White Blood Cells by The White Stripes

White Blood Cells

The White Stripes

3.64
Rating
30005
Votes
1
3%
2
9%
3
30%
4
38%
5
20%
Distribution

Reviews (page 7 of 14)

I really liked all of the songs and then i heard We're Going To Be Friends and loved even more

Classic album, will always live listening to it

Fuck this

Gets better as the album goes on

It’s ok. Something you might hear in a bar or college quad impromptu stage.

Not much to say, a few classics here but overall this album just leaves me wishing I were listening to The Raconteurs.

TBH, this album should've not got a Liner Notes episode. 3/10

White Blood Cells (2001) is what happens when you give a guitar, a drum kit, and two emotionally overcooked garage trolls access to raw electricity and heartbreak. This album sounds like Jack White stomped into a thrift store, found an amp made of bees, and said, “Cool, let’s scream our way through a breakup.” ⸻ 🎯 Rating: 4.8 / 5 💡 Short Review: Messy, minimal, magnificent. The sound of two people holding it together with duct tape, feedback, and pure feeling. 🧨 Favorite Track: Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground Opening riff slaps you awake like heartbreak with dirty boots. Runner-up: We’re Going to Be Friends — weaponized nostalgia wrapped in lullaby bones.

The white stripes have one good song. Its not on this album.

🗯 Before they were, well, legends, Jack and Meg were just two people in red, white, and black making the coolest garage rock around. White Blood Cells is the moment The White Stripes broke out of Detroit and directly into the world’s bloodstream. It’s raw but confident, brimming with scrappy hooks, stomping riffs, and that unpolished charm that made them feel dangerous and inviting at the same time. ‘Fell in Love with a Girl’ is a shot of pure adrenaline, ‘Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground’ a perfect opener, and ‘We’re Going to Be Friends’ a rare moment of gentleness amid the fuzz. ‘Hotel Yorba’, ‘I Smell A Rat’ — it all plays like an early greatest hits. The magic here is in its simplicity — Jack’s guitar and Meg’s drumming, nothing more, nothing less. It’s proof you don’t need much to sound massive, just chemistry and conviction. Was astonishing then, remains astonishing now! Verdict: Essential For fans of: The Strokes, The Black Keys, garage rock revival, and strict colour codes.

Pretty annoying buuutt fell in love with a girl rips.

Rock on! Garage rock redone.

I like The White Stripes.

Great album some very catchy tunes and classics, a few songs let it down from becoming a five stars.

Älskar White Stripes! Men några småsega låtar drar ner betyget lite grann

Trevligt att ta sig igenom, men inget särskilt imo.

Nosade på en femma faktiskt vilket jag inte väntade mig (THE sportlåt Seven Nation Army är ju inte ens med) men kändes som att albumet tappade lite mot slutet.

It's a classy album heading into the pop rock we know now.

There were a couple of good songs but overall not that exciting

The White Stripes are one of those bands where I could name loads of their songs but I don’t think I’ve ever listened to an album of theirs in full. I really liked this one, there wasn’t a bad song on here. In saying that apart from Fell In Love With A Girl there wasn’t nothing I would say was that spectacular.

Another album by The White Stripes. Again kind of pleasantly surprised. Added one song to the playlist, one I even knew before.

I did save 3 songs so we will rate 5/5. I enjoyed this album. I feel like I did not get to do as deep of a dive as I would like to with an album like this.

Great album like most of the tunes

Great album. Love Jack White. 3rd man records is a cool place a must see.

Dojam da je možda malo manje upakovan i dorađen od njihovog drugog albuma dosad ali osim toga mu se ništa ne može prigovoriti. Nisam bila sekunde svjesna da ovoliko volim White Stripes. Svega se genijalnog može strpati u pjesmice od 2-3 minute.

Wow. What a discovery. I’m from Detroit so I know Jack White’s music better than the average listener. I have heard a lot of this album but hearing the entire album is mind-blowing! Such talent in every song. A journey through life. Immense passion. I love this. I listened three times and saved it to my Keepers file. In my opinion this is 5 stars of legendary music.

I guess I don't like the White Stripes as much as I thought I did. This is the second album of theirs and it's just... okay. Jack's voice is fine but after multiple songs it gets old. Like they're not bad but they're definitely not my favorites. Also, "Aluminum" was just straight up noise

Worse than I remembered. Not cohesive at all. A couple of bops.

It doesn't get much better than this

Really nice to give this a full listen without even thinking about writing notes. But now I gotta write notes (I don't have to, I suppose). This rocks. An album that changed music. And easily the best the white stripes produced. Notably, I think this album kills while not really having as much of standout songs as their other work. The whole concept just works, start to finish. Okay I'll write some notes now. Listening notes: -Notable, I think, that this album succeeds despite not really putting much effort into lyric writing. These are not lyrically powerful songs. But they're GOOD. -These songs are all so short. That's cool. Review: I'm not putting too much effort into this review. An album which succeed without brilliant lyrics. Or single tracks that put the album on their back. Really near-perfect stuff. Just simple, well put-together blues rock. Crushes it. 5 stars.

I don't know what it is about Jack White when he's in The White Stripes, versus his solo work. But, whereas I found his solo album Blunderbuss bad (if not terrible), I really enjoyed him in this one. The first few songs were good enough to get White Blood Cells a four. But then we got to "Fell In Love With a Girl" and this album kicked into a high gear and earned itself five stars.

Spare and stripped down, but the essence of a good blues/rock

Man I grew up on that one.

Some very good songs and some that don't quite hit the spot. But overall a solid album.

I remembered listening to this album a lot back when it was fresh. Yet it turns out I was mostly listening to side A. And it was on CD, so there was something about that first half that felt cohesive and brilliant. The whole album holds up, with Jack White getting right in there with streaming-era short short short songs. My favourites tracks are the Citizen Inspired "The Union Forever" and the pleasingly dramatic "This Protector"

I love The White Stripes. I only knew 4 songs on this album, but it had my favorite White Stripes song (We’re Going to be Friends). I liked all the songs on the album. This is my kind of music.

