Reviews (page 10 of 13)
Interesting album, I wouldn't say my favorite ever. Very "White Stripes" and by that I mean I think they are very good at making noise very musically. I don't think anything necessarily stood out to me on this album except one or two of the popular songs.
Good.
Not their best. Not their worst
I love The White Stripes' vibe and energy, but I'm rarely in the mindset where I want to stay with them for the duration of a full album.
I enjoy listening to white stripes songs more than listening to a full album.
Mam mieszane uczucia co do tego albumu. Wahałem się między 2 a 3.
Solid album.
It's fine, I guess. Not very impressed by it.
Well, I Said It Once Before, But It Bears Repeating Now 1001 Albums Generator 28 (05/12/2025) The White Stripes’ third album, White Blood Cells, packs a punch throughout its whole runtime, even the songs I don’t like. Unlike its successor, Elephant, all the songs on here are quite short, but that means the ones that are bad don’t last very long. This is an album of runs, at the first four songs are incredible and the run from We’re Going To Be Friends to I Think I Smell A Rat is also really good. Overall, 3.5/5 rounded down to 3/5. Favs: Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground Fell In Love With A Girl We’re Going To Be Friends Least Fav: Aluminum
3.75
3.5
When White Blood Cells first came out, it didn’t really land for me,it felt just fine, nothing more. Over time, I’ve come to appreciate a few standout tracks, but overall the album still feels a bit uneven. There’s raw energy and charm to the whole thing, but much of it comes off as uninspired compared to what they would later deliver. A decent listen, but not the game-changer it’s sometimes made out to be. 3.5/5
This is a section of the White Stripes discography that I forget about. Harder To Be A Gentleman cooks. The Same Boy You've Always Known as well. Fell In Love With A Girl and We're Going To Be Friends are two I do remember and they still hit.
I like every white Stripes Album ive heard so far. its clearly the weakest puzzle in the discography so far but still solid. Nothing Groundbreaking to me. (3.0/5.0)
I don't really think about the White Stripes that much, other than maybe as that band whose song gets played at every sporting event I've ever been to. But every time I listen to them, they're a lot better than I expected! Not sure I see them as all-time greats, but certainly in the "if I had to listen to the modern rock station, I would be so relieved to get this instead of yet another post-grunge band" tier.
It wasn't bad, but I felt like it was written by some teenagers, which results in it sounding a bit raw and unfinished for my taste. My Girlfriend enjoyed it, so that is the only thing that matters.
Not sure how I feel about this artist. Love the idea it’s just the two of them, and there are some fairly decent songs, but some of them come off as harsh and strident to my ears. Big plus for “We’re Going to Be Friends”, a really sweet and lovely song. When they came out and performed it as their second song on SNL, it was a wonderful surprise.
I've never listened to a White Stripes record, let's seeeee damn, great way to start a record, second track's a lot of fun, liking this third track's good too! a different mood is welcome. the lyrics are... interesting, but I'll overlook it for now fell in love with a girl is the definition of a banger damn that was fun i can feel my tinnitus getting worse and worse though expecting was fine. first dud little room was fine? i liked it but it's almost like an interlude union forever is a good heartreak song, go off we're going to be friends is sweet. sweeter than i ever thought this album could be offend in any way is a dud too. i think i smell a rat is ok. not much else to say track after that is kinda bad in my opinion i can't wait is another fine song. some of these i just don't see myself coming back to. now mary is the best of the last few tracks these last two tracks are a weird spot to end on. there's no feeling of finality this album was a fun! i do have to say though, it started great but lost steam towards the end. some great highlights here, but also some forgettable picks. worth the listen.
Fine but I still don't get it.
very clean rock album, but looks very outdated for a 2001 album, the tracks sounds like a mid 80's disk, i can't see nothing new here, never listened to The White Stripes besides of seven nation army. I'll give a solid 6/10.
At this point, Jack White has been a known quantity long enough to know whether or not he is your jam. He is one of many musicians whose accolades are warranted while doing nothing for me on a personal level. If you gravitate towards his style, I'm sure you will find this more rewarding than I did.
Okay, was a bit dreary at times but generally enjoyed it
Having chewed through quite many rock albums now on the list, I must say I appreciate The White Stripes and their tone more than I did before. All of their albums we've had on the list so far sounded very much the same to me, though some of the other ones contained more hit songs than this. I think that is also my general sentiment of this record: it sounds good, but there are not enough outstanding songs to really push it over the line from 3 to 4. Still, solid record though, and most songs held up very well!
Pretty decent with some classic songs I didn’t know where by them. Some bad songs and the length brought it down from 4 to 3 stars for me
Less polished than the others. Didn’t love it
Pretty cool album. The most striking part of the experience for me was realizing that the "I can tell that we are gonna be friends" song was by the fucking White Stripes and not someone in the Kimya Dawson indie sphere.
High 3 (6/10)
I know these songs
It’s fine. Didn’t feel strongly about it one way or the other.
Some good vibes here, but a lot of the album is grating or forgettable.
I am familiar with and like some of the White Stripes' music, but I hadn't listened to White Blood Cells in a long while since most of my favorites are from Elephant. I typically enjoy Jack's riffing and somewhat wild and gritty style of playing on the electric guitar. That said, I was surprised to find that I really enjoyed some of the acoustic tracks on this album. There weren't many songs I see myself coming back to on a regular basis, but the band's unproduced garage rock sound on this album is charming. I also knew as soon as I saw The White Stripes come up on the list that the reviews would be full of people hating on Meg White's drumming. Haven't we gotten past this already? The duo works perfectly together, and if you actually take a moment to listen, you can tell how well Meg is synced up with what Jack is doing--in time, groove, and style. I don't think The White Stripes' sound would benefit from having over-embellished percussion, and they likewise don't need a bassist or backup singers or anything else because their sound is exactly what is intended. Overall, decent album, but not my favorite of The White Stripes'.
