This is not one of those posts. It might be because I'm sick and haven't left my apartment in four days. Maybe it's because I was genuinely disappointed this cover wasn't better. Let me just introduce you to a song that is not really worth three minutes of your time. It's Bright Eyes covering "We're Going to Be Friends" by the White Stripes. I'll just leave it there and say I don't dig the instrumentation. After all, this is for a charity album and there's only so critical I can bring myself to be in that situation.
Showing posts with label White Stripes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label White Stripes. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Whose Casio Did You Steal?
One of the great things about having your own blog is that you have no obligation to write about things don't want to write about. For me, that means my general intent is to say "Hey, I heard this and thought it was cool. You might like it too."
Thursday, August 9, 2007
White Stripes: You Don't Know What Love is (You Just Do as You're Told)
Six albums in, the White Stripes are still as color coordinated and screwy as ever and their latest release Icky Thump has managed, it seems to generate more press about what the heck that title means than anything else. Honestly, I haven't heard the album in it's entirety so no judgement here, but I have heard a couple cuts and they weren't too bad. One in particular (check entry title because I'm not typing it again) surprised me to an extent because it felt like a departure from Jack White's nasal whine and vocal eccentricities. Pretty solid, kind of cool...possibly worth snagging off of iTunes. As always the Whites keep things refreshingly uncluttered, a bit of guitar and a bit of percussion and my mutable affinity level for the duo shoots up. The song feels well made and without that feeling like something is lacking yet you can't put your finger on it. It's definitely not
"Blue Orchid" or "White Moon" off of Get Behind Me Satan which are piles of notes and chords barely recognizable as songs. "You Don't Know..." is more traditional in a sense like "As Ugly as I Seem" or "I'm Lonely (but I ain't that lonely yet." I like that. If there was one thing that irked me though, the first time I heard the song it reminded me of another and by some miracle I realized that one part of the chorus bares great similarity to "To Love Somebody" by the Bee Gees, but so many years down the life line of rock, total originality is extremely rare. Everything is derivative of something. That said, I'm curious about the rest of the album. I wonder if it will ride the usual roller coaster of Jack White giving new and unwanted meaning to the phrase "creative liberty" only to coast into just cool rock in top form. I'll try to push aside my usual annoyance with him, especially after his latest turn bashing Detroit in every other interview. The White Stripes wouldn't have been without Detroit and I wish he'd remember that.
In any case Jack and Meg White are to the point where, like it or not...they're here and on several instances proved that they are worth checking out...like him or not.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
When Good Taste Gets Mistaken for Snobbery
I was recently reminded of a conversation I had some months ago over take out with a friend about (what else) music. This particular person, not spending nearly as much time as say, I do, plugged in to something, rather proudly disclosed her tendencies to like less critically acclaimed music, like Avril Lavigne. It just so happens I'm not exactly in love with the latest single and I gave my honest opinion. I don't like her and I think she sucks. Why did I say this? I think she has a whiny, high pitched voice, her music reeks of faux punk which is then overproduced, and her subject matter hasn't evolved an iota-- it's completely stale, fodder for twelve-year-olds. That's why I don't get near her. When she first came on the scene about all I could say was, "Thank God she's not blonde." But I digress. My friend's idea was that some people simply don't like her because of how mainstream and Top 40 she is-- absolutely no indie credibility. Sure that's definitely not a plus on her side but don't those of us who listen to the likes of Death Cab for Cutie have the right to shun an artist because we just don't like their music? Isn't that a good enough reason? I'll happily advertise my liking of Maroon 5 which iTunes mysteriously classified as alternative when nothing could be more straight-up pop.
It works in another way too-- God forbid a person does not care for a group that has been blessed by the mighty, all-knowing critics as well as the music community with undeniable, infallible, good taste. One such example is the White Stripes. The "Denial Twist" was amazing along with about four other cuts on Get Behind Me Satan, yet I feel there are instances when they (and I mean Jack White) take themselves way too seriously. There's a line between art and mess and there are times when they straddle it beautifully only to fall off on the side of mess next time around. It has nothing to do with a desire to be contrary.
I'd like to think that most people like what they listen to because it genuinely appeals to them. It's difficult to try to get into a song that makes you want to smash in your speakers. So let's go with that assumption. We'll all get along a lot better.
It works in another way too-- God forbid a person does not care for a group that has been blessed by the mighty, all-knowing critics as well as the music community with undeniable, infallible, good taste. One such example is the White Stripes. The "Denial Twist" was amazing along with about four other cuts on Get Behind Me Satan, yet I feel there are instances when they (and I mean Jack White) take themselves way too seriously. There's a line between art and mess and there are times when they straddle it beautifully only to fall off on the side of mess next time around. It has nothing to do with a desire to be contrary.
I'd like to think that most people like what they listen to because it genuinely appeals to them. It's difficult to try to get into a song that makes you want to smash in your speakers. So let's go with that assumption. We'll all get along a lot better.
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