later White Stripes albums kind of lose that raw bluesy feel that makes this album sound so great. I love how simple these songs are, but are all still really unique and never gets repetitive. There are a lot of great vocal melodies too. Low 5.

“I never said I wouldn't throw my jacket in the mud for you / But my father gave it to me so maybe I should carry you / Then you said ‘You almost dropped me’ so then I did / And I got mud on my shoes” So badass. Also this album made want to play guitar like Jack White. Among White Stripes’ best.

Im always impressed with how Meg and Jack always find a way to make complete sounds with their tiny arrangements…. And short song ideas. I think I liked the other white stripes album that we had already more There were a few times throughout the album that I found myself saying “OO that sounds like nirvana” or “that harmony mustve been inspired by alice in chains”. Favorites: Now Mary - beautiful vocals This Protector - love Jack on the piano Dead Leaves On The Dirty Ground - great riff and has that classic white stripes drum feel. Hotel Yorba - fun track

Fuck yes forever and ever

No skips

Undeniably one of the best rock bands of the 2000s, if not the best. 6 albums and only 1 i would say is a little less than excellent (and that 1 is on this list for some reason, and De Stijl isn't!). Such a fun and easy listen, the riffs and production are so raw and bluesy you can't help but love it. 'Fell in Love With a Girl' is an all time classic tune.

I’ve had this album since roughly around the time it was released. I was a HUGE White Stripes fan in high school but haven’t kept up with them (or really, Jack White) ever since. I loved this album and still do.

I really enjoyed this a lot. Every track is something different than the last. Jack and Meg just know how to write a great song. Some blues, some folk, some loud alternative garage rock bangers. Jack's vocals, though they may be a bit nasally, are awesome. The way he snarla the chorus on 'I Think I Smell A Rat', he just sounds cool as fuck, as does his harsh sounding, back to basics, stripped down guitar. 'Aluminium' is a perfect example, it's a loud and heavy hitting instrumental. I know people slate Meg's drumming. It's fine. It's simple yet effective and works in the context of the music. 'Union Forever' was my favourite. Really heavy in places, trippy sounding that turns almost into a creepy nursery rhyme in the middle. 40 minutes of music would be a good length if there's 8-10 tracks, but there's actually 16 here which works out to two and a half minutes per song on average. They clearly wanted to pack as many ideas in here as possible. Great album and I hope there is more.

Was going to give it a four since it isn't my usual taste but it was so good so 5. I love We're going to be friends, I'm listening to it again after finishing the album. My favorite of all for sure. I can't remember where I first heard it, tried figuring it out it feels soooo familar.

Very good

A favourite.

Knew this one and love this one! This really has been an iconic duo and had great influence on a whole genre imo.

I like them so this will be a pleasant listening experience

Hotel Yorba ....tears

Garage rock with a waning blues influence. Just guitar, drums, vocals, and some piano. Big rock n roll energy. Simple, catchy songs with some fuzzy riffs slapped on it. Feels somewhat haphazard and thrown together, which is the way it needed to sound. Not always consistent (first half is a good deal stronger than the second half), but the best songs are great and the worst songs are still fun.

This is the one. My favorite White Stripes album. The album that introduced me to one of my all time favorite artists/bands beyond just the big hits. I can never get tired of listening to this album. Something about it just hits so perfectly and I’ve been obsessed ever since my first listen. One of my favorite albums of all time.

Nice.

The White Stripes rule. From the first chords, you know it's going to be an experience. Everything has the same stripped down sound, in less talented hands every song might have sounded the same, not here though. Fell In Love With a Girl was the hit and the video was awesome. Fell In Love With a Girl is one of my favorite rock songs of all time, Joss Stone's cover of it is great too. There's a stripped down metal sound to this, like a garage band Black Sabbath feel. The lyrical conceit of The Union Forever is corny, but the music is cool. We're Going to Be Friends is a great song too. This album has everything: hits, sleeper singles, great album cuts.

machtig...

Dead leaves and the dirty ground is a bloody amazing opening for an album!

Best white stripes album. Favorite track: We’re going to be friends other picks: dead leaves, hotel yorba, fell in love with a girl, offend in every way, i can’t wait

The White Stripes at the debut is the peak 2000's indie rock. It would change forms a few times after 2000. But its raw, barebones, simple, distorted, authentic. So good.

Love it! 5/5

THIS IS SO GOOD!

Rating: 9.5/10 One of the best albums of the 2000s and my favorite White Stripes album. The guitar riffs are infectious, the songwriting is consistently excellent, the dynamics are amazing, and the production is so raw. The definition of power in simplicity. Favorite songs: pretty much all of them. Least favorite song: Union Forever.

My favorite version of White Stripes.

classic. Every song was something novel and cool. None of the individual songs were ear worms, but the whole was amazing.

Great rock album

good rock album with lots of catchy sings

eles sao o momento mesmo, puta que pariu me lembra arctic monkeys (fell in love with a girl) n gostei de the same boy... A MUSICA DO TIKTOK (we're gonna be friends) i think i smell a rat fav se voce gosta de indie e rock voce definitivamente vai almoçar esse álbum.