Overall is mid, but few songs are really catchy
I like Meg White.
Album has a cool simple sound, sounds as if they are just playing guitar, drums and vocals, with some overdub tracks. Not super into the album but it's aight, probably a 6/7 outta 10. Good tracks: Dead Leaves and Dirty Ground Now Mary I'm Finding it Harder To Be A Gentleman The Union Forever Fell in Love with a Girl I can't Wait (sounds like heart shaped box riff)
I listened to this album 3 times and I swear I don't remember any of it. It's not bad music at all but just forgettable. 1 star for every listen
3.5
Pretty solid
3/5
Dead Leaves heard before did like it previously but been a long while. It's ok but nothing special.I like the energy from Hotel Yorba more.Harder to be gentleman was fairly meh. Feel in Love with a girl I like and knew I liked it before. Again prefer the faster energy.Expecting feels disjointed.little room was wtf.I like the guitar on Union Forever but again feels so disjointed. Same boy is ok but nothing special. Going to be friends is pleasant enough. The rest are nothing special
Обычный рокешник с необычными текстами 6/10
Didn'T really do that much for me
i guess
You might think that cutting back a band to just guitar, drums and vocals (and a smidge of piano) would be limiting, but The White Stripes demonstrate a variety of different styles and sounds on this album, starting with mostly grungy garage rock and touching on acoustic folk, country and punk to various degrees. I think I might have avoided this at the time, thinking it was style over substance (and the pretence of being siblings was a bit creepy), but this is solid stuff. The only thing I’d take issue with is the lyrical content of some of Jack White’s lyrics which come over as a bit whiney and ‘but I’m a nice guy, why don’t women like me?’. I’m giving it another listen though, which should tell you something.
как-то кисло...
Crude high school garage band.
Well done but not an album a bunch of tracks
Jack White has come so far from wearing his little peppermint outfits, pretending his ex-wife was his sister days, huh? Didn’t see it coming. This album still sounds just as good as it did when it came out, which is nice. Not earth-shattering for me, though.
Sounds like a soundtrack for a Michael Cera movie (complementary).
Cooler dan verwacht
standard Stripes LP, nothing really stands out.
Good album. Very much like the other White Stripes albums.
Are very important.
Gute drei Sterne
Sometimes Jack White’s voice got on my nerves. Some of the songs felt repetitive. The White Stripes seem like a band I should be more into, but I just don’t really feel a connection to the music. That said, it’s still enjoyable to listen to, it just doesn’t really grab me. I do like the guitar on quite a few of the songs. I don’t know, it’s good but it’s not my favorite.
Really enjoyed this, more than I was expecting to.
I have a similar problem with all the white stripes albums: I like some of the tracks, but the albums as a whole feel so repetitive I can't imagine myself willfully choosing to listen through one without something like this to keep me going. I like the parts of this album that remind me a little of you are free by cat power. The overplayed hits are all good but I can't really get behind them either since they've been done to death. Overall a good but not great album.
There's some highs on this album but a lot of filler too (especially towards the back half). The good news is the songs are short so if you don't like one it's over quickly. Jack White is definitely an incredibly talented musician. 6/10 (3/5)
Average stuff, some songs were good, but the record had a level of randomness in theme which I didn't like. Favorite track: We're going to be friends. Overall score: 6.0/10
I’m not crazy about the grunge alternative rock from the early 2000s, but I really really like the production here
Pretty good album. Some more tracks from this album deserved radio play, and some sound like they would be better off on a movie soundtrack. They're very sound-bitey. But a decent album overall. My Rating: 3/5
It's a little to unpolished to stand out too much. I enjoyed it, but it mostly left me craving a better version of this style of music.
Good tunes.
Love the few singles on here especially “Fell In Love with a Girl” but this band has never been my thing. It reminds me of high school and hipster kids lurching on to this band. Just wasn’t my scene. Jack White is talented but his lo-fi Blues Rock isn’t for me It’s listenable and will give it a light 3/5 but it’s probably more a 2.5 for myself
1️⃣Hotel Yorbe 2️⃣The Same Boy You've Always Known 3️⃣We're Going To Be Friends 4️⃣Offend In Every Way 5️⃣I Can't Wait
Decent
Probably the weakest White Stripes album and second weakest Jack White album after Blunderbuss but it still has bangers and it's fun.
6.5/10 Tweede helft een stuk beter dan de eerste helft.
Ожидал большего
3.5
Solid
Haven't listened to this album in a long time! Some classics on here but the supporting tracks are really lame.
7/10
I admit I was a real white stripes hater when it came out and my husband rocked the cd driving around skipping to the popular song's … but here we are 24 years later and I remember some of the lyrics. So theres that. I guess it’s not that bad if you like the Beatles or Nirvana or an amalgamation of garage psych blues best of’s.
It's fine, but not sure I would listen again.
Never been too into Jack White, or blues rock, really. This and Elephant are by far my favourites of his because I feel like they don't fall into all the blues rock tropes that hurt my enjoyment. Love how noisy this is but I especially love the moments when it quiets down. Meg kills it on the drums.
I enjoyed this - I learned the term "Garage rock" with this album. Also didn't know the "I just think we're going to be friends" song was White Stripes
one of the songs was pretty staticy did not fw it. other than that pretty mid
6/10 - The white stripes are kind of boring I have learned. I thought that more of their songs would be like seven nation army but I guess not.
🤘
great album. there's definitely a "white stripes sound." It's always amazing to me though how much energy and "power" they can produce from just 2 people. Jack White is a super talented guitar player and a great writer.
