Recently I decided to turn on the radio in my car (my iPod was acting up.) The sound of Jack White’s voice immediately filled my speakers and flooded my car with noise. This was not the White Stripes. It was a side-act. I do not like side-projects. They are almost never as good as the genuine product, which is understandable, because their purpose is (mostly) experimental. Jack White is the perfect example for my thesis: Side projects are not good (or rather, not as good as the original act that they are replacing.)

Case-in-point: The White Stripes (a band consisting of Jack and Meg White.) They have released six (6) albums, which I will rank in order of best to worst (according to my opinion- not aggregate sales):

1. (Best): Elephant (Best Track: I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself)

2. Get Behind Me, Satan (Best Track: My Doorbell)

3. De Stijl (Best Track: Truth Doesn’t Make a Noise)

4. White Blood Cells (Best Track: Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground)

5. Icky Thump (Best Track: I’m Slowly Turning Into You)

6. (Worst): The White Stripes (Best Track: Do)

At some point, Jack White decided he wanted to make music with a full band, and not just his percussionist (Meg White.) Enter: The Raconteurs. The Raconteurs are the most commercially successful Jack White side-project, as well as the most critically acclaimed. I understand why Jack decided to make music with them (the universal desire to explore his range as a songwriter with the addition of a bassist, keyboardist, back-up vocalist and guitarist, and a banjo.) The Raconteurs are (arguably) better than the White Stripes in some schools of thought, as their hit singles have become just as popular (if not more) as most of the the White Stripes’ material.

For instance, the following songs kick (fucking) ass: Old Enough, Level, Steady as She Goes, Broken Boy Soldier, and Hands, among others.

My gripe is not with the Raconteurs.

In exploring his desire to create music with other artists, Jack White became addicted to side-projects (to the point where the White Stripes have almost become neglected and forgotten.) I should note that their seventh (7th) studio album is in production, however. So, at the expense of the White Stripes, Jack White decided to create music with the following acts:

The Dead Weather, The Upholsterers, The Go, Loretta Lynn, Beck, Holly Golightly, Soledad Brothers, Alicia Keys

The success of these side-projects is mixed, at best. As a fan, it’s hard to quantify the way I feel about this. Yes, I love Jack White as a musician, and was (at first) interested and pleased at this newfound musical endeavors, but as the side-projects and collaborations pile up, and the 7th White Stripes album gets delayed, I find myself growing increasingly frustrated and turned-off to all these distracting duets and bands Jack has been flirting with.

Swan Lake: Better Than Sunset Rubdown

I have had these same feelings with Spencer Krug of Wolf Parade, and his subsequent side-acts:

Sunset Rubdown
Atlas Strategic
Handsome Furs
Swan Lake
Frog Eyes
Johnny and the Moon
Hot Hot Heat
Fifths of Seven

I would much rather hear a new Wolf Parade album, then another bizarre Sunset Rubdown single.

Side projects are not always bad. Sometimes they are AMAZING, and better than the original act. The best example I can come up with off the top of my head is The Postal Service. Ben Gibbard’s by-mail collaboration with Jimmy Tamborello has held up over time, and is (arguably) better than any album ever released by Death Cab for Cutie.

The case can be made for and against side projects all day long, but at the end of the day, I think artists should go the route of Ben Gibbard. Make one, solitary album that completely knocks critics out of their chair(s), while also knowing when to call it quits. Because, ultimately, if an artists strays too far from his flock, he will alienate his fan base (and probably his band mates as well.) This is why the Postal Service remains so awesome. They released one (1) album (which was incredible, and loved by fans and critics alike), and then went right back to creating music with Death Cab. Despite the (overwhelming) demand for a follow-up album, Ben Gibbard hasn’t budged. This is what makes a great artist. He knows how to toy with his audience (without upsetting them.) Ultimately, will there be a follow-up to 2003’s Give Up? Probably, yes. But in making us (the fans) wait so long, and by focusing on his primary band, Ben Gibbard has succeeded where Jack White has not: He created something amazing, took a step back, and went back to doing what his fans wanted – creating more albums with Death Cab for Cutie. I should probably also mention that Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley joined Ben Gibbard on vocals for this album – another successful side-act.)

Bravo.

Now let’s just hope that Mr. White “gets it” and the White Stripes‘ 7th album is better than their last effort (the progressive, experimental, and mediocre Icky Thump.) Also, let’s hope that the side projects end. Because, let’s be honest, The Dead Weather sucks, and will probably motivate tired acts like the Kings of Leon (who are already far too commercial) to set out on the side-act expedition (something that no one [see: the real fans] want.)