Meh. Thats how I’ve generally felt about the white stripes and that how I felt about this.

Great flow, great sound, at times it reminded me of a Robert Pollard album. I really enjoyed this one. Sounds like a bunch of friends cutting a record in their basement.

I think this record flows well. I feel like it tells a story throughout its run. I liked the instrumentation for the most part. I felt that the transition from higher-tempo to lower-tempo tracks wasn't done too well. Favourite Track(s): Fell In Love With A Girl, Little Room, Offend In Every Way Least Favourite Track(s): I think I Smell A Rat

I likes but then the singers voice got kinda annoying towards the end

Solid album has hotel yorba which is a good track but mostly it's just ok

4.5 honestly

Definitely not my type of music. Not a fan of his voice either

Highlights: Fell In Love With A Girl, I Think I Smell A Rat, Hotel Yorba. In a nutshell: back to basics. A little blues guitar with good ol' rock. Some songs are serviceable, the hits indeed hit. The White Stripes were of many bands who lead the way with the 2000's garage rock revival. Remember that. Overall: 6/10

Even if you don't think that the White Stripes were musical pioneers, you've got to acknowledge their dedication to the craft. What I love about them is how they wear their influences on their sleeves, lovingly take their forebearers' legacy, add a good portion of garage rock ferocity, and create hooky songs out of it. That's how you do it. Plus, a word about Meg White's drumming: I adore her barebones, no-bullshit, clockwork-like approach. She really propels these songs; it's utterly brilliant. The art is to make it seem simple. But if it really was that simple, why can so few bands replicate it? The secret ingredients might be the great and, frankly, palpable chemistry between these two musicians.

3,9 étoiles, mais j'arrondis à 3.

Pas mauvais mais un peu une perte de temps à écouter.

So close to a 5 star, there's just other White Stripes albums I like better.

Rock and roll at its finest. Love the heavy guitar and bass

3.5 The beat White Stripes album, probably. They went with the killer and ended with the filler though, so it very quickly ran out of steam. Could have been half that length, but then it would have been more of an EP. Not really fussed about these guys either way.

Tasty lo-fi goodness. Some pretty good songwriting, too. They've got a bit and they stick to it. Goes down easy.

For a 2 person band this is awesome, his voice has alot of bluesy punk and the guitar work is fantastic. Haven't heard much of White Stripes but will definitely check out their backlog now.

Cool stuff - I like the bluesy tracks

Great album, but definitely way too long. The gems that were there were bangers. Others just flowed through. Great to revisit.

I think this holds up well. They sound both very identifiable as a turn of the century band and very much just themselves.

This and The Strokes gave us hope in the darkest days of Britney and N*Sync. Fell In Love With A Girl on MTVu in the college cafeteria brings back the memories.

That was better than I expected.

What an incredible album by an incredible group.

some good songs and the guitar sounds great. I don't love his singing. 3.5

When I hear the White Stripes I always think "this is pretty good stuff"...but then I never go back for more. I don't dislike it but it just doesn't draw me in. I couldn't tell you a single song by them except for Seven Nation Army because everyone knows that one.

Tedious, ponderous, soulless

Chef’s kiss

I wonder if there are still teens out here listening to this for the first time and having their minds blown

White stripes will always be a good listen. Some of the songs are skippable and others like We're Going to be Friends are classics

It was classic white stripes - can't hate it

Fun riffs, enjoyed the pacing. More songs I recognized on here than I thought. Overall enjoyable even though they use like 4 chords the entire album

Not bad? Fine? Was cool

No private session used for Spotify. I love this album and the band. Both Hotel Yorba and Fell in Love with a Girl have made it to into guitar jam songs.

Well, I was disappointed with this. Most of the songs are so stripped down and bare, and sound as if they were recorded in someone's basement. I got the sense while listening that this is what it must be like when your friends tell you, their son is starting a band and they want you to come listen to some of his songs. You'd smile politely and say, "Wow, that's great!" and then go home and think to yourself "meh." Nothing makes me want to listen to these songs again.

It’s crunchy and loose, like garage rock should be, but still tight enough to land its punches. It’s messy in a way that feels real. Pretty damn easy to enjoy. Spins: 3 Playlist Additions: - Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground - Hotel Yorba - Fell In Love With a Girl - We're Going To Be Friends

Eye rolled when I saw another White Stripes album but was soon toe-tapping and enjoying it. Surprising 3.

Some tracks were a bit garage rocky for me, but others were fine. I wouldn't seek them out again.

Another album I had heard before- this is one that I've always enjoyed. The White Stripes have the ability to strip rock music down to its most basic elements, and then produce songs which are lyrically driven and captivating. Overall- really liked it with fresh ears.

Great collection of insanely catchy, simple music. A few skips but not many. 7/10

A really enjoyable white stripes album, but didn't love every track, 4* Highlights: fell in love with a girl, we're gonna be friends, dead leaves on the dirty ground

Still as good today as it was in 2001.

let's go!

Good all around. Favourites: Dead leaves and the dirty ground, we're going to be friends.

The older I get, the more I realise where White Stripes get their ideas from. I used to think it was The Cramps, but now I realise it's also bands like Led Zep. The songs aren't good enough to stand outside of their derivative framing, leaving what feels more like a pastiche than a homage to the history of rock & roll. Not a fan of the whiny voice, either.

It's probably about time for a White Stripes reconsideration. Fifteeen years or so since they came to a halt, the band still stacks up. The music is timeless, raw and sincere. But no reunion please. Keep the myth alive.

I dig the minimalism. 3.5 rounded up

Fun record

Fuck yeah. I love this fucking album, it really does it for me.

