The Raconteurs

Broken Boy Soldiers

Related Content

• The Raconteurs Are Back!
  July 7, 2011
• That's Cool, Jack, But How About a Meg White Solo Album?
  January 31, 2012
• Five Weird Collabortions That Rival Jack White and ICP Song
  September 6, 2011
• Joy of Six
  October 6, 2011
• The White Stripes Break Up: Full Statement from the Band and Our Thoughts
  February 2, 2011

More About

• Jack White
• Ted Nugent
• Patrick Keeler
• Jimmy Page
• Jeff Beck

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Music Newsletter: Keep your thumb on the local music scene with music features, additional online music listings and show picks. We'll also send special ticket offers and music promotions available only to our Music Newsletter subscribers.

Privacy Policy Cancel Continue

Nothing personal, Meg, but working with new playmates has set Jack White free. "I'm through ripping myself off," he screeches on the title track. If you didn't catch that, he repeats, "I'm done ripping myself off." From the lighthearted ease that oozes from every track, it's obvious that White has finally found the perfect foil for his musical talents in Detroit-bred singer-songwriter Brendan Benson, and the rhythm section of the Greenhornes, Patrick Keeler and Jack Lawrence. In effortless, psychedelic metal-pop gems like "Hands" and "Steady, As She Goes," White shows that with the weight of fronting the White Stripes off his back, he need not be first amongst equals. While The Raconteurs may not have broken any new ground with their first album, they have managed to concoct a tasty brew of crunchy electric guitar power chords, bringing to mind the mid-'60s Yardbirds lineup that briefly featured Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, and the ballsy swagger of fellow son of Detroit Ted Nugent. For good measure, they even throw in a few sunshiny acoustic ballads like "Together" and "Yellow Sun." Hopefully, this too-short album (barely clocking in at just more than 30 minutes) isn't just a one-off sideline, but a signal of things to come.