Final Note: Some of the best side-acts come from Canada. Leslie Feist (of Feist and Kings of Convenience, and formerly of Broken Social Scene and Wilco) is incredible.

So many “MCs” on the hustle nowadays … it’s a daunting task to filter through the riffraff and find the diamonds in the rough worth following. Rest assured though, that those diamonds do indeed exist: enter Alex Ludovico.

In his own words:

Hey. I’m Alex Ludovico, a MC from Chicago (by way of Gary, IN).  I’m submitting my newest album. It’s entitled The Reawakening. It’s a 10 song sprint through my psyche, with production from Blurry Drones (Douglas Martin of Fresh Cherries From Yakima/5 O’Clock Shadowboxers), D, Wildlife Production, and JD (relative younger producers all from Chicago), along with a few stolen tracks I kicked verses over. I hope that you get the chance to take a listen and notice something you like about it.

Manners matter to me, but mad flow matters a bit more in the game — Mr. Ludovico doesn’t disappoint with The Reawakening.

In my words: The intro, I’m Here Droogs, doesn’t get Ludovico’s foot in the door — it kicks down the door down; his rhymes kill any character confusion over an equally relentless White Stripes’ Icky Thump beat. The newcomer is “back from sabbatical/here to change the station, all the whack sh*tcha listenin’ to; New name so I’m feelin’ invincible.” (Mid-post pretense: if you know me you know I love dwelling in the contradictory; if you don’t know me, at least now you know that bit.) A self-proclaimed rookie coming back from hiatus — to kill the counterfeit constants in the game no less — comes out the cannon with a battle cry boasting invincibility; needless to say, nuff said. But wait; there’s more! If you’re — somehow — still unsure about the album’s directon or Ludovico’s demeanor after the first 30 seconds, wait 2 more and he’ll “explain it all like Clarissa.”

The Reawakening is a classic clash between titans: “Alex is the dark side, personified evil/Ludovico is the good, uplift the people.” Like yin and yang, the dark and good are distinct but dabble in one another’s tracks; like right and wrong, the dark and good walk a fine line and the black and white become grey; but like true “dark” and “good,” both inevitably balance each other out and it makes for a dead-on debut for this man from the Midwest.

Sonically, the album starts off banging (personally, my mind jumped straight to Baltimore club scene) then switches gears and eases into a more classic downtempo vibe. Sequencing is often overlooked, but when it isn’t the product is rarely sub-par: The Reawakening is proof. I’m Here Droogs to The Asphalt Jungle is prime time percolating club music. Right Cross is just that, the bridge from the club to the couch. Roaring 20s starts off the steady post-game music — you know the kind that has you rhythm-riding and head-bobbing the second the beat drops. The album eases on down the reawakened road, as Ludovico rhymes — at times showcasing a more toned-down flow — between vintage beats and vinyl overtones from 20s through the last track, 100 Milligrams.

Lyrically, the boy is banana sandwiches. His vocal mode is drenched in battle rap and freestyle; his emphasis is remnant of  the Slim Shady LP/Marshall Mathers LP — literally spitting lines. Continuing in the Eminem vein, Alex and Ludovico go “back and forth all day like Red and Meth” (and though he may or may not concur, he jokes when he says the best, “in the booth/but a lot of truth is said in jest”). In my humble opinion, the lyrical dark side is the first half (sans the intro): fun, witty, tongue-in-cheek, heavy on the club commentary, very “night out”-esque. I’d argue the lyrical “Alex” persona is the dark side because — even though the timbre is hard — the content is lighter. The post-Right Cross tracks are where Ludovico comes in to lyrically uplift the people. His tone may mellow out at times, but what he says resonates louder when not drowned out by how loudly he says it. I could be wrong though, after all Kanye said “They say I speak with so much emphasis/oooh they so sensitive;” either way, A. Ludo’s definitely got the Midwest on lock.

All this is to say: check out The Reawakening; it’s worth the listen — and he’s “by way of Gary, IN,” which means he’s practically the Jackson 6th.

Massive shout to the one and only Douglas Martin for pretty-much-amazing production on A Round of Anger: per usual

Watch this space: The Battle — some may call the rookie’s flow unseasoned and unprepared, I call it raw.

