by publius
It's just up on Rhapsody, so I haven't listened to it yet. But given that Pitchfork put the new Whites Stripes album in its recommended "Best New Music" section, I'm guessing it must phenomenal. For strangers to the polysyllabic, adjective-happy dreamland that is Pitchfork, the Best New Music section is a complex beast. Like ropes on the Goodyear Blimp, we mortals can't begin to understand its high-flying genius ways.
But one formula that Pitchfork uses is that a new album's rating is inversely proportional to the number of people who have heard of the band. Thus, given that the White Stripes are basically universally-known (and dare I say, frat-friendly), it's rather amazing to see that they made the cut. It must be like Revolver and stuff.
[To be fair, the New Music section is sort of the indie rock's Christopher Hitchens. Bloated rambling and general oddness (bad oddness, not good oddness) are quite common. But it's also very capable of striking the nail squarely on the head at times. As for the current list, I like the Feist and Matthew Dear albums. Not sold on Boxer, but I don't really like the genre.]
I'm guessing it must phenomenal
my 1-time through rating... C. nowhere near as good as any of their last three; there were a couple songs on the new one that i viscerally hated, and only a few that i could see growing to like. but, my first impressions don't always stick... so, i'm not even trusting my own opinion of it, yet.
Pitchfork pisses me off. i've never trusted their reviews since it seems like the writers are more interested in being clever than informative.
Posted by: cleek | June 21, 2007 at 07:31 AM
I'm waiting for my copy of Icky Thump in the mail. Mrs. Context dragged me to Nashville last month to see the White Stripes at a little club called the Cannery Ballroom and they were great. I only knew them from their Michel Gondry videos and Get The Behind Me Satan and was taken back by the rawness of the show. $25 tickets and $5 t-shirts were a very fan friendly touch. Opening act Dan Sartain was very good as well.
Don't read Pitchfork and don't think I'll start now.
Posted by: OutOfContext | June 21, 2007 at 08:35 AM
I'm guessing it must phenomenal
You just made Tbogg's head explode.
Posted by: bobzilla | June 21, 2007 at 11:55 AM
I'm guessing it must phenomenal
Everything I've heard suggests this to be true.
Posted by: Pooh | June 21, 2007 at 01:47 PM
I'm guessing it must phenomenal
Can that even *be* true or false?
I do hope it really is back to their more blues-rock stuff ... their cover of "Death Letter" is sublime.
(Tho I laughed when White, interviewed at the Onion, said that he would pick songs for the White Stripes instead of another project based on Meg's drumming. That must mean "based on requiring minimal drumming skills." Her "solos" on "Hello Operator" are so painful, I usually have to skip to the next track.)
Posted by: Anderson | June 21, 2007 at 06:09 PM
I'm guessing it must [be] phenomenal
As opposed to noumenal?
Posted by: Jim Parish | June 21, 2007 at 06:25 PM
If it were noumenal, we couldn't actually hear it, and we'd be forced to try to perceive it with our reason, leading to antinomies like "it sucks" or "it's great" ...
... sort of like we already have in this thread. Hm, this explains a lot of music criticism, actually.
Posted by: Anderson | June 21, 2007 at 06:31 PM
Her "solos" on "Hello Operator" are so painful, I usually have to skip to the next track.
If this were a different kind of message board, I believe my response would be "Ban plz, SEXIST!"
Seriously though, you've mentioned 2 of my 3 favorite stripes songs (Stop Breaking Down being the third)
Posted by: Pooh | June 21, 2007 at 06:52 PM
after another listen, i'm gonna change my rating to a solid B.
it's no White Blood Cells, but it's pretty good.
if it didn't have "Conquest", i might be tempted to go B+.
Posted by: cleek | June 21, 2007 at 08:50 PM
Seriously though, you've mentioned 2 of my 3 favorite stripes songs (Stop Breaking Down being the third)
How do you stand that lame tap-tap of the drumstick solo? Other than that, it's a good song. I've only heard their 2d & 3d albums, and can't find WBC, so I just listen to De Stijl.
