Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 07/01/2008
Despite the seemingly instant attention surrounding them -- glowing write-ups in glossy magazines like
Rolling Stone and
Mojo, guest lists boasting names like
Kate Hudson and
Chris Robinson, and appearances on national TV --
the White Stripes have stayed true to the approach that brought them this success in the first place.
White Blood Cells,
Jack and
Meg White's third effort for
Sympathy for the Record Industry, wraps their powerful, deceptively simple style around meditations on fame, love, and betrayal. As produced by
Doug Easley, it sounds exactly how an underground sensation's breakthrough album should: bigger and tighter than their earlier material, but not so polished that it will scare away longtime fans. Admittedly,
White Blood Cells lacks some of
the White Stripes'
blues influence and urgency, but it perfects the
pop skills the duo honed on
De Stijl and expands on them. The
country-tinged
"Hotel Yorba" and immediate, crazed
garage pop of
"Fell in Love With a Girl" define the album's immediacy, along with the folky,
McCartney-esque "We're Going to Be Friends," a charming, school-days love song that's among
Jack White's finest work. However,
White's growth as a songwriter shines through on virtually every track, from the cocky opener
"Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" to vicious indictments like
"The Union Forever" and
"I Think I Smell a Rat." "Same Boy You've Always Known" and
"Offend in Every Way" are two more quintessential tracks, offering up more of the group's stomping riffs and rhythms and us-against-the-world attitude. Few
garage rock groups would name one of their most driving numbers
"I'm Finding It Harder to Be a Gentleman," and fewer still would pen lyrics like "I'm so tired of acting tough/I'm gonna do what I please/Let's get married," but it's precisely this mix of strength and sweetness, among other contrasts, that makes
the White Stripes so intriguing. Likewise,
White Blood Cells' ability to surprise old fans and win over new ones makes it the
Stripes' finest work to date.
~Heather Phares, All Music Guide
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