Para todos los que somos fans del dúo The White Stripes, tendremos próximamente un nuevo DVD de la banda, a pesar de que se había especulado que no sacarían nada hasta el próximo año, Jack White declaró que un documental de su gira del 2007 por Canadá saldrá a finales de este año.

En el mismo, se incluirán grabaciones nunca antes vistas de como viven en las giras, ensayan y se preparan para tocar, además de conocer un poco más la intimidad de la banda, que siempre ha sido una interrogante para muchos.

“No creo que quisiéramos filmarnos tal cuál reality show. Soy enemigo de esa manera de grabar la vida de alguien, se me hace ridículo el aspecto que el entretenimiento ha tomado estos días…”, declaró White a la prensa canadiense, pero añadió : “Cuando comenzamos, no sabíamos bien que queríamos hacer, así que dijimos, “ok, filma todo, a ver que sucede”".

Dentro del documental también se incluyen versiones en vivo que la banda hizo en la era de Icky Thump, donde se subían a transportes públicos, a lanchas, y se sentaban en bancas o en el pasto de parques públicos a tocar gratuitamente y para todo aquel que quisiera acercase.
Uno de estos recitales incluye cuando tocaron “Wheels On The Bus” y “Hotel Yorba” en un autobús.

“Creo que Meg y yo mostramos más de lo que nos habría gustado, pero esperamos que les guste a los que vean lo que hacemos para la creación de todo un tour y un álbum”, terminó diciendo Jack.

El nombre del documental y la fecha de lanzamiento aún están por anunciarse.

Aquí unas Fotografías de Tony Dawe de esa gira :

Yeeeiii! : D

A pesar de que llevan ya varios años en la cuerda floja (cuantas veces habremos oído ya lo de que los White Stripes se separan) Jack y Meg siguen superando las dificultades por las que pasan cuando están juntos y echándose de menos cuando se separan. Ahora amenazan con un nuevo disco que según el propio Jack podría ver la luz el año que viene.

Dice el vocalista que Meg está superando al fin los problemas de ansiedad que provocaron la cancelación de la gira de 2007, la de “Icky Thump”, lo cual está facilitando las cosas para que puedan volver al trabajo. De hecho, como confirma el propio White ya han empezado a grabar algunos temas:

“Hemos grabado un par de canciones en el estudio y hablamos de trabajar en el veranos, después de que Dead Weather (último proyecto paralelo de Jack) termine con sus shows”.

El grupo empezó a dar muestras de recuperación el pasado mes de febrero, cuando sus dos integrantes volvieron a pisar juntos un escenario, esta vez en el late night de Conan O’Brian. Recientemente, Jack se ha referido también a la causa de los problemas de Meg durante aquella gira de 2007:

“La gente no entiende en realidad. Creen que uno sale al escenario y la pasa increíble, como si estuvieras de fiesta. Pero nada que ver. Es trabajo duro estar de gira”

FUENTE: Agencias

Recentemente, discorrendo com um amigo sobre as duas bandas de Jack White, “The White Stripes” e a nova (mas nem tanto) “The Raconteurs”, me mantive conservador diante do projeto mais harmônico e menos barulhento do que o “antigo” grupo.
Sem dúvidas o refinamento musical dos Raconteurs sobre os Stripes é óbvio. Acredito que isso tenha acontecido por um amadurecimento de Jack White e, mais ainda, por não incluir no grupo a baterista e “vocalista” Meg White. Porém vejo nos White Stripes uma força que simplesmente não existe na nova banda. Mesmo a bateria nem-tão-bem-tocada de Meg dá ao antigo grupo um quê de experimental, uma força primordial e por isso mesmo cheia de mistérios e caminhos ainda não traçados. Até o último cd deles, “Icky Thump”, ainda se mantém fiel às experimentações e à sua força criadora. Enquanto isso, “The Raconteurs” mostra-se menos inovador, menos colorido e sem dúvida mais “quadradão” que a antiga banda.
Outra coisa é o visual da banda. Os Stripes com seu tema de “pepermint candy”, quase inocente. Porém as imagens são fortes e nada tem de delicadas ou infantis.

4º CD da banda – Elephant, 2003

1º CD da banda – Broken Boy Soldier, 2006

*Ambos os sites oficiais são, de qualquer maneira, muito interessantes:

The White Stripes

The Raconteurs

*Fica dica dos clipes (ambos com stop-motion):

Broken Boy Soldier

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