The White Stripes: Get Behind Me Satan

2005

Her album

Eric says: The challenge with listening to The White Stripes is to see beyond the shtick. Once you get past the white/red/black wardrobe, the sibling/spouse pseudo-drama, and the blooz-rawk posturing, you can appreciate the actual songs and musicianship. Get Behind Me Satan is the sound of The White Stripes getting bored with the guitar and drum reliance, and expanding their sonic pallate. But really, what can you say about The White Stripes? Even when they're using a marimba, you know what it's going to sound like. This album isn't going to change your life, but it's fun. I feel obligated to mention the aural vomit that is "Passive Manipulation." Can we all agree that Meg should stay behind the drum kit and never have a microphone in front of her? "The Denial Twist" is classic White Stripes. With little more than just a piano and drums, the song rollicks and rolls. What I love about the song is the way the vocal phrasing, piano rhythm and shaker percussion all counter each other and blend.  Before you know it, you're bobbing your head and swaying your hips. And that is what I like about this band -- it's all about the feel, maaan.

The Denial Twist

Anouche says: Fans of The White Stripes love them for their simple formula of clever, sometimes ironic bluesy guitar rock with the stray novelty song thrown in. Meg White's lack of talent has never bothered us in the scope of the big picture and her enthusiastic banging contributes to the energy and whimsy of their songs. Whenever The White Stripes diverge from this formula, it takes fans like myself a little while to recalibrate and listen to an album for what it is rather than what we expected it to be. Maybe that's why I have never given Get behind Me Satan the attention it deserves, focusing on a few standout songs and ignoring the rest. 

That said, this album may not be as consistently good all the way through as early albums like Dee Stijl or White Blood Cells but it is still a good album with good songs. Out of the 13, maybe three could have been cut resulting in a much stronger album. Among these are the mercifully short "Passive Manipulation," Meg White's 35 second vocal massacre. It's a shame as the lyrics are clever and thoughtful. Sung by someone else, this could have been salvaged. "White Moon" loses out as well as it's a tad boring and "Take, Take, Take," while seemingly adhering to their winning formula just doesn't make the cut. 

That was the bad, or at least what's not living up to expectations. Now for the good. There's a solid stretch of good songs in the middle of the album (From "The Nurse" to "Denial Twist" that are enough to carry the whole effort. "The Nurse" is a vibraphone and shaker composition that has all the quirky energy you'd expect from the White Stripes. "My Doorbell" is a strong song despite its simplicity. This is another guitar-less song, but nonetheless quintessential White Stripes, fun and whimsical with a strong  blues influence. "Little Ghost" is not out of place as it is the kind of novelty song that we expect one or two of on every White Stripes album, but has clearly been influenced by Jack White's role in Cold Mountain and the influence of early American folk music, a divergence that makes sense for a band that bases their style on borrowing from the past and adding their own updates. The album also has a strong finish with "Ugly as I Seem," a melodic tune reminiscent of The Smashing Pumpkins and "I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet)" which could have been on any of their previous albums.

The Nurse

My Doorbell

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[Nike Air Max 2009]

Inspiring post. I believe anything and everything that comes to us - good or bad - are gifts that we deserve. We may not think of it as a gift at the exact moment it comes to
us. But sooner or later, it shows itself as the blessing it really is.

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Believe: Tomorrow will be better!