I appreciate how dedicated they are to being a two piece. most bands just add bass in the studio, but none to be found here (even if sometime it’s to their deferment) I like the songs that are a little more pumped up, but even the low-key ones feature some great songwriting. do miss that bass tho :( 7/10
Some good tracks here, pretty nostalgic but not that special.
A grimy fun record. Several tracks feel like fillers, it could have done with 4 songs less
This is an interesting album that I think ultimately is reflective of its time and not much more. The garage/blues boom of the early 2000s was clearly kicked off in part by this, but there are few tracks here that work. Jack White is an incredibly accomplished and talented songwriter, and you can see streaks of that on this album - but it falls short of impressing me in any way. Songs like Fell in Love With A Girl, Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground, or We're Going to Be Friends are classics surrounded by mundane songs (Aluminum, I Think I Smell a Rat, The Union Forever, The Same Boy, Hotel Yorba, etc.) 5/10
Oh no... this is considered "Classic Rock" now. Moving past that tough pill, "Fell in Love with a Girl" is a fantastic song with a visually striking music video and was my first exposure to the duo. I struggled with rating this album - I listened to it several times throughout the day and really enjoy several of the tracks, but ultimately this would not be the White Stripes I would put on if I was in the mood for their music.
Hmm, it's okay, but not really gripping me.
There are some tracks on this album Hotel Yorba and Fell in love with a girl are fantastic rock and roll songs. 2 minutes each of guitar music and raw energy. Great songs. Favourite song: Hotel Yorba. I have always loved this song. Least favourite: From track 10 onwards there is a lot of filler. I feel this album could easily just be the first 10 songs. I didn’t enjoy I think I smell a rat. Album artwork: Cool cover
OVERALL: I think only 4-5 instruments were used. Very strong opening and ending, but some songs in the middle aren't too memorable. I don't really like Jack's voice on most of the songs, and I find myself preferring the instrumental much more than the vocals or lyrics on basically every song except for Little Room and whatever Aluminum was. Speaking of which, Aluminum is so unbelievably awful that it forbids me from giving this anything higher than a 3. There are some pretty good songs on here, but when this album gets bad it gets really bad. Fell In Love With A Girl, We're Going To Be Friends, and I Can Learn are probably my favorites. SONG AVG: 7.08/10 PERSONAL RATING: 6/10 Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground: Pretty solid lyrics and guitar riffs, and it can get stuck in your head pretty easily. This is more "noise" than song, but it's still pretty good. 8.25/10 Hotel Yorba: I do not like Jack's voice on this. Other than that, it's very okay overall. Pretty catchy with above average storytelling. The drums are pretty nice. 6.5/10 I'm Finding It Harder To Be a Gentleman: Pretty good instruments and a nice message, everything else is just okay. 7.25/10 Fell In Love With A Girl: This is such a jump in quality. Absolutely a classic, great drums, guitar, and vocals (usually). I don't really like it when the instruments cut out and it's just Jack's singing, but it isn't that bad. Incredible music video. 9.75/10 Expecting: Pretty interesting guitar, but it gets a little repetitive. Not much to say about this, pretty similar to other songs vocally. Some interesting lyrics I guess. 7/10 Little Room: Interlude (I think). It sounds like it was made by a 13 year old. Why is he yodeling? The drums aren't anything special. I think this is supposed to be about how they started? Thank god this is so short. 3.25/10 The Union Forever: Nice guitar. Interesting concept for the lyrics (literally just lines from Citizen Kane), I don't think I like it that much. The lack of an instrumental during verse 3 is very weird. I guess the instruments sound good. 7.25/10 The Same Boy You've Always Known: I actually like Jack White's voice here, and the instruments are very good. Sometimes Jack's voice sounds kinda weird, but that's my only complaint. 9.75/10 We're Going To Be Friends: Is this the "No Surprises" of the album? Sounds very different from basically everything else so far. Really sweet and an above average story, not much wrong with it. I guess it might be boring sometimes? 9.75/10 Offend In Every Way: Nice guitar riffs, also just overall great instrumental. Pretty interesting message that connects with the album cover. 8.5/10 I Think I Smell A Rat: Pretty good intro, but I don't really like Jack's voice here. The guitar can be a little annoying and repetitive, but it's not too bad. 6.75/10 Aluminum: What happened. Very experimental, which I don't mind if done well, but this is actually abhorrent. This plays in every circle of hell. I guess it's kinda interesting, the guitar is sometimes bearable, and the drums aren't horrible. Still, I would never want to listen to this again. 1.9/10 I Can't Wait: Fantastic guitar and drums, also pretty good vocal performance. The only thing is that the lyrics aren't good, but they don't need to be. This just has to sounds good, and it does. 9/10 Now Mary: Very good, overall great performance. Much better vocal performance than before. Why is this less than 2 minutes long. 9.5/10 I Can Learn: Same as Now Mary but longer. Good overall, with pretty good vocal performance, could honestly work as the ending to the album. 9.75/10 This Protector: The only instrument here is piano, and I like piano. Nice little duet and works well as an outro. 9/10
It's ok. I'm not a big White Stripes/Jack White fan. It was catchy.
Fun! I started hating this band because I was young and stupid but now I really like them as background music.
Some cool songs, too orchestrated
Of the three (THREE) white stripes album I've had, I enjoyed this the most. Massively loses momentum towards the end but overall a stronger collection of tracks than the others
Decent listen. Not everything worked but I got into it a little. Not as good as Elephant. Also, might be too many White Stripes albums in the book. Still, it's fine.
Johnny Cash at his iconic best.
Nicht so gut wie das Folgealbum
Har lyssnat rätt mycket på detta album nu men inte riktigt lyckats "bryta" igenom. Har inte lyssnat så mycket på the white stripes, men fått för mig att jag skulle gilla det. Men... Det är inte dåligt, men inte heller svinbra. Det är ok. Tycker inte heller nån låt riktigt sticker ut. Synd. Och onödigt!
