*But the feeling that you're under can really make you wonder...*

The White Stripes have been a part of my music collection for quite a while now, though, I think I first became aware of them because of an episode of Gilmore Girls. The first album I purchased was White Blood Cells because of the song loud, punk-like song, “Fell In Love With A Girl”. It wasn’t until a year later that I heard Get Behind Me Satan and quickly fell in love with the entire album – and it’s still my favorite of their albums.

 

But instead of going album by album today, I’m just gonna do a quick inventory of my favorite White Stripes tunes. “Truth Doesn’t Make A Noise” is fantastic for the amazing and addictive guitar riff and the piano’s response to the riff. “The Denial Twist” was my favorite for a very long time for the fun, dance-y, ‘60s feel. “I’m Bound To Pack It Up” is very reminiscent of Led Zeppelin to me – but I love the acoustic guitar and minimal percussion. “I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother’s Heart” is awesome because of the featured slide guitar (I do love slide guitar!). More recently, I’ve found myself entirely addicted to the noisy “There’s No Home For You Here”. I love the harmonies and the driving guitar, but my favorite part is the bridge – and of course, the guitar is pretty impressive as well. “Apple Blossom” is another song that sounds like it was ripped right out of the ‘60s and I love it. Of course, there are numerous songs of theirs I could include in this list, but I am a bit pressed for time today, so that will have to wait for a later date…

 

But the thing I really love about The White Stripes is how bare their recordings are. Those oddly rustic guitars, the boyish vocals, the simple drumming, it all sounds out of place in this era, as if Jack and Meg White stayed under a rock for a quarter century and then came out and started making music. I mean, it’s just what it is… it’s not over dressed, not over produced. It is just plain and simple rock and roll. Fabulous! Love the way Jack uses piano in so much of his music. And Meg? No, she’s not a great drummer, but what she adds is a raw quality, that any technically talented drummer would completely destroy.  Somehow, though, the band’s stripped-down sound and lo-fi production just works. Jack White combines his acoustic guitar strumming with lots of bluesy licks and riffs, and Meg's insistent drumming propels the songs forward effectively. The vocals are another high point, as Jack comes out sounding like Mick Jagger and at other times sounds boyishly innocent. Music made by two people, sounding like it was recorded in a garage, has no right to pack this much of a punch. But it does. The conviction the White Stripes bring to their music alone would be enough to give them a listen.