"Boy Broken Toy Soldier"

I'm supposed to like the White Stripes, aren't I? I mean, minimalist rock, right? Clif and I are about as minimalist as it gets (vocals and guitar, baby!). Blues and psychadelia blended into some good ol' fashioned straight-ahead rock. That's good, right? Strange, sometimes nonsensical lyrics. I listen to Dylan, don't I? Hell, I even like the Raconteurs.

I've never been able to bring myself to like their stuff, though. It's weird: something about them just rubs me the wrong way. I couldn't even begin to tell you what it is, though.

I think part of it is that they were supposed to be part of this pack of bands that were going to "save" rock and roll in the first couple of years of the 21st century. Them and the Strokes, and maybe the Hives and some other bands I don't remember and never liked. Can't stand the Strokes. I tried, I really did. I bought Room on Fire, which everyone said was a fantastic album, and I barely got through it once. Couldn't handle it. Too murky. Too bland. The vocals were pushed so deep into the mix that the guy might as well not have even been singing (if you could even call it that). Granted, when I read the lyrics in the liner notes, the inability to hear/understand the words didn't seem like such a bad thing.

But no, I don't think I've ever really cared for the White Stripes. I've tried, Lord knows. I watched a couple of their videos, downloaded their cover of Dylan's "One More Cup of Coffee (The Valley Below)" (which hurt. It really, really hurt), tried to listen to one of their albums...I just couldn't do it. Sad, really, 'cause I'm sure there's something in there worth something.

~chuck

Song of the Moment: The Raconteurs, "Hands"