Garagesound brukar inte vara min grej men det här var cleanare/bättre än mycket annat och jag tycker att skivan som helhet är hyfsat bra om än lite ojämn. Skulle möjligen växa med fler genomlyssningar men har inte tid med det tyvärr.
Pleasantly surprised. 1st half of the album was much better than the second. Fave: we're going to be friends Least Fave: I think i smell a rat
And enjoyable album, with a couple of really great songs that stick in your head. All in all pleasant to listen to.
I was excited about this when it came out, but it never really held my attention. Nothing bad, really. Just kind of meh. 2.5 stars.
This album just doesn't hit like it once did for me.
Garage Rock from the turn of the millenium. Sounds like it, too. 2.5/5
Not a big fan of
Wasn’t a fan of garage rock or its early revival , but I found white strips pretty fun to listen to … multiple songs stood out in the first side ; I wonder if this is a gateway for me to listen to more of the genre
Wild nothingness
Very White Stripes. You love them or you just don't bother changing the station when they're on.
This didn't move my give AF meter
It’s alright, some songs are better than others.
2.8
solid
Grunge/Garage rock is not my cup of tea
Jack white's singing voice stops this from being a good album. Also a little one-dimensional.
pra mim é o melhor do white stripes, tem uma pegadinha mais indie quebradeira fell in love with a girl é clássico demais AINDA ASSIM, como tudo do white stripes, é mei enjoativo do meio pro final
Quite a good album, although I prefer their follow-up - Elephant - more. An interesting sound though, somewhere between garage and punk.
omg ive heard of one of these songs before, never knew it was sung by this band. i liked the album partially because i already like metal/rock a lot but i thought it was an ok album. i dont rly see myself relistening to it but it wasn't my least fav
A really great album that helped revive a genre
not bad rock. I don't love his singing voice. some parts reminded me of a slightly worse arctic monkeys.
Solid album but nothing spectacular that grabbed my attention.
Pretty much what I expected/remembered
Bueno
A Classic loud and in your face album. Lyrics and singing are great, but the instrumentation can be a bit to barebones at times. "Fell in love with a girl" is a banger.
On the good side of alright
One part of me loves The White Stripes. The other part of me will always despise the fact that Jack White somehow doesn't understand the concept of a guitar tuner.
Familiar with White Stripes but had never really listened to album. Thought I’d like more but maybe it’s their later stuff is based this assumption off of. A solid 3.
white people need to start making music like this again.
I used to really like this album when I was younger. Somewhat disappointed to hear it back & realise it doesnt do anything revolutionary. Still a couple tracks that are bangers
A third white stripes album on this list just seems like overkill, especially with some of the stuff missing
1. dead - 2 2. yorba - 1 3. gentleman - 1 4. girl - 2 5. ezpecting - 1 6. little - 1.5 7. union - 2 8. boy - 1.5 9. friendz - 1.5 10. offend - 2 11. rat - 1.5 12. aluminum - 1 13. uuait - 1.5 14. mary - 1 15. learn - 1 16. protector - 1
something about this style of 2000s rock has never been my favorite, and honestly I feel like I can attribute a lot of that to Jack White. Highly influential and feels like the parents of Arctic Monkeys, but felt bloated even at the 40 minute runtime. 1. the union forever 2. we're going to be friends 3. fell in love with a girl
I was mostly bored, there were 3-4 bops that weren't even that good but I'm feeling generous so I'll increase my rating to 3.
I always found white stripes sound enjoyable. Some songs hit better than others. This album, which I hadn't previously listened to in its entirety, felt the most together
76% Best: Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground; Fell In Love With a Girl; We're Going to Be Friends; Aluminum; I Can Learn Must-Hear? Not quite
Always been a fan of the White Stripes but mostly through their singles and never really delved deeper in albums. I found myself drifting in and out of this album with the more popular tracks being the songs that pulled me back in. Lyrically interesting and always been a fan of the efficient, driving drums and the spitty, bluesy guitar work and this album is a great example of how those two elements make The White Stripes unique and (sometimes) attention grabbing.
Very varied
Good album
interesting. hit or miss on song to song
Whiny-voiced lead singer, terrible listen. Not a fan but I actually really like We're Going To Be Friends so I begrudgingly give it a third star.
decent garage rock album (with some blues sprinkled throughout) but ultimately nothing compelling
I think I still like Jack’s voice. Nothing too bad or good about it. It lands right in the middle.
guess it's expected to feel like there's a lack of consistency among the tracks. some great ones & then some very meh ones (Aluminum). when they're on, they're great 3.5 stars
its ok
This is one of those "right place at the right time" albums. The sound was shockingly different at the time. Add in the visual red, black and white marketing gimmick and you had something that quickly became a cultural phenomenon. After their next album even the Simpsons had riffed on this band. It hasn't really stood the test of time though. They inspired many other bands that just did it better, leaving the Stripes in the shade.
Grew on me and then grew off me
It's the White Stripes so you know it's good, but it still lacks the magic that later WS albums would grab onto, but a great album by all metrics
good
I have probably heard this album too many times - I listened to it a lot when it came out, and it was a breath of fresh air, not least because it sounded like two people playing live, in a room, having fun making stripped down rock and roll. The songs are not as strong as I remembered them being, but the playing is still vibrant.
Can't say Jack White's ever been my favorite
Good
Hotel Yorba and Fell in Love w a Girl are my favorites. Dead Leaves & Offend in Every Way are pretty good. The other 3/4's of the album is okay. I appreciate that they are doing a very stripped down instrumentation thing but I think all of these songs could've been better with some bass. Pretty sure there are a lot of bass players out there. Are the White Stripes so difficult to work with that they couldn't even get a bass player?
good album. a classic. 6/10
not bad, fun and diverse sound between songs.