I've definitely tried to listen to the White Stripes before, but I didn't really like them. I really don't like that one that's like "i can tell that we are gonna be friends," but I like Seven Nation Army. So I could enjoy this album! Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground: This is really nice. I like how it sounds sort of like classic rock. Hotel Yorba: I just am not quite sure if I like the singer's voice much. It's definitely distinctive and kind of cool or interesting, but it's almost a little twangy and weak and I don't LOVE it. Why is he saying "deez" dafawk I like this song enough though. I'm Finding It Harder to be a Gentleman: I like this song lots. I think it sounds really cool. And I think his voice goes sort of well with it. I like this guitar riff. It's sorta Pixies? It's sorta Franz Ferdinand? Fell In Love With a Girl: I feel like I've heard this one before. I think it's real cool but his voice DOES annoy me "he don't cunsider it cheetin, nah" dude there's NO way he sounds like this it comes off totally insincere Expecting: Cool riff. It's a nice change of pace from the previous, faster songs. Little Room: Wow this guy annoys me. Maybe it's an acquired taste. This song, if you can call it that, is not good nor is it particularly interesting. Whatever. The Union Forever: Really cool, gothic sort of sound. Reminded me of Ruby Gloom or something. The Same Boy You've Always Known: I do not care for this but it's still good. I like the guitar-heavier parts. We're Going to Be Friends: bruh idk it's fine but it's not good i mean i get why people like it because it's sentimental and sweet but i personallty dgaf like whatever. Offend in Every Way; I like this riff too but it's not the best song i've ever heard. I Think I Smell a Rat: Even though I like silly songs with silly names, I do not like this. it's very Disney channel. I don't like it. Then some songs apparently forgettable enough to not remember listening to. Now Mary: I don't know. The vocal is never interestign, but the guitar always is. I Can Learn: Its almost a little bit weezer? im literally going crazy This Protector: Whatever dude I do not care too much piano shut up i hate white people never give a white couple a piano ever Okay you know what I'm hearing him talk and he literally has like a cool hot voice so why is he doing this weird shit? I dont know This is a pretty good album but it's just a little upsetting or boring sometimes so i feel like it's a solid umm 3.6

i don’t know why, but i never like these guys. they’re not bad, but i can’t ever get into them. 2.5

There are a lot of hits on this one.

When I was a teen I thought The White Stripes and Jack White in general were overrated. The problem is that I thought that without listening to anything other than Seven Nation Army (which kicks ass). I'm 28, I've listened to a full album by The White Stripes and I can only say one thing about them: The White Stripes and Jack White in general are overrated. Now for the album itself: This album isn't good! He can sing, but decently sang on only two songs, the rest is either screaming or unarticulated sounds. The guitar playing is intentionally simplistic, but it's also not played well. The drumming is awful, but at least she can hold a beat. There are decent "moments" here and there and I like one song, maybe two. 2.5/5

Oh man… a personal favorite

Hugely influential album that paved the way for the sound that would become 2000s indie rock... for better and for worse.

Cover 7 Like the guitar. Funky.

Better then the other one I've heard from them. Still didn't love it but enjoyed a lot of songs

Better than Coldplay

I like Jack White a lot more as a solo artist than I do in The White Stripes. This album just didn’t do much for me. It’s raw, it’s gritty, and I get why people love the garage rock energy, but most of it felt kind of flat. "Fell In Love With a Girl" is the clear standout. It’s short, punchy, and actually pretty fun. Bonus points for Weird Al giving it some love with his Lego-style parody. Outside of that, though, not much stuck with me. I respect what they were going for, but it’s just not something I’d go back to often.

4.4 - I like Jack White, gets me going

There has to be some White Stripes on the list, but probably not multiple albums, and I’m not sure what the right one is. I think this one has a lot of great singles: Hotel Yorba, Fell in Love With a Girl, We’re Going to be Friends - but it doesn’t have 7NA sooo… I think most White Stripes albums have a lot of filler, and that’s true here. None of the tracks I hadn’t heard before really captured my attention, except maybe I Can’t Wait. Fave Tracks: Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground, the singles I mentioned above 3.3/5

Detroit sucks. I'm sorry to the people of Detroit, but it's true. Detroit SUCKS. Kid Rock, stratospheric crime rates, urban decay, economic stagnation, the Lions...Oh, to be so close to Canada (which also sucks, but less than Detroit) and yet so far away. Can you imagine. For such a terrible place to produce such fantastic music is...well, surely some kind of cosmic sign. The White Stripes belonged to a long lineage of acts from Detroit. Let's not give Detroit too much credit...I don't want mention Kid Rock again, but I'll do it, so help me God, I'll do it. This album is TIGHT. Clocking in at 40 minutes, there is no fat, only lean, muscular guitar rock. They lyrics sound like they were ad-libbed in the studio - in a good way. If Jack White went in unprepared and just started freestyling off the top of the old noodle and just threw some shit together, it wouldn't surprise me. And yet, it works. A guitar, a drum kit and two oddballs just making music. Fantastic. Music to bring the snobs and the philistines together. Actually, I take it back. I rescind my apology to the people of Detroit. Your city sucks. Be grateful that you have good music.

We're Going To Be Friends is a song I've only become familiar with recently thanks to the Conan podcast and I bloody love it. It's such a jam. Fell In Love With A Girl is clearly the most popular of this album - it's also a great song, but weirdly, I didn't recognize it. How can this tune have evaded me all this time? A solid rock album. The White Stripes have provided pretty consistent happy moments along this project.

That was pretty good! I usually like this genre of music, I wasn't vibing with this specific album but I still liked the instruments a lot.

