#390: The White Stripes - Elephant

The White Stripes - Elephant

April 1, 2003, V2

1. "Seven Nation Army" - 3:52

2. "Black Math" - 3:04

3. "There's No Home for You Here" - 3:44

4. "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" - 2:46

5. "In the Cold, Cold Night" - 2:58

6. "I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart" - 3:21

7. "You've Got Her in Your Pocket" - 3:40

8. "Ball and Biscuit" - 7:19

9. "The Hardest Button to Button" - 3:32

10. "Little Acorns" - 4:09

11. "Hypnotize" - 1:48

12. "The Air Near My Fingers" - 3:40

13. "Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine" - 3:18

14. "Well It's True That We Love One Another" - 2:43

RESULTS

Rate: 9.5/10

Best Song: Hardest Button to Button

Worst Song: In the Cold, Cold, Night

Comments

Basically this is The White Stripes response to all the people who hate minimalistic garage rock.

It's so good. Like, really good. I know that Meg White is a terrible drummer, that's no lie. It's not just about her style, as I actually like the simplicity of that certain style, it's her drumming itself, and just watching her drum is a cringe-inducing nightmare.

But Jack White is a true musician. He's the bassist, the guitarist, the vocalist. He's the talent behind The White Stripes, and although I don't really agree with his opinions on other musicians, such as The Black Keys, he's phenomenal, as per seen and heard on in this Album.

This Album features their biggest hits: "Seven Nation Army", "Hardest Button to Button", and ending in the adorable "Well It's True That We Love One Another", which features Holly Golightly and Meg on the vocals, co-leading with Jack.

It's just a really relaxing and carefree Album, that shows that music doesn't have to be about the complexity and hardcore composing to music. As long as their is a level of passion in it, the music shall be good.

#391: Jackson Browne - The Pretender

Jackson Browne - The Pretender

November 1976, Asylum

1. "The Fuse" – 5:50

2. "Your Bright Baby Blues" – 6:05

3. "Linda Paloma" – 4:06

4. "Here Come Those Tears Again" – 3:37

5. "The Only Child" – 3:43

6. "Daddy's Tune" – 3:35

7. "Sleep's Dark and Silent Gate" – 2:37

8. "The Pretender" – 5:53

RESULTS

Rate: 6/10

Best Song: The Pretender

Worst Song: Daddy's Tune

Comments

So, the history to this album, was this:

During writing this Album, Browne's wife committed suicide, merely two years after giving birth to their first son.

So, with that tragedy in mind, in due respect, I was expecting some hard hitting violins, with a dark cello, and almost mysterious ambient to it, all layered on top of the sadness that must have overwhelmed  Jackson Browne.

But the songs were surprisingly cheery. The lyrics were dark and gritty, sure, but the depth of the music and how Browne performed was just boring, bland, and not as mesmerizing as I had hoped. The songs dragged through the same riffs, the piano's tapped against an empty shell of a beat, and Bonnie Raitt strikes again in the background vocals.

Yeah, this Album wasn't really my favourite. I wasn't too interested in listening to it, either, and eventually pushed myself forward, with better music in mind ahead.