почему-то такой знакомый (а знакомый = приятный), но жанр всё-таки не мой
That's not my taste in music. But ok.
This CD, with the faces of Mr. and Mrs. White, would be in the dictionary next to "Garage Rock". They define it, both because they're incredibly stripped down and basic and because they manage to be pretty good while doing that. The "pretty good" part is mostly from Mr. White, who has gone on to have a further career as a musician. Someone needs to inform Mrs. White that there's an "-and-" beat in between the four main beats in each bar. Their template is basically Ramones, it's a bunch of really short 2-3 minute fast rockers with one or two 2-3 minute slow acoustic rockers. But they bring a ton of raw energy to it. My rule of thumb is if you can't be good, at least be fast and fun, and this is a great example of how to execute on that strategy. It's fast and fun! Not virtuosic, not groundbreaking, but fast and fun. There's no backing vocals of any kind and extremely limited instrumental depth (Jack White seems to play a little keys on a couple tracks - I think Meg could've played the piano part on "Union Forever"). And as mentioned there's zero variability in the rhythm. But they've got some cool riffs ("Fell In Love With a Girl" stands out), and JW's not a good singer, but he brings a lot of energy. Solid B. I don't usually like to mention influence, but since I was around when this came out and felt it, will give a quick shout-out. The early 2000s were the peak of corporate music, CD sales peaked right about the year this came out (led by the likes of Britney Speaks and NSYNC). The White Stripes, and this CD in particular (plus "Elephant" and the work of a few other bands) blew that whole thing up, both in terms of what kind of music was made and how it was disseminated. I happen to think the later indie rock bands that had 2-3 extra coats of polish were better. But White Stripes were first.
I was a huge White Stripes fan in middle school and then kinda forgot they existed, so this was a fun throwback for me. It’s not quite as good as I remember - things start to fall off after “Fell in Love With a Girl” - but it’s not bad. Lots of songs kinda sound the same. 7/10
I've always found the White Stripes to be a little too "garage rock" and unpolished for my taste. That said, this is still a rocker of an album with some classics from my high school days that instantly take me back.
I think this may have been the third Jack White centric album I've listened to during this exercise and it may have been the least annoying. Probably won't ever know for sure as I'm never going to listen to the other two again.
I listened and liked some of the vibes but my mind started drowning it out cause it was too much of the same for me
Some solid songs.
Jack White is very talented and I want more of we're going to be friends + this protector and LESS of fell in love with a girl... big strokes or artic monkey vibes. Album has experimental moments which shouldn't be discounted but at the same they are extremely disjointed and ruin the flow so drastically i found it off putting sometimes. It's not bad by any means, the bluesy notes opening Offend in Every Way are such a treat but then you get I think I Smell a Rat which sounds like a wanna be fell in love with a girl or I can't wait which sounds like Red Hot Chilly beta... HARSH yes but this genre deserves more criticism. So much talent without the execution and trying too hard
3.3
I've had three of their albums now and I really don't get the hype? Fell In Love With A Girl is their best song and even that can't save this album. It's not bad as such - just so boring. Something about them just doesn't click for me 3 ⭐️
Jack white kinda has a samey sound to me and this album has its ups and downs but I just cant find myself relistening to the whole thing. The singing voice is a mix of that 2000s punk and showtunes and it just does not sit well. I like songs like I think I smell a rat the instrumentation is what shines here and the iconic songs hold up but its the filler that does not sit with me
In hindsight, I can see how people could see this album being pretty cliche for garage rock, but given that it was a trailblazer of its time, I can really appreciate the tunes. I think this album plays it pretty safe, and doesn’t try to overdo it. Some of these classic albums just try too much, and it kills the replay value, but I think the white stripes hit the nail on the head here. Opening track is really fun, and how could I forget about the seemingly most popular movie track of all time, we’re going to be friends? If we had half stars it’d be 3.5 for me.
I do love listening to the White Spripes best songs in a mix. I really struggle with listening to their early albums including this one. One problem is just how it sounds. They go for the lo-fi indy sound, which is OK, but the lack of bass and mediocre drum playing makes this sound grating to my ears. I really wish Jack had made those early albums feel and sound better.
not for me, though it came out exactly a week after the day of my birth
Ok - first few songs were good. Fell In Love With A Girl is a fun song + nice melody Last half of the album bit boring. Just a lot of plain rhyming, “rat” “at” “bat”; “stay” “way” etc
Been a lot of White Stripes coming up last few weeks. I am constantly struck that despite the talent the end product is less than the sum of the parts. Consistently. Not sure why that is with this group because other Jack iterations not so much.
A classic that I would have loved more back in High School, had I given their whole discography a shot. It's good. Good songs. But I do think they went on to do better things. Jack has put out much more interesting stuff in his solo career. But it's a solid album
Pretty good. I like Elephant a lot more, for nostalgia reasons.
I expected way more...
Not great, not terrible.
The White Stripes have some good singles, but the album overall isn’t something I connect with. Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground and Fell in love with a Girl, and Expecting are the tracks that hit. 3/5
-Went into this expecting it to be like Seven Nation Army, but I was pleased by some of the variety in these songs. Even some of the shortest ones packed quite a punch, largely due to Jack White’s voice I think. There were quite a few forgettable songs in my opinion though, so I’d give it like a 3.5 -Favorites are Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground, Fell In Love With a Girl, and We’re Going to Be Friends
Not too bad of an album, there were a couple of pretty okay songs but none that were absolutely amazing. I would say that this particular album was a bit mid, but maybe a bit more towards a 3,5-star rating.
They're a bit formulaic, I'm on to them...
