Track Listing

1. Jimmy The Exploder
2. Stop Breaking Down
3. The Big Three Killed My Baby
4. Suzy Lee
5. Sugar Never Tasted So Good
6. Wasting My Time
7. Cannon
8. Astro
9. Broken Bricks
10. When I Hear My Name
11. Do
12. Screwdriver
13. One More Cup Of Coffee
14. Little People
15. Slicker Drips
16. St. James Infirmary Blues
17. I Fought Piranhas

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4310 in Music
• Released on: 2001-11-26
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Their self-titled debut, The White Stripes, is probably the rawest album to date from Meg and Jack. With their own stomping version of blues classic "Stop Breakin' Down" (Robert Johnson), the passionate railings of "The Big 3 Killed My Baby" and the sudden blues breakdown of "When I Hear My Name", this is the Stripes in their most shambolic, inspired state. Much of the album may be Jack launching full tilt into Robert Plant "whooping" mode (see "Jimmy the Exploder" in particular), but there are also a couple of slow, dark ballads such as Dylan's "One More Cup of Coffee" and the eerie tale of "St James Infirmary". Culminating in one of their most popular songs, the childlike "Little People" ("There's a little girl with the red shoes on/hello!") The White Stripes is yet further evidence that if you want to take rock music forward you really don't need to spend your time fiddling with samples or drum machines. --Caroline Butler

Customer Reviews

Thank God For The White Stripes.
All Hail The White Stripes!

Just as I was starting to lose faith in music, beginning to think that originality was dead and buried, I finally discover the White stripes. One guitar, one drum kit. That's it. The bare bones of music. De Stjil is widely regarded as The White Stripes finest hour, but I have always had a preference for this album. It has a more rough and ready feel to it, the rythyms just a little more brutal, it rocks just a little bit more.

The only weak track on the entire album is "the big three killed my baby" which I'm not overly keen on, but other than that, this is faultless music. I have run out of superlatives to lay upon the duo, The White Stripes are surley the saviours of real rock 'n' roll.

ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod
Anyone who thinks The Strokes are the future of guitar music think again. I first heard about this band on holiday last August when everyone was being told they were a brother/sister combo. They're not of course, but it doesn't matter what relation they are - this is most stunningly adrenaline-filled band in a long long time. Combine Hendrix-esque solos, Clapton's blues and a voice at times like a cat being dragged through a lawnmower(but in a beautiful way). Add some 'Stones and Dylan covers, bump up the tempo 1000% and you've got this stunning debut album. From the opening "Jimmy..." thru "Breaking Down" and "The Big Three..." its clear this album is very special indeed. It has its mellower moments - "Do" and the Dylan cover "One more cup of coffee" being notable, but for me this revolves around tracks like "Broken bricks" and the sensational "Screwdriver". The closest anyone I've heard get to Hendrix, but, I hope, with enough mass-appeal to make them popular today. Even better than White Blood Cells, I hope this doesn't suffer for preceding it, cos it's simply fantastic. Words can't come close to doing this album justice - you must buy it NOW!!!

an excellent debut
Debuts don't get much better than this. It's impossible to describe the power these two siblings from detroit have, and even the ones who don't like the White Stripes have to admit that they make a hell of a noise for two people. Admittedly, Meg is not the best drummer in the world, but fans will know that this was the desired sound that Jack chose, and any lack in drumming ability is replaced by a great ability in guitar playing and songwriting on Jacks part. It's hard to recomend a particular song from this album, they all deserve credit. Favorites for me include the opening song 'Jimmy the exploader' for its simplicity and hell raising amplitude, 'The big three killed my baby' for similar reasons, and 'St. James infirmary blues' which has to be heard to be truely appreciated. Another favorite is 'When I hear my name', the riff seems to lodge itself in your head, and you will find yourself humming it for days. Credit must also be given to their cover of Bob Dylans 'One more cup of coffee'. On every track Jacks unique voice soars over his raw guitar riffs, whilst Meg beats anthemically. It's true that Jack has one of the best voices in rock, yet he doesnt seem to realise. After listening to this album I am kicking myself for not realising this band sooner. It is easily their best album simply because it is their first. It is totally unblemished from the world of comercialisation and pop critics that nit pick every technical detail. It is raw and powerfull rock music at its best. In one word: Awesome.