This may honestly be the best week of music I’m ever going to have on this site. I had Rumours on Monday, and now this today. This is the second Jack White album I’ve rolled so far, and I’m pretty bummed that I don’t have many left after this one. For some added context, this album is extremely special to me for sentimental reasons. We had it on CD when I was a little kid and listened to it a ton. For many of these songs, I haven’t heard them in a long while, but as I was listening to them today, I was extremely happy and still remembered all of them in their entirety, almost like I was catching up with an old friend. Every single song is good. Not a single dud on the entire album. Picking my favorite song would be a gargantuan task, so once again I won’t even attempt to do so. Previously, I gave the album Get Behind Me Satan a 4 star rating and felt guilty doing so, as Jack White is my favorite artist of all time. To put it simply, this is the easiest 5 star I’ve ever given in my life. At least, it's the easiest so far.

Ve are ze vhite stripez! We are gonna be friends is very nostalgic. First half definitely has some bangers, just not grabbing me too much. Highlights: dead leaves, met a girl, we are gonna be friends, I can’t wait Solid 3/5⭐️

It’s like cilantro, you either love it or you’re an idiot.

One of my favorite White stripes albums.

I am probably going to get crucified by my friends for saying this, but this album is just acceptable. Kind of just barely on the good side of mediocrity.

If you need to listen to only one White Stripes album, this is what I would recommend every time - a feast of ideas served up loose - driving, loping, and grooving. Not perfect, but perfectly creative

Hadn't heard this whole album before, enjoyed it very much. Great riffage and playing, just as good if not better than "Elephant."

My favorite White Stripes record. While Elephant may be more consistently great, it doesn't reach the staggering heights of this one. From the absolutely grimy guitar on Dead Leaves to the Citizen Kane-inspired freakout of The Union Forever, from the pure joyful innocence of We're Going to be Friends to the unhinged paranoia of Smell a Rat, this is the duo at their most versatile and thrilling

too grunge. didn't like it.

Kinda cool; evokes kids in a garage playing their favorite black sabbath, nirvana riffs. You can hear the country influence. Stripped down minimalist cool, but albums too long for me. Love ‘we are going to be friends’

Liked the songs I already knew Hotel Yoruba and We’re going to be friends. Others were ok, energetic. Maybe not a good day for that for me. Noisy sometimes, a lot of loud guitar. I would try to listen again

Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground

I still dig the raw, low-fi aesthetic and the expressiveness of Jack White's voice. Fun and fearless.

Jack White has his whole head up his ass but this is not a bad album

Phenomenal and iconic

El mejor album de los white stripes!

A handful of good country/pop songs, some turgid blues.

Meio irritante.

Jest to porządny rockowy ale kameralny album. Ma w sobie coś szczerego, jak pierwszy szkic, jak zespół z garażu. Nie porywa mojego serca, ale uważam że naprawdę jest konkretny i szczery. 7.5/10

Good but expected more - altough not helped by Soptify playing up

Yes please! Such a great record.

⭐️ We’re Going To Be Friends

I like the White Stripes. bit past the time when they would have had a huge impact on me but i can see why they are on the list

White Blood Cells is the third studio album by American rock duo the White Stripes, released on July 3, 2001. Recorded in less than one week at Easley-McCain Recording in Memphis, Tennessee, Aaaannndddd ... it feels like it was done in less than a week.

Very good album. I already own this, so I"m aware of it's work!

Excellent thumping and screech rubbing of strings, me like. scrotum has engaged, swollen with anticipation.

6/10 Highlights: Fell in a Love with a Girl Offend in Every Way I Think I Smell a Rat The Same Boy Youve Always Know We're Going to be Friends

Catchy tunes. Folk inspired rock fusion.

So authentic and sounds like live music almost. Fun to walk through what seemed like a broken romance. Good off beat album.

Look, I love the White Stripes, but this album is a little boring

Good album

Really enjoyed this. Stand out track for me was , We’re going to be friends. Lyrics absolutely sum up the experience of making friends at school , and here we all are !!

A good record with glimpses of really good songs though a couple of tracks where it didn’t quite keep hit the mark. Certainly a lot better than the previous WS offering we had and much more listenable. Probably about a 3.75 rating so will have to round up to a 4.

2001 saw the breakthrough albums of the Strokes, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and the Magnificent White Stripes which dispel the myth that Rock n Roll was dead. This album has great variety and catches the raw energy of their unique sound and style. Punky and carefree in places and more mature and thoughtful in others. Great songwriting throughout with the highlights being Hotel Yorba, Fell in Love With a Girl, and We’re Going to be Friends.

Boss level Jack White not quite yet unleashed. Given I haven’t listened to this in years it definitely feels a bit different from later affairs; understated, slower, less showy, more serious. Something like that. Either way it’s still a great listen, bit like the calm before the storm that was to come.

Such a good, tight album. JW's best.

Very good. A funny thing is that several times I thought I heard "I recognize that"... but from completely different songs. I think many have stolen music from this album.

Only not a 5 because it isn't Jack White's best work.

Ich weiß nicht. Bin weder gepackt noch gelangweilt, habe es nicht gehasst, aber auch nicht geliebt... 2 1/2.

I think because we just listened to a White Stripes album the other day this one didnt do it for me.

Solid. Curious how random this generator is lol.

Would give it 3.5 if I could. It’s good but it’s not their best

This mostly feels like they were searching for the identity they eventually found in Elephant but weren't quite there yet. Not awful but idk if I'd probably cut it from the list personally.

On first track already appreciate this album more than Elephant. Dead Leaves and Dirty Ground has good riffs. More garage-y than Elephant. Also more variety, seems more memorable to me. Best track - Dead Leaves and Dirty Ground or We're Going to be Friends or I Think I Smell a Rat 4 stars

This was super. A bit heavier than their last album on the 1001, but a few stripped back songs slipped in too. I think more or less every song had me engaged and I always appreciate the clarity of the vocals, you never have to struggle to make out what Jack White is saying. Just good crisp rock music. Enjoyed some of the nirvana/soundgarden/audioslave vibes on parts of the album.

