White Stripes

Icky Thump - 2007

After eight years into the music business, Jack and Meg White remain at the top of their craftmanship. And on their seventh studio album as the White Stripes, no one seems more surprised by this than them—they open the record with a bemused declaration of "Who'da thunk?" on the burning, riff-heavy title track. During the ensuing 48 minutes, they amp up the guitar attack to levels not seen since 2003's "Elephant." That means plenty of electric blues-inspired rock ("Bone Broke," "Rag and Bone," "Catch Hell Blues")—something largely absent on 2005's somber piano- and folk-dominated "Get Behind Me Satan." Jack also mixes in more humor and a batch of new playful influences, ranging from the speed metal-ish "Little Cream Soda," to mariachi horns on the cover of Patti Page's "Conquest," to the bagpipes of "Prickly Thorn, Sweetly Worn." The Stripes have never had so much fun.

White Stripe - Icky Thump tracklisting

Icky Thump

You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)

300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues

Conquest

Bone Broke

Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn

St. Andrew (This Battle Is In The Air)

Little Cream Soda

Rag And Bone

I'm Slowly Turning Into You

A Martyr For My Love For You

Catch Hell Blues

Effect And Cause