Consolers of the Lonely

Let me begin this review by stating that Jack White is among the greatest musicians of all time. Since I got Elephant for Christmas in sixth grade, I’ve been in love with the White Stripes and consider everything Jack touches to turn into gold. One of his side projects along with the Stripes is a bluesy little quartet called the Raconteurs.

The Raconteurs released their first album, Broken Boy Soldiers, in 2006 to tremendous reviews. I loved their unique sound that was a little divergent from the Stripes, but noticed the strengths of this new band. This year they released their second album, Consolers of the Lonely, which I just downloaded and began sampling. In a word, this album rocks.

A couple of the songs stay with the Raconteur’s old sound: simple guitar, a steady overriding beat and amazing lyrics by our Jack. One of their trademarks was the backup vocals by the other members of the band, repeating the last words Jack sang in a sing-song melody (an example is when Jack sings “…hands,” and the backup singers sing “ha-a-a-a-a-a-ands.”), which is still noticeable on a couple of songs, as well. But overall, it seems the Raconteurs have reinvented their sound into something much different and a little more punk rock.

Highlights on the album include “Salute Your Solution,” “Five On the Five,” “Rich Kid Blues,” and “Carolina Drama,” the last one reflecting Jack’s iconic storytelling style in songwriting familiar from the White Stripes’ work. All in all, the album is a very strong and enjoyable one, with enough cool riffs to attract a whole new generation of sixth graders into the Jack White fan-club, of which I am de facto president.¹