I just like ALL the songs. Rare on an album. They manage to smash 2 instruments and somehow take a band you imagine at the school rock show and make it polished. Critical listening I could hear great vocal range. From straining in the "union forever" to gibbering like possed in "Little room" to soft calm songs later scattered about. Mostly never straying far away from the core garage sound yet giving you pretty much everything. "Expecting" - The weakest song in the pack but the album is just so good to have such depth. Also reminds me of such a good time for more garage like music coming out in the 00's. Black keys, strokes, queens of the stone age, the hives and then any group Jack played in. I realise on reflection how much I enjoy that genre of music and probably played a significant part in my musical formation. I just forgot how much I loved the Vines too so off to listen to that now! Close to wanting to give a album a 5!

As usual with The White Stripes, I like the heavier tracks but find the slower, more stripped back tracks less interesting. The band sounds it's best when it's rocking hard but they have a tendency to slip into something that puts me in mind of the soundtrack to a children's TV show. What can't be doubted is Jack White's musical ability which here is paired with a naturalistic production quality that makes for interesting critical listening.

Love them but this is one of their weaker offerings. Good but not great and slightly annoying at times. 3.5 rounding up

Garage rock. Not much to it. In parts, very repetitive.

Some good songs here, and some just ok songs.

The rawness of the sister and brother combo is outstanding. I think this is before they divorced!

Man,you can't really fault Jack White can you? Simple arrangements, basic drumming, only two instruments (although there are multiple guitar layers) and yet the pure nursery rhyme quality of the songs get stuck in your head. I'm not an obsessive WS fan, and if you don't like blues rock this won't change your mind, but it's a perfect example of the sound. Unimprovable.

Simple, effective, and catchy as hell. I think I might be a White Strips fan.

no es para mi

Highlight Song/s: Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground, Expecting, Aluminum and I Can't Wait This is some pretty nifty garage music, I was expecting this to be a bit bad; but no, definitely not bad. This album has some cool riffs and I like how they use the noise (like you'd hear on noise rock songs,) on some of the tracks. The drums always have this catchy rhythm going on. All in all, it's a good one.

"White Stripes", "Red Stripe", "Three Stripes" Stripes, what else!

The perfect album.

One dimension, tuneless, boring shite.

Solid sound from the White Stripes

Skemmtilegt og öðruvísi. Áður en þau fundu meistarastykkið sitt. Hrárra en það sem kom á eftir.

Frábær plata. Hrátt og skítugt. Dalar aðeins á köflum.

Classic garage rock. Great riffs, big fan of this. 8/10

vier (minus) Fell in love with a girl We're going to be friends

In highschool (when this came out) I used to keep a physical list of all the CDs I wanted to buy, and this was certainly on that list. Unfortunately, my budget only stretched so far and I never managed to buy this one. Being familiar with all the singles from this album, I was excited to dig into the full album. Sadly, beyond those singles, many of the album tracks never needed to be recorded. It feels like they wrote an incredibly solid EP, and then pulled in some studio goof-arounds to fill out for LP length. “Little Room”? “I Think I Smell a Rat”? Both of these could (should) have been bonus tracks stuck on the end of the last track a la Green Day’s “All By Myself”. Sometimes recording an album in a week isn’t something to brag about. I say all that, and then I wonder if The Black Keys would have made it out of Ohio without the commercial success of The White Stripes …I truly don’t know and it may keep me up tonight. An influential album, to be sure, but I had hoped for some new hidden gems to celebrate.

Been loving the white stripes lately, i really enjoy this album, particularly fell in love with a girl has been my hype up song as of late

Average at best and highly overrated... it only stands out because much of what was popular during that era was worse.

White Stripes somehow take Jack’s raw/garage (but excellent) guitar, kind of shouty sort of high pitch vocals and Meg’s lazy slightly off / behind beat percussion and marry it to make an oddly beautiful baby. I’d like to give it a 5 but it’s just shy of brilliant.

Dead Leaves and Fell in Love are both great songs. A good listen.

I really like The White Stripes and this album came out in a time period where guitar rock was basically dead. Jack said, no, this is how it's done. It's probably only a 4 star album, but I've listened to it too many times and it never gets old, so I'm going the full 5.

Det har en lo-fi lyd over sig og bragte det til mainstreamen. Det er lidt sådan noget garage revival rock. Det lyder sgu meget godt.

Honestly this is pretty on-par with Elephant for me. Both albums have their highlights and I don't really feel like one is much better than the other. If I had to pick I think I would go with Elephant but they are very close. Favorite track: Fell in Love with a Girl

Not good

This album gave me some nostalgia. I definitely listened to a lot of these some in high school.

I just really don't like it and they were so popular. Why? Subjectively it might be a one star

Who knew they made a whole group out of the Weird Al song CNR? Good album

Decent songs, excellent drums, good rock-n-roll album, solid music before their personal lives influenced public perceptive

Buena vibra, influencia old school con sonido moderno

Great initial offering

Ничего особенного, но и слух не режет, что уже хорошо. 6 из 10.

I remember spotting this at a listening station right after it came out, the cover caught my eye immediately. By the end of "Hotel Yorba" I was hooked, and I've been a fan ever since. I prefer De Stijl over all their albums, but this is a close second and will always be cherished for introducing me to The White Stripes. Out of all the bands labeled as garage rock in the '00s, The Stripes were the only one that felt like they were coming at it genuinely. Their energy was unmatched by their peers, and it wasn't surprising they outlasted most of them before falling apart. I still feel their music on a visceral level, no matter how familiar the songs are now. Plus, the lyrics are great. But there's something magical about the chemistry between Jack and Meg, which explains why none of his other efforts have captured me as well as The Stripes could (No Name is the closest he's come). Back to this album, there's just not a bad song on it. They all flow seamlessly together, complementing one another nicely. My favorite pairing though is "Little Room" and "The Union Forever", going from that driving rhythm into the opening chords, love it. I still keep their music in my rotation too. As far as I'm concerned you could kick a few albums off the list and replace them with the first 5 White Stripes albums, they're all worth hearing (sorry, Icky Thump, you've got moments but overall a step down from everything that preceded you).

