Reviews (page 7 of 15)
An interesting collection of songs, some unmistakably the distinct garage rock / punk I knew or expected but many felt a bit more experimental (and not always successful) Overall I enjoyed the listen but it was far from a perfect album. Standout tracks include Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground and We’re Going to Be Friends
Songs like Hotel Yorba, We are Going to be Friends, and I Can Learn really carry this album for me - But for each of those there's an Aluminum that make me have to find the next button. Noisy garage rock is just not my genre. Hence, a mixed review.
Favorite tracks: Dirty Leaves and the Dirty Ground, We're Going to be Friends I'm always blown away that they're only two people, and how raw they sound (which feels fitting come out of the grunge era). I love the constant shift from soft vocals to a wall of sound. This album feels a little bit more experimental than their later albums that I'm more familiar with. Still a solid album and would gladly listen to most of these tracks again! Also love the Toledo shout-out in Expecting, and am choosing to believe it's in reference to Ohio and not Spain
The White Stripes start to feel the pressures of fame, and the ambiguity of their relartionship as brother/sister or husband/wife hence the album cover. They knock it out of the park with this project, even with 16 tracks it feels like a breeze of fresh air, even after almost 25 years. "attention is both good and bad" Jack White on Little Room
wouldn't have worked if they were the gillis stripes. god works in mysterious ways.
Either the best White Stripes album or tied with De Stijl.
9/10 rough as hell and still managing to kick ass after so long
For some reason just really not my jam.
It’s good👍🏻
The White Stripes are probably one of my all time favs. I would pay good money to see them play live again.
it was amazing
No notes. LOVED this! Can definitely see how this influenced some of my favorite bands.
3/5, solid album, enjoyed it though no songs particularly stuck out to me! But still a very nice listen! :)
Such a moment in time. Sometimes an album comes out that brings back such nostalgia... and this is it.
Definitely some jams in this one but also plenty of filler.
Me and my friends used to make fun of them back in the day... But it's incredible how well it aged. What seemed to be annoying 20 years ago, doesn't sound bad at all. Still not a fan of more alternative moments, but there's more of classic rock in it that I remember. How could they be hated so much? A lot of innocent exciting loud fun there. Meg's drumming is cool
Very good, very classic rock, very alt
Peak jack white I think. The whole thing is absurdly fun. Dead leaves, hotel yorba, fell in love with a girl, offend in every way, we are gonna be friends. This is non-stop action, even the songs that you don't remember the name of flow in and out of everything perfectly. Couldn't ask for any more
This is my favorite White Stripes album. I guess it's kind of the inflection point between their lofi garage sound and their more full and fleshed out sound when Elephant blew up. The chemistry between Jack and Meg is unbelievable. The songwriting is fantastic-- simple ideas over classic progressions that just work and feel timeless. It's essential listening.
Sometimes feels like a collection of songs rather than a true album but still, a great collection of songs.
Fora glazba!! 3.5/5 jer neke pjesme mi se stvarno nisu sviđale
Great album. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again for every White Stripes album they give me. Meg White is a criminally underrated drummer.
Overrated :)
This is a really good album but I still can’t listen to We’re Going to be Friends without thinking of the intro to Napoleon Dynamite
love the white stripes
These guys still rock. Glad it wasnt Seven Nation Army
68/100 has a couple of stinkers but for the most part is pretty good, lots of influence in here and obviously went into this project already knowing we're going to be friends and luckily i didn't leave it thinking it was the best song, i thought that was the union forever
Important garage rock, reshaped the early 2000s. Straight up, no messing, they definitely found their formula and stuck with it
That tone…. This was so good. I need to listen to White Stripes more than I do
GOOD ASS FRAKING ALBUM
A great garagerock record. The white stripes are killing with all around vibes and an surprisingly versatile tracklist. Definitely one to go back to.
40 minutes of the same exact sound
Interesting guitar sound, short songs, relaxed atmosphere – these are the strengths of this album. Overall, it's not really my kind of music, so an average rating.
White Stripes 4
Loved this album when it was released and still do. Great reminder of how long Jack White has been rocking
Every song basically felt like a way to stretch a riff into a five minute piece
This is #day376 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… my second Stripes album. I think Elephant, which I got on my #day291, would have been just enough. But aside from that, you get two more records, and then there's also Jack White's solo. Oh well... "I Think I Smell A Rat" is probably my only highlight. Otherwise, this bluesy garage rock thing leaves me unexcited. Let it be a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day377.
