Elephant

Product Details

Artist : The White Stripes
Binding : Audio CD
EAN : 0634904016227
Label : Xl
Number of Discs : 1
Product Group : Music
Release Date : 2003-03-31
UPC : 634904016227

ASIN : B00007KN36

Track Listings for

Disc-1
1. Seven Nation Army
2. Black Math
3. There's No Home For You Here
4. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself
5. In The Cold Cold Night
6. I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother's Heart
7. You've Got Her In Your Pocket
8. Ball And Biscuit
9. Hardest Button To Button
10. Little Acorns
11. Hypnotise
12. Air Near My Fingers
13. Girl You Have No Faith In Medicine
14. Well It's True That We Love One Another

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review

Jokingly referred to as the White Stripes' "British" album, Elephant is scattered with little cultural references that give away the fact it was recorded far from the duo's US home--just listen to the lyrics on "Seven Nation Army" ("..from the Queen of England to the hounds of Hell") or the album outro where someone chips in "jolly good, cup of tea?". But although there are some new twists here, from Meg discovering her voice to a tongue-in-cheek threesome with Holly Golightly, Elephant is no great departure; more a culmination of their preceding albums. Meg and Jack push their creativity (and the boundaries of their eight track) to new heights for the startling, Queen-inspired "There's No Home for You Here" while the (pedal-induced) deep bassline on "Seven Nation Army" is a classic indie dancefloor filler. But although some songs fly off into new realms there's plenty of that straight-up bluesy rock that makes the duo such an amazing prospect live--just listen to the sweat dripping off the overtly sexual "Ball and Biscuit". And amid all this there's that plaintive, resolutely unegotistical and yet theatrical voice that makes them so unique; when Jack cries out on "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" there's a dark desperation Bacharach and David certainly didn't put there. --Caroline Butler

Customer Reviews

The (second) best Stripes album (2007-09-12)

A lot of people describe this as Jack and Meg White's finest accomplishment to date. Where it is impressive, it doesn't have the same fluidity as its predecessor, 'White Blood Cells'. However, it's nearly as good. Opener 'Seven Nation Army' has an intimidating, imposing bassline, and the sheer furious tempo of 'Black Math' are both impressive. 'There's No Home For You Here' is a bit 'Queen' but falls below the standard of the two previous songs. 'I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself' is brilliant. It starts quietly enough, but explodes during the choruses, and towards the end with Jack White's wailing guitar. 'In The Cold, Cold Night' is Meg's turn on vocals, and it shows as a weak point on the album. Track six, 'I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother's Heart' sees Jack back behind the mic. It's a decent enough song, but it doesn't stand out. 'You've Got Her In Your Pocket' is similar. A melodic tune, but it doesn't have that cutting edge about it. The centre-piece of the album is the Led Zeppelin-esque 'Ball And Biscuit'. It lasts seven and a half minutes and it's outstanding. Brilliant blues-rock from Jack White and excellent drumming from Meg as well. One of the finest songs of their career. 'Hardest Button to Button' is similar to 'Seven Nation Army', with an imposing bassline, and was a release off this album. It's an infectious tune, it has to be said. 'Little Acorns' is some sort of a narrative for a minute or so, before exploding into a garage-rock piece, a la Led Zeppelin. Very catchy once more, and it's brilliant. 'Hypnotize' is a two-minute thrash, garage-rock once more (classic Stripes), and it's a strong point of the album, in fact the second half of the album, collectively, is better than the first. 'The Air Near My Fingers' is ok, but doesn't quite match the standard of the previous tracks. It's also more melodic, and isn't as heavy. 'Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine' is typical 'Stripes garage-rock, before 'Well It's True That We Love One Another' finishes proceedings, which features Holly Golightly on guest vocals along with Jack and Meg. A rather disappointing song to finish proceedings, but it isn't all that bad and doesn't really have much of an effect on the overall rating that I'll give this album. Just about 9 out of 10.

A brilliant and exciting album (2007-05-25)

How far can you develop your sound with just electric guitar and drums. Quite a way though surely the point comes when your increasing creativity and musicality demands the introduction of further instruments. On Elephant, the White Stripes' Jack White also plays piano, organ, acoustic guitar and bass though thankfully in a very sparing way to enhance the songs. The raw White Stripes sound is still there on this brilliant and exciting album.Like one of his clear influences Kurt Cobain, Jack knows about dynamics and how to arrange a song featuring just a few parts to maximise it impact. He also share Cobain's gift for a good melody with virtually every song containing something particularly memorable to make the listener want to play it again and again. For example, piano ballad I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother's Heart contains a glorious warms slide guitar solo whilst Hypnotize has an excellent bowed guitar effect followed by an exciting drum-beat.Ah the drums! Although Jack is clearly the main musical talent in the White Stripes, Meg White's drumming should not be overlooked. Meg's primal playing may be described by some as rudimentary yet it is highly effective in bringing real tension to the White Stripes sound. Her style is similar to the Velvet Underground's Maureen Tucker with the art-rock of the VU another influence on the Stripes in general - particularly in the spoken intro. to the bizarre Little Acorns.Further highlights of Elephant include the tracks most casual listeners are likely to know - the fantastic singles Seven Nation Army and The Hardest Button To Button as well as the band's thrilling take of Bacharach and David's I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself. Further highpoints include the incredible loud guitar solos on the lengthy Ball & Biscuit and catchy organ work on The Air Near My Fingers.At the time of Elephant's release, I believe that there was still a lot of intrigue about the nature of Jack and Meg's relationship, a ruse cleverly exploited by the duo and their people for their own publicity. They play with these rumours further on the closing cod-country track, Well It's True That We Love One Another, which also features guest vocalist Holly Golightly. As it happens, the truth was stranger than fiction when it was finally revealed that Jack and Meg were not a current couple nor brother and sister but an ex-married couple! Quite bizarre...A bizarre and very individual band perhaps but certainly an excellent one. Elephant is the best new music I've heard for a good while with the White Stripes broadening their musical palette without sacrificing their sound. A thrilling and fantastic punky blues ride.

Decent rock (2007-02-24)

Although this style of music isn't really my scene, i got this just due to seven nation army, but also really like the squirrel song (Can't remember the titile) and i love this. They are skilled musicians and can make very good songs. White stripes will go very far in this type of music!

The White Stripes at their peak (2007-02-20)

This is by far the White Stripes's finest album of a noteable career. Jack's superb guitar playing anchored by some charmingly uncomplicated drumming by sister Meg. "Ball And Biscuit", "The Hardest Button To Button", "I Want To Be The Boy..." they are all perfectly formed; textbook lessons in how to build great songs. But more than anything else; it's the tunes which set "Elephant" apart from the competition: Evocative and powerful melodies combined with intelligent, thought-provoking lyrics. Words and reviews can only go so far; they are no substitute for listening. Buy a copy and make-up your own mind.

Not Black and White Stripes (2006-03-03)

Looking at the group's back catalogue, (so much so quickly !), there's been no difficulty finding wildly varying songs, tunes and themes. Elephant has a similar wide range and most of it is effortlessly good. Reviewers of the CD version are confused on what they want from the White Stripes: Live with it, I say - for this quality. Yes I did love the first and last sides of four most of all, with a bit too much "quietly reflective" for me near the middle, when the writing quality waned perhaps?. Seven Nation Army, The Hardest Button and Hypnotize will all one day be considered classics; I think they are already.

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