The White Stripes - Elephant - My Detailed Personal Opinion (Elephant - The White Stripes)

Member Name: andrew_dav

Product:	Elephant - The White Stripes
Date:	17/09/09 (22 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It's A Musical Masterpiece.

Disadvantages: Barely Any, Near Perfection

Personally, I think this album represents the height of The White Stripes' career and probably the best album that they will ever produce. There was a storyline to go with this as well keeping them in the public eye to promote this along the lines of "are Jack and Meg brother and sister" as well as the phenomenal guitar playing that took place and I think that, if you've been fortunate to ever see these play live or watch a live recording, you'll see how hard they both work and I feel that this album is fantastic and one of the best I have ever had the pleasure of listening to and you have to really listen to it to understand how much work effort and detail has gone into making it.

When you press play you're introduced to Track 1: "Seven Nation Army" which is a basic and straightforward song with a simple riff and catchy chorus playing throughout along with some clever lyrics.

Following that is Track 2: "Black Math" which is a fast upbeat song with some very clever guitar work towards the end.

Track 3: "There's No Home For You Here" which is one of my less favourite songs here and just feels like a slower duller version of Hotel Yorba from the previous album. That said as with every song on this album the lyrics are very clever and catchy so this makes up for it I feel.

Next is Track 4: "I just Don't know What To Do With Myself" which starts slowly and takes a while to kick in but you find yourself tapping your foot after the first minute.

Track 5: "In The Cold, Cold Night" Is one of the few songs where Jack White doesn't sing and I think it nicely breaks the album up and gives yourself a break from Jack's voice.

Track 6: "I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother's Heart" is a lovely slow song with some nice rhetorical lyrics. The piano works well with the guitar and drums here as well.

After that you're on Track 7: "You've Got Her In Your Pocket" containing some gentle acoustic guitar playing and Jack White singing gently that he does in a lot of the album.

Track 8: "Ball & Biscuit isn't, in my view, a great song and after a few mellow songs in a row you're more or less expecting it to pick up a bit now. This song shows signs of that but the lyrics are also very esoteric and it's as if they're singing about something only they understand. It does however pick up at the end and there's some clever guitar playing so it's not all bad.

Track 9: "The Hardest Button To Button" is just fantastic in my view. The drums at the beginning get your foot stamping and sets you up for the whole song. the guitar riff is very basic but incredibly catchy.

Track 10: "Little Acorns" is an unusual one. It has a nice little introduction that comes from what sounds like an American talk show DJ and then when his message gets across the guitar kicks in and the point is expressed in some fantastic rock music.

Next you're onto Track 11: "Hypnotize" which is fast and quick and again makes you want to get involved and dance along to easy.

Track 12: "The Air Near My Fingers" which is your typical White Stripes song but also combining an organ with all of the other instruments.

Track 13: "Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine" is possibly my favourite track on this album. It's quick, catchy with good lyrics and some amazing instrument playing.

Just as you're getting used to it however you're greeted with the final track which is Track 14: "Well It's True That We Love One Another" which is a great and addictive and has just Jack, Meg and Holly singing along together. Personally, I think it's a great way to close the album and leave you waiting in anticipation for the next one.

Overall the album is great and I find hard finding any fault with it. If I had to choose its the order: there's a few too many slow songs in the middle but it's a trivial point anyway and barely worth mentioning. Artistically, it's a work of genius and it's more than recommended by me.

Summary: A Great Album, By A Great Band.