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May 16 2008
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Elly Roberts reviews
The Raconteurs: Consolers Of The Lonely
Distributed by
Third Man/XL Recordings
- March 2008
- Rating: 6/10
- Vote and comment on this album:
Confused second, from supposed purveyors of classic 70s rock.
Consolers Of The Lonely in no way matches up to the brilliance of
their debut album, though it does have its moments, but they lack the directness
of its predecessor. Its most worrying aspect is that it’s lost its ‘classic
rock’ remit, now sounding more like a more expanded White Stripes.
Their debut opened with sexy rocker Steady As She Goes which became the
hook for the remainder of the album that had instant appeal. That kind of hook
isn’t here sadly and the album takes time to get going. This one has been conceived
'on the road’ apparently, and I can’t help feeling a bigger gap was needed before
entering the studio.
Much of this could have been left on the studio floor, like Hold Up, Top
Yourself, and the overblown Five On The Five. Attention is a bit
of a duff track too, and totally pointless. In this case, it would’ve been less
is more – it’s a whopping 14 tracks don’t forget. Brendan Benson and Jack White
share the songwriting credits, but it has all the hallmarks of White’s baby.
White still has a big thing about Led Zep, so inevitably we get some monster
riffs and wailing guitar solos.
There are also moments when you think Jack has forgotten which band he’s in,
shown on the thumping title track with Jack doing his typical vocal gymnastics.
It’s much the same kind of the adrenalin rush for Salute Your Solution,
though there’s some heavy funk and wild solos thrown in for good measure.
You Don’t Understand is a different ball game. Clunking piano opens the
more measured and disciplined soft-rock ballad, while Jack drops some deft
Page like twisted ripples. Countrified Old Enough is most welcome totally
dispatching any Stripes shadows. Latin flavoured is like an Icky Thump
leftover. Masses of brass provided by the Memphis Horns, and yes, some
ear-piercing White solos.
Further-in Pull This Blanket Off is a damp squib, though Rich Kids Blues
with '60s style organ at the mid point is the album’s jewel and could well be
their next concert anthem. The crescendo is mind-blowing. When they strike
this kind of form they’re sensational, but it doesn’t happen often enough over
the entire album. It’s never a good idea rushing the ‘second’ album as it invariably
defines a band even if its nearly two years since Broken Boy Soldiers.
File under: Back to the drawing board – please.
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Consoler Of The Lonely
2. Salute Your Solution
3. You Don’t Understand Me
4. Old Enough
5. The Switch And The Spur
6. Hold Up
7. Top Yourself
8. Many Shades Of Black
9. Five On The Five
10.Attention
11. Pull This Blanket Off
12. Rich Kid Blues
13. These Stones Will Shout
14. Caroline Drama
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Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2008.
For prints of any of Elly's concert pics online,
email Elly
or call 07765 862017.
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