Don't mean to be sexist -- there are some great drumgrrrls -- but she is kinda the Andrew Ridgeley of the two.
Posted by: Anderson | June 21, 2007 at 09:22 PM
but she is kinda the Andrew Ridgeley of the two.
definitely. but it's hard to imagine Jack White being able to be as indulgent and Total-Rawk™ with a drummer who was a little more ... self-conscious (?) and attention-seeking. she's the perfect straight (wo)man for his schtick.
Posted by: cleek | June 21, 2007 at 09:37 PM
Her "solos" on "Hello Operator" are so painful...
Is there such a thing as a good drum solo? She really anchors him with a big sound live and commits herself totally in a punk way to hitting those drums with all appendages.
Works for me.
Posted by: OutOfContext | June 22, 2007 at 12:34 AM
Having gone through the album once, I say B-ish, but would be higher without the title track or Conquest. Starting at about track 6 it's very good.
Posted by: Pooh | June 22, 2007 at 01:28 PM
Is there such a thing as a good drum solo?
I meant "drumstick solo" -- that dreadful, arhythmic tap-tap she does, like, twice.
Posted by: Anderson | June 22, 2007 at 01:52 PM
According to my calculations, you should be giving this album an "A" by 10:09 AM tomorrow, cleek.
I think I'm going to buy it for my wife. From what I've heard of it, it seems like something she'd enjoy and that I could tolerate better than other stuff she'd be inclined to play when I might be in earshot.
Posted by: hairshirthedonist | June 22, 2007 at 01:59 PM
According to my calculations, you should be giving this album an "A" by 10:09 AM tomorrow, cleek.
hmmm... my gut says the function's probably limited to a B+.
double check your work!
Posted by: cleek | June 22, 2007 at 02:16 PM
Off to buy me some white stripes.
Posted by: Ugh | June 22, 2007 at 02:26 PM
And upon relistening, tracks 6-7 (they really go together) are awesome, if you like 'stomps' (Bron-Y-Aur, or otherwise)
Posted by: Pooh | June 22, 2007 at 02:53 PM
hmmm... my gut says the function's probably limited to a B+.
Your nonlinearity is confounding my extrapolation.
Posted by: hairshirthedonist | June 22, 2007 at 03:06 PM
Damn. Do you have to buy everything online today? Sheesh.
Posted by: Ugh | June 22, 2007 at 03:15 PM
According to BestBuy.com, it's in stock at every store near me. I like buying things in person 'cause I'm old.
Posted by: hairshirthedonist | June 22, 2007 at 03:24 PM
Sadly, there's no bestbuy within walking distance of my office, just Borders and they got nuthin'
Posted by: Ugh | June 22, 2007 at 03:42 PM
rhapsody people - best 10 bucks a month you'll ever spend.
Posted by: publius | June 22, 2007 at 03:53 PM
Your nonlinearity is confounding my extrapolation.
a problem my wife struggles with every day.
Do you have to buy everything online today?
except groceries, yes. i think it's a law.
Posted by: cleek | June 22, 2007 at 04:02 PM
rhapsody people - best 10 bucks a month you'll ever spend.
?
OT - anyone else seen this video guided tour of the iPhone? If it works half as well as it appears on the video, it'll be phenomenal.
Posted by: Ugh | June 22, 2007 at 04:06 PM
Posted by: Jeff Eaton | June 23, 2007 at 10:51 AM
Never thought I'd see SF59 referenced on ObWi. ;-)
Girl in a Coma is my new music love affair of the moment. Lead singer/guitarist/primary songwriter Nina Diaz is only 17, but has a muscular, mature voice that brings to mind a youthful Johnette Napolitano. 'Clumsy Sky' reminds me of the good grrly stuff from the mid-to-late nineties, after the riot ended.
Posted by: matttbastard | June 23, 2007 at 11:41 AM