2008 Woodie Awards
Liner Notes
Peter Crist
Issue date: 8/27/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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The Good
(Reunion Done Right)
Icky Thump
The White Stripes
The White Stripes kicked off the summer season with a new batch of fuzzy blues by the name of Icky Thump. Continuing to put out quality records is a difficult thing to do, but the Stripes have truly developed their own style. This allows them the freedom to experiment, and create new songs and sounds without straying too far from the catchy blues that built their popularity.
Jack White, back at least temporarily from his other, larger ensemble, The Raconteurs, loves to poke fun at naivety. He doesn't let up with the consolingly scolding second track "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)."
Sometimes the popularity-afforded freedom is taken just slightly too far, as on the strange bag-piper "St. Andrew (This Battle Is In the Air)." Occasional songs like these are forgivable digressions from tooth-and-nail rockers like the proceeding "Little Cream Soda" and its following track, the hillbilly story, "Rag and Bone."
It's good to see that Mr. White has been able to separate his two major musical projects and give enough attention and energy to each. Icky Thump will definitely keep the White Stripes in good standing for another few years.
The Surprising (and Good)
IS IS - EP
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
How can a girl who sings so pretty sound so sleazy? A hodgepodge of ditties written during the last few years of touring, IS IS contains five lonely and distant songs that surge with unbridled, sexual-violent energy.
Karen O forgoes her sweet singing of their last LP, Show Your Bones, in favor of the screeching and snarls that were crucial in the threesome's early work, Fever to Tell. Topping off O's vocals is Nic Zinner's guitar-- haunting as ever-- and drummer Brian Chase's minimal pounding on tracks like "10x10," so forcefully deliberate it pulls breath from lungs.
The bottom line is, that even though they've all but entered the main stream, IS IS makes it clear that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have never been grittier.
… and The Disappointing
Era Vulgaris
Queens of the Stone Age
In Josh Homme's defense, it's difficult to have two successful bands at the same time. If it weren't for Jack White doing it so well, no one could really blame him. Unfortunately, balancing Queens of the Stone Age and the Eagles of Death Metal doesn't seem to work for the guitar phenom and songwriter. Era Vulgaris is an ultimately replaceable piece of work that just doesn't strike the same chords as the last three QOTSA albums. When it comes down to choosing between his two bands, whichever one Homme wants to devote his undivided attention to is the one that will work.
(Reunion Done Right)
Icky Thump
The White Stripes
The White Stripes kicked off the summer season with a new batch of fuzzy blues by the name of Icky Thump. Continuing to put out quality records is a difficult thing to do, but the Stripes have truly developed their own style. This allows them the freedom to experiment, and create new songs and sounds without straying too far from the catchy blues that built their popularity.
Jack White, back at least temporarily from his other, larger ensemble, The Raconteurs, loves to poke fun at naivety. He doesn't let up with the consolingly scolding second track "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)."
Sometimes the popularity-afforded freedom is taken just slightly too far, as on the strange bag-piper "St. Andrew (This Battle Is In the Air)." Occasional songs like these are forgivable digressions from tooth-and-nail rockers like the proceeding "Little Cream Soda" and its following track, the hillbilly story, "Rag and Bone."
It's good to see that Mr. White has been able to separate his two major musical projects and give enough attention and energy to each. Icky Thump will definitely keep the White Stripes in good standing for another few years.
The Surprising (and Good)
IS IS - EP
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
How can a girl who sings so pretty sound so sleazy? A hodgepodge of ditties written during the last few years of touring, IS IS contains five lonely and distant songs that surge with unbridled, sexual-violent energy.
Karen O forgoes her sweet singing of their last LP, Show Your Bones, in favor of the screeching and snarls that were crucial in the threesome's early work, Fever to Tell. Topping off O's vocals is Nic Zinner's guitar-- haunting as ever-- and drummer Brian Chase's minimal pounding on tracks like "10x10," so forcefully deliberate it pulls breath from lungs.
The bottom line is, that even though they've all but entered the main stream, IS IS makes it clear that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have never been grittier.
… and The Disappointing
Era Vulgaris
Queens of the Stone Age
In Josh Homme's defense, it's difficult to have two successful bands at the same time. If it weren't for Jack White doing it so well, no one could really blame him. Unfortunately, balancing Queens of the Stone Age and the Eagles of Death Metal doesn't seem to work for the guitar phenom and songwriter. Era Vulgaris is an ultimately replaceable piece of work that just doesn't strike the same chords as the last three QOTSA albums. When it comes down to choosing between his two bands, whichever one Homme wants to devote his undivided attention to is the one that will work.
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