Quite edgy but had some nice tunes in the middle of the album. The guitar pieces throughout some the tunes tied it well, one song about cats or something was weirdly rhythmic and just trapped the snare drum. Overall above average
A very fast and loose album filled with a couple songs that I enjoy and others I just don't really care for. It doesn't blow away, but it didn't bore me either. Overall, not bad.
Yeah good
Low 3 for me
Second half dragged on and some of it is just noise. But enjoyed the first half. Not in a rush to listen again, if I did there would be plenty of skips.
Decent, but a bit too samey without really going anywhere. Enjoyed it though, especially Fell in love with a girl, 3/3.5
norm
I've always thought they sounded like the annoying middle school garage band next door
Not my type
Lovely analogue retro sound…
Loved Hotel Yorba when John Peel played it as a sample from a new unknown band. Some very good songs (Hotel Yorba, Fell in Love with a Girl). Some average songs.
To be young again. Not their best album, but good nonetheless.
Ok
Raw. Good.
Nice sound
The most white stripes of white stripes album. I don't get the rules of minimalism, but I assume Jack black does.
It’s fine, some nice chunky guitar parts and I like her simple drum parts. Overall it’s not my favorite but it is not the worst thing on the list of 1001 albums.
Liked it - wouldn't likely listen again but there are some bangers on there.
Pretty cool - I’m definitely going to listen to this again. I’m a fan of the minimalism
Good, but not for me really
Love the punk aesthetic of the Stripes but I gotta admit… I’m not a fan of Meg’s drumming. I know she started in the band at Jack’s behest and they leaned into making her “style” as a non-drummer a feature not a bug, and that alone speaks to a certain creativity that crackles with the Stripes but in reality… her playing to me is a indeed a bug.
zu spät geboren für richtigen punk .. aber trotzdem eine tolle abwechslung
White Stripes, die Band hinter der Fussballhymne. Spannend mal ein Album zu hören.
3 out of 5. No hate and it's a solid rock album but for some reason I've never been able to get into Jack White or his music even though it feels like I should.
Good record from a good band. Nothing really memorable about this one, but it’s a quality rock record with plenty of variety to keep me engaged.
This was ok. Didn’t enjoy it as much as the other white stripes album I have reviewed so far - Get Behind Me Satan. There are a few good tracks to my ear - Fell in Love with a Girl and We’re Going to be friends to name a couple but there is also a few duffers for me, Aluminium and Expecting… but overall I enjoyed it. 3
Take or leave it
didn't really get into it although I do think he's very good at writing a catchy hook
I’m trying to figure out how I know almost all the songs on this record, but have never owned it, can’t remember ever listening to it and don’t really know anyone who is a big enough White Stripes fan to have played it for me. One explanation is that I’ve heard this a lot at bars over the years. Which would make sense, since its release coincided my bar hopping years. The other possibility is that a lot of White Stripes songs kinda sound the same after a while. Not a dig necessarily: there’s only so much you can do with just a guitar and drums.
Always struggled - Jack Whites solo stuff always resonated with me more - not a terrible album though
Screaming and loud. High and low. Sometimes masterful, sometimes mostly strong volume.
STANDOUTS: Fell In Love With A Girl We're Going To Be Friends OVERALL: 3/5; those two ^ songs sound NOTHING alike, and I kind of dig it.
I am a late convert to the White Stripes and have bought a few of their albums recently but not this one - yet. I was always intrigued how a duo could produce such loud and full sound. Only seen them on TV but i liked to watch Meg White’s nonchalant manner when performing which belied how her drumming drove the overall sound along. So I was interested but never enough to buy their music until I bought a later album to this one cheap at a charity shop. Playing White Stripes music loud on your own hifi really does make a difference to casually catching it on the radio. Listening to this album for the first time in such circumstances does not disappoint. It’s full of compelling and melodic riffs which is what I like. You need to be in the right mood to stick a White Stripes album on but when that mood comes along it’s a fine album to satisfy it. 3/5 22/7/24
Overall good. I like the rawness of this record, and I'm always down for some Jack White guitar. There's some big hitting songs in here, and I like some of the softer songs too like "We're going to be friends". There's a bit of bloat in there, and it doesn't all hit for me.
I don’t love The White Stripes but I very much respect Jack White as a musician. I love his work with The Raconteurs, but for some reason the White Stripes never quite landed for me. Had only previously heard about half of the songs on this album, but the rest was pretty much what I expected. Some great riffs and a unique sound, but doesn’t quite land as a whole for me. Didn’t hate it, but also don’t see myself going back to it often.
Another one with one great song and lots of mediocrity
The album has a few good songs and a few that I don't like.
Perfectly adequate rock from 1964-1977 made in 2001.
The White Stripes would go on to make great records, but did not do so this time out. A lot of the parts that they would later put together to great effect are here and the album has its moments, but overall I think this is skippable. That being said, even not-that-great White Stripes is pretty darn good.
I enjoy the raw electric simplicity of The White Stripes, but unfortunately a lot of their songs sound alike. This was good, but I can't elevate it past 3.5, so it will likely get a 3/5 for me.
Repetitive, boring, whiny vocals..... All the things I just love to death. This is occasionally OK.
There's a lingering aftertaste of immaturity, but it's still a decent album.
# Playlist Track - Fell In Love With a Girl # Notes - I do love The White Stripes, but I don't think this album is great. - Love the fact that they shove 16 tracks in under 40 minutes! There are a lot of things happening, bunch of interesting tries, but just a few stick the landing.
Some really, really iconic songs I've loved my whole life + a bunch of songs no one cares about.
feels a little repetitive after a bit but pretty decent!
3.5
WELL YOU’RE IN YOUR LITTLE ROOM
Not sure what this album or band are doing in a collection of all time greats. I'm sure it was fine at the time and it still is. But a must listen before I die? Laughable.
Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground // Hotel Yorba // Fell In Love With a Girl // Offend In Every Way // 3.5/5
I love the raw sound, how he contorts his voice, the brutal beats, the feverish lyrics, and their style. That being said, they aren't a go-to for me.
I respect it all. The songs. The process. The sound. The look. The energy. I just can't seem love it. I know the White Stripes. I recall downloading many of these songs from Napster or a similar platform upon its release. Hearing the songs on that ala carte "singles" format enhanced the feeling I get from listening to this album. And why I never loved it. It's not that they play this minimal rock n roll that still manages to sound huge. Its that in various songs they reduce various bands - the Yardbirds Zeppelin, Stones, Black Sabbath, even the already bare bones Kinks - to their bare essence. It's amazing they are able to generate so much sound while capturing the essence. But I respect it more than love it. Happy they exist. The music word is pretty bably better for it. But I just don't connect in a way I feel I should.
Not my favorite of Jack's work, but still good, and Meg drives pretty strongly. Interesting that Jack wanted it to sound rushed, and told the engineer "not to make it sound too good." There's definitely a rawness to it.
Solid. Enjoyed it...but not quite enough for a 4.
fUN
2.5/5
i never listened to this album all the way but jack white is pretty cool. the fact that white stripes are a duo is pretty crazy ngl. so far im liking it, very varied sound, but it still feels like a cohesive project. generally what i expect from the white stripes tho. almost reminds me of green day sometimes wit the percussion and certain riffs. final thoughts- its good i liked it, nothing special but generally enjoyable and clearly influential for garage rock
Great album
A pretty good listen but maybe 3 stars or C+ would be my rating. An album that might seem grow on me with more plays.
A couple good songs, but overall I just don't like The White Stripes. 2.5
I started out vibing to this album. I liked the garage rock-y sounds and was head bangin' along. However, as it went on, I was losing interest and a lot of the songs started sounding the same. Not a bad album, and I think if I were to listen to a couple songs here and there, I'd dig it. But, the cramming of all these songs back to back made for a meh listen.
The vocals started to bother me toward the back half of the album. There are a couple really good tracks on here, but the stinkers brought it down for me.
Proof that you don't need a large group of musicians to make a catchy noise. Every once in awhile an artist comes along and deconstructs the pomposity of the music industry. This is one of those moments. Keep it simple.
A solid album with some real high points. The entire album is quite listenable.
Still overrated.
Ich finde, es ist ein spannendes Album. Es ist keinesfalls langweilig, hält die Spannung hoch. Selbst, wenn ein Song ertönt, das mir gar nicht gefällt, man hört weiter, weil man könnte was wichtiges überhören. Nicht alles ist mein Geschmack. Aber es finden sich grandiose kurze Lieder darauf, die es allein schon wert waren. Nein, ich werde das Album nicht in meine Sammlung aufnehmen, aber einige Songs nehme ich in die Playlist auf.
I actually liked this more than expected
i often feel like i "should" like the white stripes, in the way that you "should" eat your vegetables and floss your teeth. it feels like a good-for-you obligation that everyone just kind of tolerates because it's better for you in the end if not enjoyable in the moment. but hannah, you might say, they're *real* rock in a sea of schlocky pop! their lead singer is a notoriously private genius who eschews the mainstream - not like all those autotune fakers! (/s) this is what real music sounds like!!!!!! well it sounds bad. so. okay, okay, not really - this is aggressively fine. the white stripes are fine. it's just all varying degrees of fine. i just can't help but be irked by jack white's nasally couldn't-be-bothered voice and the crunchy guitars. it's cool they have a female drummer i guess? but this is the most 3/5 music i could imagine existing. also, unrelated, but i just looked up jack white on Wikipedia, and as recently as 2022 he was moaning and groaning about the evils of video games like it was 1999. ("White thumbed his nose at the music games genre last year as well, decrying games as a way to introduce people to music.") dude, shut the fuck up and play some DDR and maybe you'll calm down. sorry, i just irrationally hate his old-soul luddite kids-these-days bullshit when he's one of the most successful and famous musicians of all time and got there in part to inclusion in mainstream culture (gasp!) and, yes, music games. ANYWAY!!!! the big songs are good. I liked Now Mary too. that's all.
not loving the instrumentals but overall enjoying this
Fell in love with a girl is a JAM! I used to vilify this album because I thought it was too popular. I will admit that it is pretty good.
I know there are many White Stripes fans. But they have never really done it for me.
pretty cool, i think the opening track was my fav
2.5
It was good.
Rocking garage sound and some good tunes but not all the way my style
Very much enjoyed fell in love with a girl and a few other tracks, but overall it didn't wow me...
Enjoyed. Would listen again. Hotel Yorba is still a cracker.
Gritty
- Starts strong with "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground," but I personally find the rest of the album having a hard time living up to that, with the exception of "I Can't Wait" (my favorite track). - Honestly a bit disappointed because I love "Elephant" so much, but this feels safe in comparison? I do detect much of the kineticism that defines that album.
Mostly didn’t really enjoy except for union forever which was really good
Pretty good. Not amazing, but pretty good.
A nice blast from the past! I haven’t listened to this one since the early 2000s. Good stuff, but I’m probably good for a while.
Perfectly pleasant listening, but nothing that excited me or really seized my attention
Fine
They have a pretty good sound, but don't really do anything interesting.
It was ok. I’ve heard better heard worse. It’s a 3
The bad washed out the good.