Meg White is my generation's Ringo Starr

5/5

I remember listening to this a long while ago. Throughout school, one of my closest friends was a bit obsessed with the White Stripes, which naturally made me extremely dismissive of them. Then I watched Napoleon Dynamite and fell in love with We’re Going To Be Friends, so decided to give it a listen. I love how big they can make the sound with minimal instruments. There are so many fantastic songs to be found here that I think this may be my favourite album of their’s. That’s a tough call though. Also, if you like this, try out The Inspector Cluzo too. They are also a duo on drums and guitar and are fantastic.

Lightning in a bottle!

Wow

4/5 but gets an extra star because I’ve actually listened to this one before lots of times. And since this is my list I’m allowed to show partiality

This is the best one

I love the raw emotion of this album. They do a lot with mostly two instruments. I actually like the way Meg White plays drums. I think she adds lots of emotion in her playing. Jack's a master! Liked songs added: - Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground - Hotel Yorba - Fell In Love With A Girl - We're Going To Be Friends

What a great album. So many fun, eclectic hooky songs. Didn't appreciate it when it first came, I'm sorry to say.

Already listened, bangin

Remember, it’s just two people doing this….

It’s just relentlessly rocking, amazing stuff. I could listen to these guys again and again.

Yaaaaaas

Still my favourite white stripes album

Probably haven't listened to this one in 15-20 years. This was *huge* in 2001 and while I loved it back in the day, I'm surprised at how well it holds up versus, say, The Black Keys. More polished than De Stijl, perhaps not quite as triumphant as Elephant, but the beginning of their reign as Garage king and queen. A diverse and well rounded album with not single a bad track.

This is my favorite White Stripes album, and Same Boy You’ve Always Known is one of my all-time favorite songs. Some tracks come across as a bit of a novelty now, but it’s still a really solid punk album.

Ugh, loud and boring. Are they married or brother and sister? Who knows, who cares. Black Keys wanna be, I know that!

I love this chunky sound. A perfect album all around in my opinion. Accomplishes everything it wanted to. Great production, not that the production itself is necessarily quality across the board, but that this is the perfect style of production for this album. The whole project feels original and uniquely loose and messy in the best way possible. Jacks voice is fantastic, especially when juxtaposed against his guitar and Megs blaring drums. The writing and lyrics are everything they need to be. There’s enough range on an album with sixteen songs. Even though they aren’t incredibly long, they each have their own personality that sets them apart from each other. Great work, Whites. 5/5

Dynamic, rough, varied and one that's in my vinyl collection

I burned this album UP in high school

good and feels kind of timeless

I really liked this. There's some variety and a wide range of emotions. A very strong album overall.

Every once in a while in this album project, I loudly exclaim “fuck yeah!” to myself when the album is revealed. That definitely happened with this one. Along with Elephant, this is one the Stripes’ two masterpieces. It’s some of the best rock and roll produced this century. I Fell In Love With A Girl is one of the all time bangers. Hotel Yorba is a man earworm, and who doesn’t love We Are Gonna Be Friends. Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground is a perfect opener. Amazing.

Very good and exactly what I like. You can hear the instruments clearly and everything hits hard. Best song: Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground

Fantastic record. The White Stripes are one of my favorite bands! This is 6 stars out of five!

I’m very biased towards anything Jack White does. 5 stars.

The White Stripes reeled off an impressive run in their all-too-brief tenure, but this is their best. It's cohesive, but without compromise. Play it loud and stand back.

One of my all time favorite albums. I was going to say "I'll spare you most of the rhapsodizing" - but who am I kidding? I've sang along to "Fell In Love With a Girl" and "Hotel Yorba" and "We're Going to Be Friends" and "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" hundreds and hundreds of times and never get sick of them - the perfect marriage of economical songwriting and playing demanded either by limitation, circumstance, choice, or maybe all 3.

Before listening to this I was all "auto 5 star." But in revisiting it, there's a few songs I'm less fond of, and I was tempted to go 4 star. Still, I really love this crunchy, fuzzy blues rock album overall.

Excellent

What an excellent album. I had no idea so many iconic songs came from this album, with a couple that I didn't even realize were the Stripes. Excellent all the way through. Love Jack White's fuzz. Everything is simple and rockin'.

Simple stripped down rock n roll with a blues flair from the ground up. I could listen to this album multiple times in a row and not get bored with it.

white stripes - they haven't done one bad album...

❤️🤍❤️

Formative.

Total classic for my taste. I remember being taken completely off guard by 'We're Going to Be Friends', possibly the most unique and best song on this already great album. Also, look up the video for 'Fell In Love With a Girl'. It might seem quaint in today's age of CGI and AI, but at the time, it was really something, especially for a then more or less indie band.

Love Jack and his sister! Appreciate their genius in melody/writing. Unfamiliar with this album and I enjoyed listening/getting to know it.

Own

love it

Great! Just great!