White Blood Cells

( 20 )

Editorial Reviews

Barnes & Noble - David Sprague
Anyone can grab something off a thrift store rack and call it fashion, but it takes a lot of chopping and channeling to create genuine style. Detroit's White Stripes have style for miles and miles -- and not just in their candy-cane threads. The boy-girl duo, often lumped together with skronk-blues minimalists like Jon Spencer, are too slippery to fit into that pigeonhole. Yes, there's a bit of fuzzed-out Zeppelin and a lot of Willie McTell in the shiver-inducing "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground," but deep indigo is only one of the colors in Jack and Meg White's palette. The pouty garage-stomp "Fell in Love with a Girl" tracks glam footprints everywhere it frugs, ...
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Editorial Reviews

Barnes & Noble - David Sprague
Anyone can grab something off a thrift store rack and call it fashion, but it takes a lot of chopping and channeling to create genuine style. Detroit's White Stripes have style for miles and miles -- and not just in their candy-cane threads. The boy-girl duo, often lumped together with skronk-blues minimalists like Jon Spencer, are too slippery to fit into that pigeonhole. Yes, there's a bit of fuzzed-out Zeppelin and a lot of Willie McTell in the shiver-inducing "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground," but deep indigo is only one of the colors in Jack and Meg White's palette. The pouty garage-stomp "Fell in Love with a Girl" tracks glam footprints everywhere it frugs, while the voice-and-drum "Little Room" -- one of the most succinct, self-aware descriptions of an artistic career arc you'll ever hear -- explodes in blood-red tones. The duo's appeal is more than just ear-deep, though. Singer/guitarist Jack White projects -- through both his mottled yelp and his guileless lyrics -- a yearning vulnerability that's eerily reminiscent of Kurt Cobain. You can hear it plainly in the gentle elementary-school amble of "We're Going to Be Friends," but also in the subtly affecting loss-of-innocence rave "I'm Finding It Harder to Be a Gentleman." And by the time he's finished muttering, moaning, and whispering through the despondent "The Union Forever," you'll not only get the message he's sending, you'll feel it so deeply that you'll want to deliver it by hand.
All Music Guide - Heather Phares
Despite the seemingly instant attention surrounding them -- glowing write-ups in glossy magazines like Rolling Stone and Mojo, guest lists boasting names like Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson, and appearances on national TV -- the White Stripes have stayed true to the approach that brought them this success in the first place. White Blood Cells, Jack and Meg White's third effort for Sympathy for the Record Industry, wraps their powerful, deceptively simple style around meditations on fame, love, and betrayal. As produced by Doug Easley, it sounds exactly how an underground sensation's breakthrough album should: bigger and tighter than their earlier material, but not so polished that it will scare away longtime fans. Admittedly, White Blood Cells lacks some of the White Stripes' blues influence and urgency, but it perfects the pop skills the duo honed on De Stijl and expands on them. The country-tinged "Hotel Yorba" and immediate, crazed garage pop of "Fell in Love With a Girl" define the album's immediacy, along with the folky, McCartney-esque "We're Going to Be Friends," a charming, school-days love song that's among Jack White's finest work. However, White's growth as a songwriter shines through on virtually every track, from the cocky opener "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" to vicious indictments like "The Union Forever" and "I Think I Smell a Rat." "Same Boy You've Always Known" and "Offend in Every Way" are two more quintessential tracks, offering up more of the group's stomping riffs and rhythms and us-against-the-world attitude. Few garage rock groups would name one of their most driving numbers "I'm Finding It Harder to Be a Gentleman," and fewer still would pen lyrics like "I'm so tired of acting tough/I'm gonna do what I please/Let's get married," but it's precisely this mix of strength and sweetness, among other contrasts, that makes the White Stripes so intriguing. Likewise, White Blood Cells' ability to surprise old fans and win over new ones makes it the Stripes' finest work to date.
Rolling Stone - Pat Blashill
At a time when lots of folks would argue that rock is dead, a White Stripes ditty like the raging "I'm Finding It Harder to Be a Gentleman" actually sounds quite undead, like a love zombie or some other unstoppable monster.

At a time when lots of folks would argue that rock is dead, a White Stripes ditty like the raging "I'm Finding It Harder to Be a Gentleman" actually sounds quite undead, like a love zombie or some other unstoppable monster.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 7/1/2008
  • Label: Warner Bros / Wea
  • UPC: 093624984306
  • Catalog Number: 512136
  • Sales rank: 3,392

Album Credits

Performance Credits
The White Stripes Primary Artist
Meg White Drums, Background Vocals
Jack White Guitar, Piano, Vocals
Technical Credits
Fred Kevorkian Mastering
Stuart Sikes Engineer
Meg White Composer
Jack White Composer, Producer
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 5
( 20 )
Rating Distribution

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(17)

4 Star

(3)

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Sort by: Showing all of 20 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    A mix of styles with a great end result!!!