- Hab mich sehr über ein White Stripes Album gefreut, frage mich aber mal wieder, warum von allen WS Alben jetzt genau dieses? - Ich war (bei aller rawness, die die WS ja auch ausmacht) ziemlich erstaunt, wie unsauber der Eröffnungstrack eingespielt war. Als ich dann gelesen hab, dass das Album in weniger als einer Woche aufgenommen wurde, habe ich eine Ahnung bekommen… Das hat sich in meiner Wahrnehmung auch ein bisschen durchgezogen. Nicht die technischen Fehler, sondern das Gefühl, dass man mit etwas mehr Zeit mehr hätte rausholen können. - „Fell In Love With A Girl“ ist einfach ein richtig richtig geiler Hit - Auch sonst sind natürlich ein paar geile Tracks drauf - Die 1001 Alben haben ja auch immer etwas mit Erwartungshaltung zu tun und insgesamt muss ich leider sagen, dass ich „Icky Thumb“ und „Elephant“, die ich beide sehr liebe, einfach sehr viel stärker finde. Hier hat mich doch auch vieles kalt gelassen oder manchmal gelangweilt Rating: 3,25-3,5/5
- Wat soll man sagen? White Stripes gehen eigentlich immer - Kannte bewusst glaube ich keinen Song von der Platte, aber gerade in der zweiten Hälfte hat mir Einiges gut gefallen
Not my favourite album of theirs, but definitely some bangers.
Great album if you’re in the very specific mood to listen to White Stripes for a long time. I don’t get how people do it if I’m being honest.
I this wasn't by a band that I am reasonably well acquainted with, I would have no time for some of it. The good here doesn't outweigh the not so good. Middle of the road, bang on 2.5.
Pretty middle of the road album with one outstanding song in each direction. It was fine to listen to, but I have a feeling the more you listen to it the better it gets, so hard to judge just on one run through.
I approached this album with some hesitation and apprehension. Having heard it many times in the past, it evoked memories from a period of my life I'd rather forget. However, upon listening, I found it surprisingly enjoyable. Revisiting the album made me appreciate its quality and relevance during its time.
This isn't the White Stripes best album.
2 people? that sound?
Notes: Jack’s voice and guitar is always a highlight for me, but I’m not exactly vibing with this album.
Honestly never got into The White Stripes or Jack White. I like it just fine, but I don't find it transformational in any way. 3
Some great riffs, interspersed with some nice melodic strumming. Snatches of songs hinted at Small Faces/ Blind Faith late 60s rock. But nothing on here to compare with seven nation army say and quality of songs a bit patchy
#190. Tolerable, but nothing really there that draws you in and makes you want to listen to it a second time 3/5: acceptable
There are a couple of interesting tracks, but the overall sound is too similar and detracts for the musicianship. I was glad the album was over in the end.
We're Going to Be Friends was the redeeming song for this album
Lots of Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath influence, still prefer the musicianship of the former and overall style of the latter.
3.5
I missed this one at the time - I was well into my seventies music phase. Even the singles didn't really appeal to my musical sensibilities, so I had no interest in the album. I was hoping to have my mind changed this time around, but (after admittedly only one full listen) I don't have any desire to go back and revisit the White Stripes. I still think they're mostly about a 'sound' and a look, which is fine but the songs aren't there in my opinion.
Not my type...but they have a place in music history
It is weird to listen to an album with no bass guitar. It’s still quite good though
Enjoyed this more than another one of their albums I listened to on this list. Some familiar songs, and just overall a good album. 3.5/5 Might listen again
Charming, slightly kitschy. Meg Whites drumming is killer, it embodies the spirit of the project as a whole. Interesting if you’re into post 2000’s rock, but doesn’t necessarily reinvent the wheel. “I Think I Smell a Rat” sounds strangely like an MCR demo
I really like the Stripes energy and integrity however I think we should temper this against the passage of time. Will this be considered so highly in 30 years time? I think not. It's this attachment people of a certain age group have with the records they grew up with.
Chunky garage blues
I stated in my last stripe review that I'm not a huge fan of this band. After this album I'm a little more of a fan. I really could feel the singularness of this group, with just the guitars and drums it was pretty cool. It helped reading the apple description talking about how they deconstructed this or that. It's not like I've changed my overall opinion on them, but I think this album shed more light on why they are so great. Also didn't realize they did "We're going to be friends".
Good quality. Not blown away.
Uno de los muchos discos de "garage-rock" revival de comienzos de los 2000s. Aprecio este lanzamiento más que los otros discos del proyecto de Jack y Meg White ya que se escucha más crudo y salvaje. Sin embargo, sigo sin entender por qué son tan apreciados por la crítica musical, habiendo contemporáneos mucho más interesantes en la escena. De todas formas, buen disco.
Totally captured that early 2000s energy.
Simple power chords, chunky riffs. A lot of the same but think he’s creative
If a big fan of duos that may be or may not be married and or brother and sister this is the album for you. Juvenile but catchy songs… the kind that a comedian might use as a theme song for a podcast.
I enjoyed the melody of the songs and the loud stum of the guitars. In general though its too amateurish.
Simplicity with swagger. Avoids the overindulgence that characterizes a lot of Jack White's later work. Great Stripes record, but does drag a bit at times. Favorite Track: Fell In Love With A Girl (still can remember middle school Ricky watching MTV for hours waiting for the LEGO stop motion video)
Really enjoyed hearing some of their older work and never realized they made “We’re Going To Be Friends.”
Pretty good.
In 2 fanno più rumore di una banda. Iconici nella grafica degli album.
Jack White has fifty-fifty odds. Fifty percent chance the song will be passible and fifty percent chance the song will be too innovative, unbearable, and barely passes for music. While "White Blood Cells" does have some killer hit singles, including "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground," Fell in Love with a Girl," and "We're Going to Be Friends," other tracks are just abysmal.
The music is simplistic but that seems to be what rose them to such fame. They are really are an aesthetic choice. Never really sought them out but have always known of them. I have more of an appreciation for the band than a likeness for the music. 6/10
This is good, I like more Jack White's solo music