Bigger Than An Elephant

How do you follow up a classic record from a band that has managed to do nothing less than materialize the ultimate middle finger to cheesy pop punk and over-expansive new metal? Jack Whites answer: steer farther away from whatever mainstream audience the White Stripes taken from 2003's masterpiece Elephant. The result is this perfectly even, bizzaro, country meets garage soul record. If they were closer to the punk of bands like X or even blues lovers Led Zeppelin on Elephant, they have much more in common with Creedance Clearwater Revival now. "Blue Orchid" is an instant dancy smash, with a single multi-layered riff over drum styles that would bring a smile to Phil Rudd's face. "My Doorbell" introduces Jack White's new best friend- a piano dipped in rant and soul. His old raunchy classic blues dipped in hellish distortion returns for tracks like "Instinct Blues" and "Red Rain", that keep Elephant fans interested but not satisfied. Their return to the styles of De Sijtl and White Blood Cells show they have no desire to respect whatever new following they've gained since their names first graced the pages of Spin and Rolling Stone. And breaking promises has never seemed so freaking cool when it's Jack White doing the breaking.