The Raconteurs weren’t a ‘real’ band in the sense that, say, Radiohead or Beck are ‘real’ bands. The members were all established veterans in the music world and enjoyed successful careers – to relative extents – outside of the group before The Raconteurs idea was even dreamed up. In other words, they were all well past that urgent ‘do-or-die’ part of their own careers. They became the accidental supergroup that was borne out of friendship and mutual respect for superb musicianship. Even with all the supergroups around nowadays, I just don’t think Jack White could be associated with the term ‘trend-follower’ (or trendwhore, like us….). They didn’t set out to make the next big thing, tacky reality tv show and all, they just wanted to experiment with music and have fun being awesome. The result was a confident debut that had absolutely nothing to prove to anyone but ended up putting the band on the map with its meld of, as they called it, “shimmering pop melodies and firecracker blues.” This was a debut from a band that didn’t care if you liked them or not, but knew you would anyways.

So what would you expect from a group that, after such a massive and hugely successful breakout album and tour, comes back brimming with energy and ideas and confidence and enthusiam to record a follow-up? Something even better than the first, probably. The reaction to Broken Boy Soldiers was probably a bit a surprise to the band, a lucky fluke even, but this time around their aim is to keep the buzz going. The Raconteurs are sitting right at the very top of their game right now, and it’s no surprise that they were so impatient in getting their second album, Consolers of the Lonely, into our ears without delay. The Raconteurs don’t just sound like Jack White and Brendan Benson playing together anymore. They sound like The Raconteurs, and they’re excited about it. Read on after the jump….

Consolers of the Lonely sheds the typical happy-poppy Benson tune reinforced by White’s hard-hitting riffs and rhythms. They go way beyond that, showing just how much even veterans can mature as songwriters with the right kind of chemistry. Notably, Benson brings in a puncher style, drawing heavily from 70’s classic rock. With its slow steady beat, piano, and vocal harmonies, “You Don’t Understand Me” could have come straight off a Wings album, complete with a cool outtro jam. They channel monster Who-like riffs on tracks like “Hold Up” and “Attention”. But the album isn’t all retro: they break out crowd-pleasing indie rock on “Salute Your Solution”, not the best track on the album but an unsurprising first single for its high energy. Always one to add something a little different, musically-A.D.D. White even takes a bit of a stab at a vinyl-scratching vocal style on the title track and adds his oft-used tempo change trick for more effect. “The Switch and the Spur” is pretty much a laid-back Sublime song, but with cool-sounding horns. The album as a whole is like a music smoothie, blending the best of decades of rich musical heritage: it sounds fresh and original but you can always hear the distinct hint of country, metal, Mississippi blues, folk, pop…. the list goes on. A raconteur, by the way, is a master storyteller, and no other track on the album earns that title for the band more than “Carolina Drama”, a burning song that bring a violent southern folk story to life with quivery shotgun vocals and a dramatic country-blues arrangement.

With its promising sound and short tracklist, Broken Boy Soldiers left fans eagerly waiting for more. The band having a little bit more to prove this time, Consolers of the Lonely delivers with bigger everything. Bigger production, bigger riffs, bigger melodies, bigger horn section (The Memphis Horns, only the coolest horn section to have ever existed), bigger sound. The Raconteurs are as real as they come. Can’t wait for the tour.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS