Freshly inspired and revved up in the wake of his highly successful sojourn with The Raconteurs, Jack White doubled back to his primary project alongside ex-wife Meg, brimming with a diverse range of ideas that have evolved into probably one of the duo’s most intense records to date. The title track itself sets the ball rolling in the right direction with its murky, grated blues riff, complete with pseudo-Prog keyboard wig-out and Jack’s signature left-of-centre vocal twist. It is the first of many eclectic tangents reflected on this record, many of them acerbic musical forays emblazoned with a guitar presence unprecedented in White Stripes’ history so far!

What is of particular note on Icky Thump (so named after a slang term used by Jack’s British wife) is the versatility this duo transmits; from Jack’s ever-changing vocal delivery to the multiple genres and instruments involved, the end result retains a significance that renders it not only interesting but rather engaging. The simple explanation behind the far-from-normal sound that the White Stripes produce is often put down to the access and/or availability of instruments, but this time, Jack has also made some extra effort, particularly towards getting the bagpipes on St. Andrew, possibly even the brass on the oddball Latino story/song, Conquest. Later, the Whites treat us to what is possibly the best track here, the garage-fuelled Rag And Bone, while the hazy backwater groove of Catch Hell Blues retraces Jack and Meg’s early day sound and brings it up to date! Nothing icky about this album! Great stuff, but you knew that already!

CD courtesy of Exotique