2.5 - Ok. Bought this back in the day and didn't end up listening to it that much

I don't really know why, but I've never been able to get into Jack White's music. I can appreciate the talent, but I guess his music (solo or in the White Stripes) is not for me

Excellent. Strong song writing, direct tunes, great voice. Enjoyed immensely.

Sledgehammer-blunt yet mysterious, clearly classic yet sharply modern (at least by 2001's standards), the White Stripes are hard to pin down. This is probably their most quintessential recording, so as someone who loves the band, I love the album. Best song: Fell in Love with a Girl

3.0 - Ok

Sounds like shit to me

A lot better than I thought it was going to be.

Not heard this for a long time - quite enjoyed it. Some of the vocals are poor, but lyrics and musically good.

With only two band members and a few instruments between them, The White Stripes make minimalism look easy and sound amazing. On this third album, their major breakthrough as the story is told, you get such a range of style, sound, and energy. "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" engages right away, and I love the lyric "Every breath that is in your lungs is a tiny little gift to me." After some other romping songs you get to the delicate "We're Going to be Friends." This song once made me weep. If this were a 10 song album it would be an easy 5 stars. But the last 6 songs sound more like bonus tracks, not quite as engaging. But once I did the math I still put the album at 4.65 stars so I'm pleased that I can round up and give this great band another 5/5.

The White Stripes are amazing. I would have loved to have attended a live performance back in the day, and I am still amazed at the amount of sound and power they generate with the two of them. The range of this album is also impressive from hard, driving rock to folk ballad, they impress and command your attention. Go ahead and dial in, you will hear new things every time you listen.

Meh, it's fine.

I don't get the WSs. They sound like a privately educated Nirvana - some of the grit but none of the soul. It's fine, totally listenable but I just don't believe it.

Just ok. Hasn't aged that well. Also not the biggest Jack White fan.

If it didn’t know better, I’d have sworn this was British grunge/pop rock (complimentary).

Definitely a fan of this one. Has some noise music elements but overall a good listen.

Not a super big fan of the white stripes, this album didn’t change that for me. I feel like I should like them, but can’t quite put my finger on why. Just too generic sounding for me I guess?

I was listening to some White Stripes music the other day, and I came to the conclusion that they are a band from the 70s, who released their albums in the 2000s. It's hard to find something as raw and visceral as this in this decade in terms of production and sound (I'm not talking about Nu metal). It's nothing spectacular, compared to others from the same era, but this style of laid-back, carefree, naked and visceral blues rock is contagious! 4 stars is fair.

8.5 - I’ve heard this many times and really love this album, but the last few songs are the weakest. Really groundbreaking at the time and still holds up today.

Not at consistently good as elephant, but keeps the same wild and enjoyable energy

10/10… rock / bluesrock

Anything with Jack White is pure gold.

The White stripes have the uncanny ability to transition between soft, playful, school tunes like “We’re Going to Be Friends” and face-melting rock/punk/blues a-la “Fell In Love with a girl”. The a capella numbers like “little room” and the break down in “The Union Forever” are a very cool touch. This album would be a five if it stopped at “Aluminum”. The final four tracks struggled to keep my attention and sounded like more of the same.

Great album. Really enjoyed it. Will download it

Nothing special.

Has a few White Stripes classics, but I honestly feel like it doesn't hold up as well as it used to. Still enjoyable enough I reckon.

Favorit The Union forever Were going to be friends I think I smell a Rat This protector Offend in every way

Consistently good melodies and arrangements.

This is the best White Stripes album, IMO. Fell In Love With a Girl, it's like the first post-punk rock song, a return to rock. I can tell that we are gonna be friends? Yes, yes I can tell. Because the world needed that song, and it's innocent and so relatable.

Nostalgic. But not one I’ll rush to go back to

Solides Rock Album mit durchschnittlich bis ordentlichen Sounds, insbesondere der Song „ We‘re Goong To be Friends“. Gerne mal Wiederhören.

Not their best album but still amazing. It feels like two people jamming in a garage, very personal and raw.

I’ve heard of the White Stripes, but never listened to them. Very good garage Rock. Meg is 🔥🔥🔥 I be will adding to my rotation for sure. Good shit.

An all time high school favorite. I think I bought this CD with my dad in Ann Arbor.

Really good again. The White Stripes were consistently putting out fun and catchy songs with great riffs and moments. 3.5

bom sim!

21/05/2025 Happy for this album.

Okay. Good.

first half was good but i had to stop listening the second half was just weird, not my vibe

While there are certain positives about the White Stripes, they start sounding repetitive rather quickly. I appreciate the garagey feel, the Detroit grunge, the rootsy touches, the straightforwardness, but give the self-consciousness a break for a sec and I actually like it more.

Good fun and eminently listenable. I think I prefer Elephant though. Sounds raw - like ‘proper’ music - I appreciate that. Not produced or tweaked to hell.

I spent a lot of time writing songs with just a guitarist and me on the drums, but I never considered that would be the final arrangement. It just sounds so incomplete. I know the White Stripes aren't the only band to have tried this sort of bare-bones approach, but it wears thin for me after three songs. The fact that it works at all is a testament to Jack White's outsized talent and vision. I really like and admire his contributions to music, he's done fantastic work, and it all starts here. But I can only take this band in really small doses. It's telling that every one of their seven albums gets a 4-star review or better on allmusic. Really? They are all THAT good? That's a tell: these guys are critics' darlings, but no way. The fact that they produced seven albums and stayed relevant throughout is a feat, but IMO, the music doesn't merit the fawning adoration. They're a cool band. Jack White is deservedly a star. I like a handful of songs. This album? It's OK. We've got three on this list? I'm probably just going to cut and paste this review into the other two.

boy, i haven't listened to this since it came out, and i forgot how great it is. it's amazing how much noise these two make and how much range they have. it's charming, fun, funny, angry, rebellious, esoteric, and raw. quite a feat. it feels more like a 4 to me but i can't find anything to ding it, so we're going with the full 5.

