You might think that cutting back a band to just guitar, drums and vocals (and a smidge of piano) would be limiting, but The White Stripes demonstrate a variety of different styles and sounds on this album, starting with mostly grungy garage rock and touching on acoustic folk, country and punk to various degrees. I think I might have avoided this at the time, thinking it was style over substance (and the pretence of being siblings was a bit creepy), but this is solid stuff. The only thing I’d take issue with is the lyrical content of some of Jack White’s lyrics which come over as a bit whiney and ‘but I’m a nice guy, why don’t women like me?’. I’m giving it another listen though, which should tell you something.
MetalheadClub reviews
Did not listen
Clearly their early records are more enjoyable than the latest ones; more spontaneous, rawer, rougher on the edges, a bit more all over the place. I was never really into the garage revival, but this is good shit nonetheless.