The Raconteurs: Consolers Of The Lonely

The Raconteurs, Part Deux!! Jack White, Brendan Benson & co. are back with a surprise follow-up to 2006's Broken Boy Soldiers (the album was only announced a week before its March, 2008 release thanks to an itunes leak). This time out, however, Mr. White does most of the heavy-lifting as it seems as he must have had a few songs left over from the Icky Thump sessions.

Tracks 1 & 2, Consoler Of The Lonely & Salute Your Solution, definitely kick ass and set the bar very high for the rest of the album. Like I said though, it's the wickedness of Jack White that carries these raucous, would-be White Stripes tunes. The rest of the album is so-so. You've got some country, some mariachi horns (like Conquest from Icky Thump - White must be down with the sombrero), some early Styx-like songs (Benson's), & another nice rocker by White in Five On The Five. Completing the cavalcade of musical styles is perhaps what may go down as this album's signature piece: Carolina Drama. Again sung by Jack White, this is a fantastic ballad in the truest meaning of the word. It is a story told like only few can (namely Bob Dylan & Neil Young) about a boy named Billy, his mamma's boyfriend, & the milkman. I won't spoil it for you...you need to listen. Great song - if you liked Dylan's Hurricane, you'll love this one.

Overall, Consolers Of The Lonely is a must have for any White Stripes fanatic (like yours truly) because the bills are being paid by Jack White on this album. Brendan Benson owes his whole fortune to this guy. It's definitely a more raw, unrefined effort - possibly hurried. However, if you don't have the extra cash I'd spend at least $3 or $4 and download the songs I mentioned above. I'm pretty happy with it, but only those few songs will go straight to the ipod - you can take that to the bank, monkeys!! DJ

(Click on the title of this post for a link to the video for Salute Your Solution)