The White Stripes - Elephant
[XL Recordings]

With The Strokes taking time off to record their new album, The White Stripes step comfortably into their shoes as the new 'saviours of rock' (how many has there been in the last three years..), with this, their fourth studio album to date, 'Elephant'. Definitely their most complete and polished album which, surprisingly was recorded in only ten days flat. Album opener and future single 'Seven Nation Army', is easily the strongest track on here, a fierce heavy guitar chopped up and distorted with Meg's pounding drums. It's a cracking catchy pop tune and will no doubt be a commercial success.

Compared to their previous work, this album seems long winded and drags a tad, especially near the end. Live favourite 'I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself' sounds weak and pointless, it's more suited to say, White Blood Cells. Mumbly affairs such as 'In The Cold Cold Night' don't help the cause either, a simple quiet bluesy guitar with Meg White whispering over the top. 'You've Got Her In Your Pocket' is so under produced it sounds like an outtake or a four track home recording, which compared to the full on production of other tracks, doesn't suit the overall feel of the album.

'Ball and Biscuit' could be your local pub band of forty somethings, a seven minute fret wank with a basic drum pattern as they try to capture 'real blues'. Track 9 is a rehashed 'Seven Nation Army', only lacking any melody. 'Hypnotise' sounds like anything from White Blood Cells and will go down well with their fanbase while 'The Air Near My Fingers' could be the band's next single, it's highly infectious and classic Stripes. Closer 'It's True That We Love One Another' is awful though, really it is. As Jack and Meg share vocals over a piano led strummed track, it's tacky and irrelevant.

Over produced and too heavy in parts and purposely lo-fi in others, still not a patch on their excellent 'De Stijl' album. There's only so many times a band can keep producing the same formula before people lose interest, this could well be their last successful release.