January 2, 2002

A music review of:
The White Stripes CD White Blood Cells
(Sympathy For the Record Industry)

By D.R.Peak

All blues bands out there pay attention and listen up: you now have some serious catching up to do for Detroit's own, the White Stripes, have leapt pass you all in monstrous bounds by going straight back to the all-important basics: drummer Meg White pounds her kit like a big beat Charlie Watts, a bass drum sound like an empty tomb; while brother Jack White sings and screams over his (usually) distorted guitar with heartfelt abandon and plays acoustic slide blues like a true master.

You could spend all day listing the influences heard in their songs: early blues leaders Son House and Leadbelly, the frightening Robert Johnson; you can hear the directness of Crazy Horse era Neil Young, the primal-ness of proto-punk rockers the Stooges, a no fear attitude towards experimentation ala the Velvet Underground, the honesty of Jonathan Richman--You get the point.

I've heard it said that the White Stripes play as if the Seventies and Eighties don't matter, but that misses the point: They play their homegrown form of sonic blues as if that twenty-odd year span of music history never happened at all. A blues-influenced hard rock band straight from the late 60's, with the grunge sensibilities of the early nineties.

But, unlike such 60's icons as Led Zeppelin (whom they've been compared; but I honestly don't hear it, just like you can drive down a different road to get to the same destination), or grunge victims Pearl Jam, the White Stripes play with sincere conviction and no flash, completely assured of their abilities: no ego posturing, forced drama or faux psychedelics required for them to play their music. They seem to hold no contempt for their fans or listeners, either, just a frank resolve for everyone to come join the fun.

The one word that keeps coming back to me as I listen to their songs (and they do play songs, not just styles or riffs like some bands; proof that they understand their craft fully) is pure. This is clean, untarnished, innocent, joyful music, played fearlessly by a band of true musicians.

copyright 2002 D.R.Peak