Compared to their later records, Te White Stripes’ debut album is extremely primitive. It’s messily produced and raw, and there’s seldom more than a single guitar track, Jack’s vocal and Meg’s drums. This raw sound is appealing but becomes wearying over a full album. They vary the approach by using acoustic guitar or piano as the primary instrument or by adding some organ. As long as they’re working with strong material, they sound terrific.

Their cover of Robert Johnson’s ‘Stop Breaking Down’ blows away the Rolling Stones’ take from Exile On Main Street for pure energy. There’s also an effective cover of Dylan’s ‘One More Cup Of Coffee’, showing a group with enough depth of knowledge to avoid making the most obvious choice of songs to cover, and to pay homage to a myriad of influences without sending particularly derivative of anything in particular. In any case, the covers hardly overshadow Jack’s best songs, such as the propulsive opener ‘Jimmy The Exploder’, the impassioned ‘The Big Three Killed My Baby’ and the anthemic ‘Astro’. He even shows a more delicate side with the delicate ‘Sugar Never Tasted So Good’.

The group would benefit from clearer production and a more powerful sound on their next effort, but most of the fundamental elements of their style are already in place here.

Label: XL Recordings

Country: Europe

Media Condition: Near Mint (NM or M-)
Sleeve Condition: Near Mint (NM or M-)