Buy this CD from:
Insound

Rating:

The White Stripes have always been a product of real and manufactured enigma. From the color scheme to the fictitious brother/sister relationship, there would seem to be a premeditated desire to maintain mystery. Still, they are as reckless as they are clever. This dichotomy has served them well over the years.

On Icky Thump this yin-yang is felt immediately from the opening, title track. Jack has always utilized Zeppelinisms liberally throughout the years, and this track is perhaps the most blatant yet. Despite this familiar foundation, the additional components are so off the wall that they almost distract the listener. The incorporation of an archaic synthesizer into the track seems like a square peg forced into a round hole. Somehow, it is interesting enough to excuse in this case. Another element which recurs on the album as a whole, is the violent and abrasive nature of the guitar solos. It is no secret that Jack White is an exceptional guitarist, but he seems on a mission this time around. Meg's primitive back beat is elevated in the mix to enhance the overall bombast of the work.

Icky Thump contains some of the White Stripes most decidedly rocking material since their debut. "Little Cream Soda", "Rag and Bone" and "Catch Hell Blues" are everything that has made them so consistently brilliant.

Unfortunately, for every step in that direction, there is another in the opposite. "Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn" is a pseudo-Scottish folk song replete with bagpipes. This would forgivable were it not immediately followed by "St. Andrew (The Battle Is In The Air)" which continues in this manner: here a spoken word plea to the afore mentioned Saint by Meg as bagpipes drone and Jack splatters frenetic licks against it all. Moments like these would be interesting B-sides, but only dilute the otherwise brilliant content of the work as a whole.

Fortunately, the album concludes with one of their strongest songs to date. "Effect and Cause" is an acoustic admonition. Uncluttered and simple yet well written and executed. These are the things that make the White Stripes rock n' roll. If only there were more tracks like this, rather than the unnecessary attempts to be overly interesting, Icky Thump would be brilliant.

Reviewed by: Ghostly

Comments? Discuss this review in the forum