It's good to rediscover how good some albums are ! Having got tired of Mr White in recent years it's great to hear him (and Meg) when he was fresh and new and exciting. I'm sure it helps having heard it before, but a treat all the same.
I never listened to White Stripes back in the day and my belated plays since Blunderbuss have left me underwhelmed. This was heading the same way but Union Forever won me over and after that I was into it Was good to hear them being both influence (Fell in Love with a Girl - Arctic Monkeys) and influenced (Aluminum - Sabbath).
Loved this. Strong throughout, and plenty of variety on there.
An absolutely fantastic album. I’m completely on board with the raw energy and the fearless mentality Jack and Meg bring to the table. The songs burst with life and attitude, yet keep that stripped-down garage rock charm. For me, this is a perfect record – vibrant, bold, and endlessly exciting. 5/5
You know what yeah I was so ready to give this a 1 star and slag it off ruthlessly, but actually it did grow on me a tiny bit as it went on and some of the guitar tones were beautiful. I can even imagine a world in which one day I may listen to it again. But overall: I just don’t get it.
A bit too 'guitar and drums' for my taste. Look, it's fun - but that's not enough.
mid 3 nothing wrong with it, i quite like it too
Very enjoyable, heard a few good ones I didn't already know
This is a very good album … but it somehow feels too long even though it’s quite short 🤔
It was fine, nothing memorable
I guess I just don’t get it
Better than I went in expecting. “I smell a rat” was my fave.
Fresh take on a vintage sound. Incredible the amount of sound just two instruments can make.
Solid album but peters out after Offend In Every Way. Love The White Stripes, but I don't think this is my fav
Forgetting everything I thought I knew about rock duos and richness of sound. Also thought Jack and Meg were siblings, not wildly well-adjusted divorcés. (Did they inspire Lena Dunham to write Marnie and Desi—to their discredit?) I can totally get why they feature so prominently in Meet Me in The Bathroom: equal parts ‘what’ and ‘yes’. Here's to a dozen more listens.
Led it!
Banger album. Mixes some blues influences with their garage rock sound with some indie sounds mixed in. Simple but effective production all throughout. Instrumentation is consistently great. Writing is simple but evocative.
Da e streit, men har i grunn klart meg greit dei siste 10 årene siden eg hørte da sist
Although there are already all the ingredients, this album don't sparks me in the same way the upcoming masterpiece "Elephant" does.
They have 3 albums in the book. I think 3 White Stripes albums is too generous. They're not that different. I would only include Elephant, because it's their most popular album and it has their signature song. This is the oldest in the book and the 3rd one I got. I like this one best. It sounds the most sincere. It doesn't have any filler. Favorite song: fell in love with a girl.
Not my favorite White Stripes album, but its the one that broke them so feels right that it's here. This seemed so invigorating when it first released. Wrapping Iggy Pop in blues music is right smack in my wheelhouse, beefed up by the rad crunch Jack gets out of his guitar and Meg's loose but fully embodied drums. (It also gave me the gift of seeking out their back catalog and finding "Little Bird" which has a complete hold on a handful of my brain cells for nigh on 25 years.) Of course when I listen to it now it just makes me want to get to Elephant. White Blood Cells is good, but it's about to get So. Much. Better.
Knock-knock. Who's there? Meg White's most complex drum beat. ------------------------------------------------------------ Seriously, though, I don't get the hype around Jack White or the White Stripes. This is music for car commercials about modest sedans that want you to think they're sporty and fun to drive. "We're Going to Be Friends" is a decent tune, however,but I like Jack Johnson's cover of it better, though. 2 Stars.
Ben oui, évidemment que oui.
This was just ok. Jack has better out there.
Like the first half more than the second. Didn't listen to the whole live set. Will definitely go back to this.
Energetic, but somewhat chaotic and incoherent.
Solid indie rock. So excited excellent vocals.
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
Awesome
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.
3.4
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.
meh 2/5
Rock on! Garage rock redone.
I like The White Stripes.
Great
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
7/10
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.
Classic
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.
4.5
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
Meh
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!
idk
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.
4.75
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.
Decent
"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
Yes.
6'75/10
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.
Great
4.4
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.