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June 17, 2005

Truth Doesn't Make a Noise

The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan

Whether it’s a stolen glimpse of a beautiful stranger across the room, a déjà vu double take, or that split-second realization that your car door is closing with the keys still inside, there are moments in life that stop you dead in your tracks. It’s an unnamed human feeling that simultaneously moves in slow motion and light speed. You are awed at the moment, see a glimpse of the future, and really wish you didn't lock the door before slamming it shut.

A few years ago I had a similar moment while driving my car in Generic Suburb, USA. I flipped to Generic Rock station and from the speakers I heard a raw, kinetic sound that I hadn't heard in years. A dirty, distorted guitar screeched over a simple beat while dynamic vocals sheared indifferently with punk’s intensity.

She's just looking for something new

Initially I thought of Led Zeppelin, but I was not tuned to Generic Classic Rock station so it couldn’t be. "Holy crap,” I remember thinking to myself, “This is my new favorite band.” I needed to find more music by this mystery group for prompt devouring. Not since my formative years in the early '90s had I felt this type of musical catharsis. The cycle of exciting, engaging music had been long overdue. For God's sake, our world could not take any more Nickelback, think of the children!

...I said it once before but it bears repeating

It was a dismal time in modern rock. Something had to give, fortunately for the long suffering salvation came by way of Detroit. Arguably one of the most unlikely rock groups of our times, The White Stripes arrived and the faithful rejoiced. Rock and Roll was back from wherever it went to hide.

Last week the White Stripes, comprised of just two members, Jack White (songwriter, guitar god, purist, newlywed) and ex-wife Meg White (indie rock-geek goddess with a button nose and questionable rhythm), released their 5th album, Get Behind Me Satan. Satan is a bit more unbalanced than their previous albums. While it improves with repeated listening, it can distract with the wobbly flow of genres as it progresses.

It comes up short of besting their previous work, the Grammy winning masterpiece Elephant, but I doubt the goal was to trump anything. Satan is unexpected music from a band that has (for the moment) all but forsaken their crunchy electric signature. The fearsome guitar sound that has frightened listeners into submission is taking a break.

The Stripes’ meal plate* is missing its trademark guitar course, substituting piano, and marimba on the menu du jour. Clearly not typical flavors for a rock band built on garage rock staples, but the White Stripes, sans axe, manage to remain true to their sound.

With a weathered wit that borrows heavily, but ultimately is his own, White's lyrics paint vivid imagery about life’s most intimate, yet universal moments. He has stated publicly that this album is about "characters and the ideal of truth" A subjective theme for sure, but one that guides while listening to the album.

"(Get Behind Me Satan) is a truth record. I guess I have an obsession with truth, and this was the climax of a kind of songwriting I've done throughout my life." -Jack White

For the record, The Merry Swankster is not a rock critic. He mostly despises reviews, but understands they are a sort of necessary evil. He's a pragmatic fellow in that respect. Below is the typical M.S. format that you have grown to love/ignore/expect. In closing Get Behind Me Satan is a surprising, and brilliant album that has something for everyone, everything for some and nothing for others. I secretly pity the others.

*Previous strays from the garage include Citizen Kane show tunes and a Burt Bacharach cover.

Get Behind Me Satan - The White Stripes

[tracklist]

1. Blue Orchid - (killer riffs in opening cuts tradition continues)
2. The Nurse - (Rugrats plagiarism? betrayal, and marimba)
3. My Doorbell - (tongue twisted piano blues-pop standout)
4. Forever for Her (Is Over for Me) - (playfully simple breakup, bet you won't sing DO IT!)
5. Little Ghost - (faux-bluegrass ditty)
6. The Denial Twist - (Meg's beat & Jack's piano blues rocking it, truth no stopping it)
7. White Moon - (foreshadowing via Rita Hayworth - anti-celebrity Part I)
8. Instinct Blues - (missing intuition)
9. Passive Manipulation - (Meg's priceless advice in :35 secs.)
10. Take, Take, Take - (Rita Hayworth's stalker - anti-celebrity Part II)
11. As Ugly As I Seem - (acoustic beauty - anti-celebrity Part III)
12. Red Rain - (HAIL THE ELECTRIC GUITAR, vintage zeppelinesque white stripes)
13. I'm Lonely (but I Ain't That Lonely Yet) - (haunting Van Lear Rose wunderkind)

- The Merry Swankster 6/17/05

ed. note: The Merry Swankster is an old friend of The Daily Slant. He sends us Rock and Roll communiques from the back seat of his '76 Mercury Comet, which is WiFi enabled.

Tags: White Stripes, Get Behind Me Satan, Garage Rock

Posted by Merry Swankster at 07:43 AM | Comments (1)