New Music from the White Stripes
I often have certain movies or music that I just cant wait to encounter. Yet, when I found an advertisement saying: Get Behind Me Satan the new album by The White Stripes, I truly got giddy.
The Previous One
The White Stripes’ previous album Elephant, was as perfect as a current rock cd can be. It was filled with rock and roll, blues, folk, and everything else but the kitchen sink. It was Havotic at its best and as sweet as something somber can be. It was music that was almost universaly loved and also received a Grammy nomination.
Elephant – The White Stripes
http://www.epinions.com/content_131339357828
I believe it was about a couple days after its release that my lovely wife purchased this cd as a gift. She always knows exactly what to get me. I was ecstatic, and finally I was to hear new White Stripes music.
I own all four of their previous discs.” Blue Orchid” is the first single of this album, I had heard it before and it was an electrically bizarre musical feeling. It was quite what I expected, good but quite different. Different it was, electric guitar playing and sounding as if it’s a chain saw and its tarring something up.
Also, sounding futuristic. Jack White, the band’s lead singer, in the song is singing “How dare you!” “Get behind me!” in a falsetto voice that sounds like he is mad and upset but at the same time pleading.
This song caught my attention, put it in a vessel and did not want to release it. Also the song like a previous single of theirs, was rapidly fleeting. (Fell in love with a Girl)
Odd it was, that when I heard the disk I enjoyed it, yet I felt awfully indifferent. I kept thinking back to Elephant and how it instantly made me feel its power and how it showed me no mercy. With this one however it was mild and passive in its trans.. So I segregated myself to particular songs that appealed to me and I was content.
Then what I did was just let the musical album play. It played and played and it grew. Growing into something much more than what I had expected. Something much more mature and full of insight.
“Blue Orchid” Track 1)
This is one of those songs that just tears up radio. It is much different than everything but as addictive as the next best thing. Delightfully as Seven Nation Army but on steroids.
“The Nurse” (Track 2)
Marimbas? Huh? At first it was intriguing but weird when you heard the drum pound so suddenly and then rapidly at different points in the song. Plus, the guitar felt so much out of place. As time passed and the more I listened, it all fell into place. The words fell into meaning and while at first its a song that you tolerate, it becomes a song that is deep and thoughtfully. One that never lets you down.
“My Doorbell” (Track 3)
“I’ve been thinking bout my doorbell, when you gonna ring it?”
The most infecting lyrics in this whole song. They are repeated over and over and its a catchy as I don’t know what. What I love about it besides it being a fun song, it is the way that it seem more mature than most catchy songs.
“Little Ghost” (Track 5)
This hoedown of a song, is a delightfull country infused song about asking a ghost to find him a little bit of love. I love it because it’s not only good but it says so much in a small time frame and also it is something that was rarely seen in their previous album.
In other albums like De Stijl and White Stripes(self titled) you found songs that were much more catchy and fun. Yet still at the same time not all bubblegum.
“The Denial Twist” (Track 6)
This song remind me of The Hardest Button to Button from Elephant. It is Jack White laying it down with a frown and laying down mature ruff lyrics. It has a great drum beat and it sounds like folk, rock, blues, and rap, were all thrown in a barrel and this song came out.
“Instinct Blues” (Track 8)
If you seek to find something that sounds very much blues, then this song is about the only song that fits that description. It is blues enough to satiate your thirst. Makes you wish that this album had a bit more storms caused by blues.
“Passive Manipulation” (Track 9)
Who would have thunk it? Meg singin’ about incest.(Everyone) That was something. This a sweet sounding but at the same time under the current disturbing. I loved Meg’s singing in “Cold Cold Night” on Elephant and I was glad to have a change to hear her awkward voice again.
“Take, Take, Take” (Track 10)
A song about stalking Rita Hayworth. This song about a stalker, is highly inventive and full of creative imagery about people that obsess over other people. How they love to just take, take, and oh yeah take. A song about me loving the White Stripes and that was all that I needed.
These song that I just mentioned are song that particularly stood out to me. The rest of the list are also great. “As Ugly as I Seem”, “Forever for Her(Is Over For Me)”, and “Im Lonely(But I ain’t that Lonely Yet) at first were very redundant to me but as I explored the lyrics and gave them a chance, I found them to be just as good or even greater than the rest of the songs.
“Red Rain” (Track 12)
I loved this song. It is highly melodic and then again ruff and gruff. Very much reminds me of a mix between The Beatles and Radiohead. (I never said it made sense) It’s an awesome song with great creativity in it.
To be able to fully enjoy Get Behind Me Satan it will take diligence and determination. You, have to give it a chance to build up inside of you and grow like a flower. It surely did grow on me and I can see that I love The White Stripes and that was all that I needed.
