Those who read Fresh Scouts with any sort of consistency know that I, Gabe, have a sort of musical man-crush on the great Jack White. Loved the White Stripes, love the Dead Weather, and “This Might Get Loud” is the #1 movie on my Netflix queue at the moment, just waiting to get it shipped to the ol’ casa de Gabriel. Perhaps my most favorite Jack White project, however, is his work with the Raconteurs. The 2008 album “Consoler Of the Lonely” is one of the better overall albums of the last three years, and I make so bold a statement for a number of reasons, including:
- “Consoler Of the Lonely” (the song) – It’s the first track on the album and its mix of tempos grabbed my full attention upon first listen. Both the slow parts of the track and fast parts of the song are equally rock-tastic.
- “Salute Your Solution” – Chaos. Pure, delicious, sexually-charged chaos. I may be imagining the “sexually-charged” aspect of the pandemonium, but it felt like the right thing to say. People like sex. Sex sells.
- “You Don’t Understand Me” – So pianistic, so chill, so lovely. It’s a stark contrast from the first two tracks on the record, but still really friggin’ catchy.
- “Old Enough” – Sounds like something from the ‘60s, but in a really good way. A fiddle on a rock record? Hell to the yes.
- “Top Yourself” – Stylistically this is sort of the blues track of the record, but it’s so rhythmic and distorted that it’s impossible not to love.
I should stop now. I could keep going, but to gush about every single track on a favorite album is sort of a waste of time. I’ll just say this—there are some records you can play all the way through and not feel bored at any point during the course of the album. That Crash Kings record is like that. Incubus’s “Make Yourself” is like that. Silverchair’s “Diorama” is like that. And so is this Raconteurs record.
That’s not to say “Consoler of the Lonely” is the only good work the Raconteurs have done. Their other album, “Broken Boy Soldiers” is a doozy as well. But you could’ve guessed I’d say that by my earlier doting in this post. What can I say? They’re so good, you guys.
Seriously.
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The Dead Weather – “Treat Me Like Your Mother”
When will we learn that just about everything Jack White touches is golden? He’s like the King Midas of rock. Anybody else excited for “It Might Get Loud”?
Brendan Benson – “A Whole Lot Better”
Like White, Benson was a member of The Raconteurs, but this cut from his fourth solo album, “My Old, Familiar Friend,” isn’t quite as experimental as his work with those guys. This is just simple, easy rock that you’ve gotta love. Not that we’re forcing you to love it, just suggesting it strongly. At least like it as a friend.
Tinchy Stryder f. Amelle – “Never Leave You”
This particularly sweet pop juke is, as they say, big in Europe. It’s plastered all over the tops of their pop charts and the catchiness of the hook will very quickly show you why. Don’t listen to this song in hopes of deep lyrics, though; Tinchy ain’t dropping knowledge. But damn if it isn’t beguiling.
