A defining songwriting talent of his generation and frontman of genuine star quality, Jack White has been sorely underestimated by DiS in previous lives.
But even his most vociferous of critics would be hard-pushed to fault the guy’s talent for self-promotion. From the candy-striped colour schemes to the album sleeve symbolism and carefully-cultivated ambiguity about the nature of his relationship with Meg, this is a band that’s succeeded in bringing its public to them, not the other way around. When you consider that some would rather just manually relieve the homeless to achieve their fame, this is no small achievement.
They also know the importance of putting out a killer lead single – from the throwaway brilliance of ‘Hotel Yorba’ to the guitar apocalypse of ‘Seven Nation Army’, and on to the superlative robotic funk of ‘Blue Orchid’, it’s hard to think of anyone who does first impressions better than The White Stripes.
Or at least until now: much as it pains me to admit it, ‘Icky Thump’ might be a bit shit. It’s not without its charms; namely, the usual heavy rock pyrotechnics, splashy drums and an electric, finger-pointin’ lyric that switches from political allegory to tub-thumping state-of-the-nation address (“Who’s using who? What should we do? Well you can’t be a pimp and a prostitute too”) with a sleight of Jack’s pasty white hand.
But ultimately ‘Icky Thump’ comes a cropper because it possesses none of the economy of writing which makes those aforementioned singles great. Instead, we get some horrible stylophone solos noodling like bagpipes over a couple of haphazardly cobbled-together classic rawk hooks. It’s like being given a dead arm by a hefty Scot.
The radio edit also suffers from a rather undignified fade-out at a seemingly arbitrary point in the song’s plodding progress, shuffling off its coil where once it might have ended on a crashing power-chord.
More of a leaden thud than an icky thump, then. Let’s hope Jack gets his mojo back in time for the imminent new album. Rock's a poorer place without him.
Watch the video here
i like this
8 probably, their singles are always bonza. albums not so bonza, not so bonza at all.
This song is the shit
so much so that all other shit cowars and hides away from this song!
8.758473744/10 <--- very precise review score
...sounds like
lenny kravitz. yuk.
Another crap single review!
After LCD yesterday I thought you'd get this one right. This is a great song and I'm looking forward to album and Wirless.
There's
no getting it 'right' to be fair. But yeah, I like it more than a 6.
Do me Jack
I think it's an absolute gem, even by their high standard.
8/9 out of 10.
Fact.
Jack off!
I've heard it twice and think it's a blinder.
There are so few bands (historically) that can be 'one of the biggest bands in the world', whilst consistantly making such brilliant records.
History will judge them kindly and they should be cherished.
another...
...fan of the song. 8/10 for me.
eh?
What the hell is wrong with you? Thump by name, thumper by nature, this is a corker. And after the LCD slating the other day, i'm thinking of blaming you in the suicide note.
refreshing
Interesting, I like this, but I'm glad to read that opinions can differ, and be allowed to.
I haven't actually
heard the song yet, but I'm wondering if I'm the only person who's getting rather tired of Jack White's ubiquitousness... I decided I'd had enough of it after Elephant. Then came the Raconteurs (sorry, that ought to be Onegoodsongteurs)... but frankly, the coke ad was the last straw.
alternative review here
http://www.audioscribbler.co.uk/reviews/thewhitestripesickythump.htm
its not brilliant but hey. always nice to have two views.
not heard the song
... but don't think there is anything wrong with the review. It's quite well written.
i think
this song is great!! really surprised by the sound, the newish direction they seem to have taken works for them.
still prefer the raconteurs though!!
I think 6....
...Might be a bit generous. Even as a Stripes fan, this is prime 'Do Not Want' crap.
Good review by the way. Ignore the stick, Alex
i just heard this
it gets WTF?!? out of 10
Hmmm
Technically it's not the lead-off single either, it's coming out after Rag & Bone
As soon as I saw this in the singles review section...
I knew that I'd be seeing a 4-6 score at the bottom when I clicked the link; despite the brilliance of the song. The inevitability of DiS's reviews of larger bands are beginning to get tiresome.
DiS you're getting far too predictable...
i love it
lots, its brilliant.
this song is da bomb
"white americans... why don't you kick yourself out you're an immigrant too"
lyrics of the year
i'd have given it 9 out of 10 but Alex Denney is entitled to his opinion even if it is blantantly wrong
Is he meant to sound like Slim Shady spouting out over crap?
Mission accomplished. I totally agree with Alex. This is an awful lead single, gives me no idea of what the album might sound like - apart from that it might sound like this sort-of thing in places. Its not simple or nice enough, and its not nasty or dirty enough. Its not cheeky enough. Its not massive enough. And most of all it's not cool enough. Who the fuck is this band? It certainly is not the white stripes. Having a shave and dressing in a red outfit you havnt worn for 4 years is not the right way to get back to your Detroit roots. Neither is listening to the Marshall Mathers LP and spitting pimp lingo.
Denny is (almost) exactly right here
Icky Thump is definately not 7NArmy...not even close. I wanted to like it - the same way I'm still hanging in there (barely) with SP Tarantula - but this song is WS gone cock rock crap.
I woulda given it a five, but Farewell_My_Lovely is also right ...which pisses me off even more. 4/10
last 2 comments...
...are full of shit, first of all who the fuck wants another seven nation army, i personally prefer when bands don't just re-write their old hits, and Farewell just seems to want a song that's going to be the same as every other song on the album, this is a class track i've heard 3 others as well and they all rock, i'm glad they've come out with this after some of the tat that ended up on Get Behind Me Satan
this
is a good song - never been their biggest fan but this is a stomper.
farewell my lovely -
this song sounds nothing like seven nation army, and if you think he sounds in any respect like marshall mathers or that he spits pimp lingo then you need to get out around 8 mile more pal.
great song, rhythmically interesting, sounds beautiful. Good effort.
Good effort?
That's what a teacher writes in your exercise book when your a nice kid but your work is shite. Right?
If this single is what you were looking for FUCKING A' as Tony Soprano might say. But i shant be listening to it again through choice.
I didn't want more of the same.
I didn't want another Seven Nation Army.
I don't know exactly what i wanted.
But i really don't want this.
nah -
i like it but it's not fucking A. It is better than some people give it credit. It has a damn cool groove going on, definitely not as 'straight up' as some of their other shit.
honestly...
Can you get away with saying this is "a bit shit"? Does that pass for journalism these days? He's got a point though. It actually is a bit shit.
i did feel a ...
sense of laziness, especially when old jacky boy throws away a lyric with 'la la la la la lalala...' as if he meant to stick some more confrontational, socio-political gems in there, but just didn't get around to doing it, but those lines about the americans/immigration/pimp/prostitute are amazing! and damn it, that fuzzy guitar gets me every time, i'm such a wimp for those bluesy breakdowns.
Sounds...
quite good to me. Not their best song ever but nowhere near their worst.
How attractive has Meg gone in this video?