About 40 million Italians love football. And about 20 million Italians find themselves "singing" that "oh oh oh oh" crap at the stadium to a tune that, for many (many) of them, is from a dance song by the M@D called "the concert", without having the slightest idea that this catchy tune is actually the most important guitar riff since that nice distorted guitar line played by Kurt Cobain at the beginning of "Smells like a teen spirit".
The author of this feat is Jack White, guitar, voice, mind, author, and producer of the White Stripes, with the Strokes being the most important rock sensation in a very (very) long time.
The song containing the riff is called "Seven Nation Army" and is one of the gems of an album that, despite some drops in tone in the midtempo tracks (like "Balls and Biscuits"), is a cornerstone of nu-rock. Let it be clear: the Stripes created nothing new. Their blues rock is played in a minimal (very minimal) way and with uncommon violence in modern rock, a sort of punk visceralness that makes that lo-fi aesthetic beautiful and original. The best tracks are the upbeat rock'n'rolls ("Black Math", "Girl you have no faith in medicine", "Hypnotize") and some definitely okay ballads ("I just don't know what to do with myself" and "I wanna be the boy to warm your mother's hearth").
A record to listen to and listen to again, because each time it will seem more beautiful. It might also seem to you that Jack and Meg don't know how to play and that the sound is too bare, but, in the end, you will realize that, for what they do and for their purpose, everything comes full circle.
The whole album is a drag, pieces that don’t even release a hint of the violence suggested by the blood-red cover.
Shit, pure shit... YOOAAAA.
Jack wisely decided to insert a second guitar in almost all the songs on this record, which makes the sound more pleasant while still remaining hard and raw garage rock!!!
The beautiful last track 'Well It’s True That We Love One Another' is sung by both Jack and Meg plus the third voice of Holly Golightly, which makes their bond increasingly unclear.
Simply creative geniuses at the service of strange, simple yet complete music.
The White Stripes limit themselves to hitting a crash to indicate entering the chorus, with excessive use of the timpani and bass drum played to keep time.
From the first track, Seven Nation Army, it’s clear that we’re in front of a quality work, with that bass riff that grabs you from behind and is already a classic.
This is a distinguished album, compact and lively like never before.