Help Us Stranger

In this age of auto tune and drum machines, those of us who like old-school rock and roll are grateful to Jack White, who puts out about an album a year with his various cohorts. This year The Raconteurs, who also count Brendan Benson, Patrick Keeler, and Jack Lawrence as members, have put out their third record and first in eleven years, Help Us Stranger, and it's great.

Every one of the twelve tracks is top notch. All but one were written by White and Benson, the exception a cover of a Donovan song ("Hey Gyp, Dig The Slowness"). The album kicks off with "Bored And Razed," which shows off lyric chops right away:

"Rolling a juke joint box in the corner
Trolling myself in the mirror at night
Keeping an eye on my grindstone future
Staying away from the left and the right"

Another goodie is "Only Child," which seems to be about a young man leaving home, with this bit of wit:

"Only child the prodigal son
Has come back home again to get his laundry done"

I also liked "Somedays (I Don't Feel Like Trying)," not only because the title speaks to me, but also because of this lyric:

"I've got so much to give
 I got a lot a heart
Yeah only trouble is it's doomed from the start"

The music is just straight ahead rock, with excellent musicianship on all parts, especially the guitar work of White and the drumming of Keeler. Listening to this record was realizing rock is not dead. Long live rock. Long live Jack White.