    Like reviewers before I love the freshness the White Stripes bring to rock music. They gather up all types and styles of music to create a one of a kind type of album. Dead leaves and the Dirty ground is one of my favorite songs from the 'stripes and hotel yorba is a fun loving sing along song .As you plunge deeper into the album the sound becomes deeper and you get to hear more of Jack's song writing talents.From the mcartney like ,we're going to be friends to offend in every way ,where Jack answers questions about his recent popularity saying "With wealth and fame he's still the same I bet you five your not alive if you don't know his name" Although I could not call it their finest work I would recommend you buy this album after you buy their first album White stripes, White stripes.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    An amazing band

    Finally, something that doesn't sound the same. It's great to hear a band that rely's on pure talent. White Blood Cells is a must buy!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    THE WHITE STRIPES ARE ROCK ROYALS!!!!!!!!

    The White stripes are REALLY great!!! Jack has a really nice voice. Meg is one good drummer. Chick Drummers Rock!!! A two piece band is really cool and really rare. They are great performers, they have GREAT fashion, and good writing ability. Rock On Dudes!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    THE ABSOLUTE BEST

    this is the BEST band in the world. i have all of their cd's, but this one and elephant are the best. you must try them. THEY RULE!!!!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    BREATH OF FRESH MUSIC

    After hearing "Fell in love with a Girl," for about the two-hundredth time, I decided to go out and by the album, "White Blood Cells," by the White Stripes. It was a breath of fresh music. White Stripes music is an almost unexplainable kind. Listening to the album, I could hear hints of Santana, The Rolling Stones, as well as many other groups, but their sound is unique and all their own. If your looking for something new, and tired of the same old rock groups that seem to spill out each month, give this album a try, you won't be dissappointed!!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Wow!

    I first heard of this group in the last MTV Music Awards thinking "Oh God, another piece of garbage MTV is trying to shove down my throat" and after hearing this album I surprised at the horrible job they've done to promote the White Stripes. This band Rocks!!! Example: I thought I'd first be dead if I ever sang along to a country song, and after listening to "Hotel Yorba" I'm gonna have to reconsider. You'd think that the band would be very limited without a bass player, but they sound very good anyway.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Stripes are gods

    A wicked album by a wicked band. You will love every song just like I do. Jack White is a total genius. Definitely one great cd which will leave you wanting more. Totally awesome, I love it!!!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    2's company, 3's a crowd

    Okay, will someone explain to me how on earth Jack White gets such a full, rich sound without a bassist? Is he cheating? Does he have a magical guitar? I don't know, but the fact that this band is comprised of only 2 members is simply astonishing. They get more sound out and more creativity out of 2 musicians than the Strokes do out of 5.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Splendidly unique

    I consider myself a music snob and a fundamentalist. My favorite bands are the Beatles and Pink Floyd in large part because they created genres. In order to do that you must have true music in your soul. These guys are coming dangerously close to being lumped in with the likes of these bands. As I listened to the album for the first time and absolutely bathed in the rawness and boldness, I kept thinking of only one possible album to compare it to...The White Album. Now, I'm not saying these guys are the Beatles, I'm just saying it is rare these days to have that kind of musical individuality. Great album.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Finally - An album that matters

    This album is what Rock and Roll is all about. The comparison of Jack White to Kurt Cobain is entirely accurate. With the Strokes, the Hives, and The White Stripes garage punk has come to save the rock and roll world.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    stripes rock

    best cd i have bought since rage's first cd nirvana nevermind nin pretty hate machine. Love these guys.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    They Found That Sound

    Just amazing...Their songs prove that rock indeed still has a foothold in its original form while also listeners of many different preferred genres of music can all enjoy their music.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    The White Stripes.

    this is a really great album. it has been the only thing i've been listening to lately.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Good job Charlie Brown

    White Blood Cells is a great album. The missing bass player is almost not missed on these guitar and drum ditties that proudly display influences ranging from Charles Johnson style stomp and blues to Sabbath like sludge. This disk is full of great songs that will leave anyone humming

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    THE Stars and stripes!

    Nobody on CD I have ever heard (apart from the strokes) sound so refreshingly different. Some magazines and newspapers say that this is the band who are going to save rock n'roll for ever. How right they are. Bravo to all the journalists who have praised this band to Jesus. The question I want to know is are the white stripes better than the strokes? Well although they are both brilliant bands and significantly different to each other, I would have to say personnally The White stripes. I haven't got the other two albums, but i do proudly own white blood cells. Something different from all this normal boring nu metal. It's sprout!!!! nu metal that is not the white stripes. Three cheers to the white stripes... Hip Hip.. (Repeat till fade)

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 2, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 30, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 1, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 3, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 3, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

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