The White Stripes - Icky Thump

2x 180-gram LPs
Gatefold package
Contains lyric insert
Features alternate versions of "Icky Thump" and "Rag & Bone"
NO digital copy included


Audio Quality: 4.75/5
Song Quality: 3.75/5
Packaging: 4.25/5


Anticipating this release, my expectations were sky-high. Prior to this, their 6th album, The White Stripes had done, in my estimation, something that was nearly impossible for a band with such a large catalog: Every new record they released was superior to their previous effort. Get Behind Me Satan was an amazing step forward from Elephant, which itself was way superior to their breakthrough hit record White Blood Cells, which was a distinctly more focused effort than their sophomore release De Stijl, which first started to show signs that this band had more to offer than the raw-sounding blues rock found on their eponymous debut. Some people might disagree with me on these rankings, especially putting Get Behind Me Satan ahead of Elephant, but I think any White Stripes fan would agree that the duo had been maturing wonderfully. With this record, expectations were the highest they had ever been, and I got all the more excited for it with the release of the title track as lead single. The song "Icky Thump" was their least conventional release to date, featuring a new element for the band, Jack White wailing away on a Moog synthesizer while somehow simultaneously playing his guitar (I realize this was overdubbed on the record, but I saw him live and he pulls it off pretty impressively). So, did the album live up to the lofty standards set by the leading single and the band's relatively flawless reputation?

Nah.

But don't get me wrong, it's a fine album and it has some excellent songs on it. In fact, there really isn't much on the record I could point out as being bad. However, the album as a whole just feels sub-par and uninspired. Probably because it doesn't take the massive step forward that it felt like the duo took on all their previous releases. For a band that always seems to be pushing limits, this album sounds like they're playing it safe, which takes otherwise perfectly fine songs and makes them kind of a bummer. Stand-outs on this record are definitely "Icky Thump," "Rag and Bone," "I'm Slowly Turning Into You," "Effect & Cause," and their cover of "Conquest," complete with dueling guitar and trumpet solos. These songs are all terrific. The problems lie in tracks like "Bone Broke," and "Little Cream Soda," which are decent enough, but come off sounding as though they are strained attempts at sounding like themselves. Does that make sense? It sounds like Jack White wrote them TRYING to sound like HIMSELF. They're just not natural, and they feel forced to me. A tough feeling to describe, clearly, but take a listen and I think you'll see what I mean. The rest of this album pretty much falls into the "good, not great" category, except "A Martyr For My Love For You," which I think is definitely the album's low point. Not terrible, but far below what these two are capable of.

Fear not, my brothers and sisters, because the sound on this record almost completely makes up for whatever is lacking in some songs. I bought this on CD first, and found portions of it to be immediately forgettable. After just one listen, I was skipping around from track to track looking for my favorites. However, I heard that the vinyl sounded great, so I picked it up to see what the fuss was about. WOW! What a great sounding record! The drums in this recording are absolutely massive... I don't think I've ever heard a kick drum with so much presence and depth. You can literally feel it in your gut from start to finish, most notably in "Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn" and "Bone Broke." Unlike Jack's other band, the arrangements in White Stripes songs are usually very minimal, which allows each instrument a TON of space sonically during the mixing process. The instruments in these songs are all clearly separated and tonally pure. The guitar is perfectly mixed with the drums most of the time, and during the trademark solos it screams out of your speakers. Jack's solo in "Icky Thump" sounds absolutely chilling here, and the bursts of guitar soloing and drum intensity in "300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues" literally sound like they're trying to kill you. The engineering of the horns in "Conquest" is top-notch, as is the vocal sound. Lastly, the organ in the verses and the guitar tone in the chorus of "I'm Slowly Turning Into You" make it a clear sonic highlight. Though this album isn't my favorite on CD, I listen to the vinyl quite frequently, and I always listen from start to finish. Exceptional sounding recording.

The packaging is pretty cool. It's a nice gatefold set, and there's a red and white sticker on the side of the record where it opens. This sticker is also pictured on the top of the CD artwork, but it's really there for the record, and you have to either rip it off or cut it down the middle in order to access the wax within. Personally, I cut it so as to avoid doing too much damage to their lovely presentation. The two nice and thick 180-gram albums are in the white paper sleeves with the plastic protective sheeting inside. Also included is a lyric booklet that additionally features album credits and some short of a poem from Jack White. It's just as weird as you'd expect. That's it from the package. An interesting note that I briefly mentioned earlier is that, though it's not advertised, this LP contains different versions of "Icky Thump" and "Rag and Bone" than the CD release. The "Icky Thump" here is similar to the radio cut of the song that removes some of the extended instrumental portions and adds some minor effects to the guitar track, and the "Rag and Bone" cut features different banter from Jack White in the verses. If you don't know what I mean by that, you'll just need to hear the song to understand. These alternate versions are a nice perk and incentive to buying the record in addition to the CD. I wish it came with a digital version, but what else is new?



After their old record label V2 closed up shop, the back catalog of White Stripes vinyl went out of print, and now they all fetch a pretty penny on eBay. I'm sure they'll all be re-released very soon, but for now, all I have from Jack and Meg is this and Elephant. This is definitely better of the two sonically, but I would so love for those early records to be remastered and re-released on vinyl for us. Jack is a hardcore analog tape guy, and I just know that they would sound amazing. If I could get a double LP pressing of Get Behind Me Satan that sounds as amazing as this, I would absolutely be in heaven. ::Crosses fingers:: Until then, this amazing sounding record will have to suffice.

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Tomorrow / Friday*: Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) *I'm running behind this week and might not have this review ready for Thursday. If not, you'll see it at the usual time on Friday. Sorry... but I'm sure you'll live.