This band is always hit then miss for me. I start a song or an album thinking they sound awesome and after just a bit it all sounds the same.

Classic album, my first introduction to The White Stripes. Always a fun listen.

Fun, short album. Whenever I listen to White Stripes though it always feels like something is missing which stops me from really enjoying it and listening to it more often. 3 stars

I wouldn’t have chosen to listen to this but I didn’t mind it.

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.

"Fell in Love with a Girl" is decent. Not really my genre. 2,5/5

16 songs in 40 minutes. Often feels like a Led Zeppelin demo tape … a bare bones riff driven delight.

Not their best. Not their worst

Not my thing. Repetitious

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.

Why use many drums when few do trick

Mam mieszane uczucia co do tego albumu. Wahałem się między 2 a 3.

good rock album. 4/5

I just love Jack's guitar playing, so raw and punchy. This is basic rock and roll at its best.

Solid album.

Such a great album! All energy. Basic but not simple. How do they get this energy out of such stripped down instruments? Felt fresh when it came out. Still does today.

2000s US rock. Really good rock album with some lovely songs.

I usually adhere to the philosophy that everything made after 1990 sucks. And I am usually right, at least in my own opinion. This, however, proves the exception. It didn't suck. Once again I wish the ratings would allow for a half star. This is a 3.5 all day. It falls short of my requirement for a 4, so 3 it is. But a strong 3.

I just had to listen to Jack White’s solo album yesterday, curse this algorithm. I know this was so popular but I just can’t, never could with this band. I didn’t get the appeal in the 2000s and if anything their sound and lyrics and vibe have gotten even more cringy with age. Not for me.

Overall: 8/10 The best thing about The White Stripes is their simplicity. Jack wrote these short, rocking songs that just kick ass and leave you wanting more. The drums are so basic that they're borderline laughable (sorry, Meg). It's just a really fun album and there's not much else to say about it. Fav Song: Fell in Love with a Girl Least Fav Song: I Think I Smell a Rat

Raw, rough around the edges, bawdy and bold - and a grreat fit for my Tidal library.

It's fine, I guess. Not very impressed by it.

Core garage rock and rock revival. Not all the songs here are interesting, but I've had half of them already saved. I wish there was more of a theme to them, but there are a lot of lovely hitst here. Not pure 5/5, but good enough

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

Slightly more modern rock, better but not my style. 2.4

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

Nice collection of songs, love the sort of raw garage rock sound

A great album that came out at the right time to prove to the world real rock wasn't dead. 4⭐️

The first 30 seconds of "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" permanently altered my brain chemistry

Love this album. It has high highs and low lows, but overall its always a fun listen. Playlist Track: Fell in Love with a Girl

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.

Love it. Punk energy with a nerdy blues obsession. Love the early WS, but this is a band (or really just Jack?) where they found out they could create other sounds. Plus it was sooooo much cooler than the other stuff coming out at the time. Not quite a 5-star classic because of a few clunkers like Expecting, I think I smell a rat, Aluminum. Not terrible songs, but certainly going just on attitude rather than quality writing. I didn’t see Citizen Kane until after I was obsessed with this record, some of the songs then made more sense…

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.

Heard it before. Can't say I'm really into White Stripes so listening to this album was rather meeeh 2/5

Not my favorite White Stripes album, but a damn good one with great tracks.

i feel like this album is everything against what i personally enjoy in music. not to say it's objectively bad, the sorta rock they play just makes me wanna yawn.

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.

Best described as rollicking. Very fun listen that packs a lot in 40 minutes. Fun to remember some of these videos from my MTV days. Also some great soundtrack cuts on here. Well worth a listen.

One of the better White Stripes albums. A lot of classics on here. Some weirdness too, but that’s them.

Very tough decision between a 4 and a 5, but calling this a 4.5 rounded up because I listened to it probably 5 times today and kept adding more songs to my faves playlist.

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 don’t think this is as consistent as Elephant, but it is the album that got me into this band, and I love it.

Jack White’s voice is so…interesting!

ok- so honestly i am not the biggest jack white or white stripes fan. but i think that this album is important in the context of its time. it sparked a new era of rock and roll in the early 2000s and many other artists copied the sound of this album. i also think that it is interesting that it was recorded in one week in the studio, that is insane. most songs do sound like they were recorded in less than a week. it is very obvious. "we're going to be friends" and "offend in every way" are my fav songs here. im not a white stripes hater bc i do like their music and music videos but i dont enjoy listening to their whole albums. I am giving this album 2 stars today because it's not my personal type of music that i enjoy listening to. his voice is difficult for me to listen to for extended periods of time. but i would give it 2.5 if possible.

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.

Some of the finest garage rock revival you’ll get. Head banging rockery with tender moments, all to the beat of the unreservedly maligned Meg White. The singles still hold up, and there’s no shortage of great album cuts. A bit bloated at 16 songs, but I won’t complain.

Really great songs - but the choice to not have a bass makes it sound gimicky, pubescent and unfinished to me. Primitive, and not in a good way

If forgotten how much I listened to this (and the first 2) album. I learned nearly every song in the guitar. Hard not to give this a 5 for nostalgia’s sake.

more samples from the white stripes. like their previous album i listened to, this one is SUPER similar in sound; fans of the last one will certainly like this one. aggressive and frantic indie rock; music perfect for a moshpit. despite the compressed and arguably lo-fi sound, these two have a LOT to bring to the table. a pivotal and popular rock album of the 2000s, really!

