White Stripes - Icky Thump
Icky Thump is closer to the classic De Stijl than its immediate predecessor Get Behind Me Satan. It was recorded a state-of-the-art Nashville studio, rather than Jack’s normal at home studio and its deeply rooted in Americana, but with a twist; It has the Stripes normal fusion of garage rock and blues, but, along with flamenco and even bagpipes (they are not the first blues band to do that!).
The dominant keyboards from Satan have been stripped away and Icky Thump has Jack White’s guitar work dominating again; just listen to the track Catch Hell Blues. It is loud confronting rock.
Although it has a poppy title Little Cream Soda is one of the Stripes’ heaviest songs.Conquest has been turned inside out with flamenco rhythms, along with lots of brass and guitar.
Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn has you reaching for a kilt and haggis with its bagpipes.
Blues, garage rock is not widely acknowledged as a breeding ground for great lyricists, but the Stripes want you to take notice of what they are saying.
This will become a modern rock and roll classic; but in my view does not equal Elephant.
Warner 2007