Fun, catchy and to the point. Good stuff. Highlights: Hotel Yorba Fell In Love With a Girl We're Going to be Friends

Great early album. Raw, intense and short songs. Lacks mega hits, but feels genuine, not manufactured.

Fine but I still don't get it.

Mes amis, avant le tremblement de terre, il y a toujours des secousses, des signes avant-coureurs. Avant le coup de tonnerre qui a tout fait péter en 2003 avec "Elephant", il y a eu, en 2001, ce premier grand craquement dans le mur de la médiocrité musicale. Cet album-là, "White Blood Cells", c'est la première fissure, celle qui a laissé passer la lumière et qui a foutu une trouille bleue à tous les VRP du son formaté. En 2001, le paysage était toujours aussi désolant. La radio puait le désespoir et le manque d'inspiration. C'était l'âge d'or des casquettes à l'envers et des guitares à 7 cordes accordées si bas qu'elles sonnaient comme des câbles d'ascenseur en train de lâcher. Le rock était devenu une caricature, une posture sans le fond, un spectacle de gros bras sans le coeur. Et au milieu de ce marasme, The White Stripes, qui avait déjà sorti deux albums plus confidentiels, a décidé de foutre un grand coup de latte dans la porte. Avec "White Blood Cells", ils ne sont plus un secret de disquaire. Ils deviennent, comme le dit si bien le bouquin, les porte-étendards d'un renouveau, les mecs qui ont rallumé la lumière dans le garage pendant que les autres comptaient leurs millions dans des bureaux aseptisés. Cet album, c'est l'ADN des White Stripes à l'état pur. Le son brut, sans gras, sans fioritures, un mélange détonant de minimalisme et de puissance, la formule magique qu'ils perfectionneront plus tard. La guitare de Jack White est partout, une véritable furie, elle grince, elle sature, elle part dans des larsens jouissifs. Les riffs sont d'une efficacité redoutable, des crochets du droit qui vous mettent KO en moins de trois minutes. "Fell in Love with a Girl", avec son clip génial en Lego qui a tourné en boucle sur MTV, en est l'exemple parfait : 1 minute et 50 secondes d'urgence punk-blues. Et pour tenir la baraque, toujours Meg. C'est sur cet album que le monde entier a découvert son style, et que les débats stériles ont commencé. Son jeu, qualifié de "primitif" par les pisse-froid, est en réalité le secret de la puissance du duo. Loin d'être une faiblesse, son approche est un coup de génie. Elle ne cherche pas à remplir, elle crée de l'espace, un espace immense et vibrant que Jack peut ensuite dévaster avec sa guitare et sa voix. Sa frappe métronomique, centrée sur l'essentiel – grosse caisse, caisse claire, cymbale crash – est le battement de coeur viscéral qui ancre chaque morceau dans le sol. Sans elle, le groupe ne serait qu'un courant d'air. Avec elle, c'est une tornade. Et cette voix... Mon Dieu, cette voix, aiguë, nasillarde, toujours sur le point de se briser. La voix d'un gamin fiévreux qui aurait piqué le micro à un vieux bluesman du Delta. Certains y ont vu un jeune Robert Plant sous hélium, et l'idée n'est pas si conne. C'est une voix qui ne triche pas, qui porte en elle une tension dramatique incroyable, qu'elle hurle la rage sur "The Union Forever" ou qu'elle murmure une comptine douce-amère sur "We're Going to Be Friends". "White Blood Cells" est plus varié que son successeur et on sent que le groupe explore encore. Il y a du pur garage rock, bien sûr, mais aussi des touches de country folk déglinguée ("Hotel Yorba"), de l'indie rock qui fait taper du pied et des ballades d'une simplicité désarmante. C'est un disque plein de couleurs, d'idées qui fusent dans tous les sens. Alors, pourquoi un 4 sur 5 ? Pourquoi ce disque, si fondamental soit-il, n'atteint pas les sommets stratosphériques de son successeur, "Elephant", que j'ai noté 5 sur 5 sur cette même page ? Parce que "White Blood Cells" est un plan magnifique, alors qu'"Elephant" est un monument achevé. C'est un album encore un peu sauvage, un peu éparpillé dans sa brillante créativité. On sent une énergie folle, celle de la conquête, mais pas encore la maîtrise et la confiance absolues qui transformeront "Elephant" en un roc de granit. "White Blood Cells", c'est le disque qui a tout déclenché, la première charge héroïque. "Elephant", c'est celui qui a gagné la guerre. C'est la différence entre une étincelle géniale et un incendie parfaitement maîtrisé. Ne vous y trompez pas : ce 4/5 est un signe de profond respect. "White Blood Cells" est un classique moderne, un disque indélébile qui a changé la face du rock des années 2000. C'est la première baffe, celle qui vous réveille, avant le KO magistral qui allait suivre. Un disque fondamental, à écouter fort, et qui sonne comme la plus belle des promesses, la promesse que le meilleur était encore à venir.

Cool cool cool

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.

Not my favorite white stripes but still great

One of the best rock albums of the 21st century. Jack White would write more iconic songs but I don't think he was ever better than this, where each song is a short, sharp blast of innovative guitar playing and yelped lyrics. Makes you want to form a band.

The White Stripes are so fucking cool. I remember hearing Dead Leaves & The Dirty Ground on the radio for the first time, being blown away and being like "who is this band and how can I listen to more of them immediately."

I like the White Stripes and definitely enjoyed this album. Admittedly it tails off towards the end but the first few songs include some great tunes.

I didn’t hate it but I don’t think I’d ever go back and play any of these songs. They’re not very memorable to me. Favourite Tracks: Fell In Love With A Girl, I Can’t Wait, Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground