The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers (CD 2006)

Jack White has gotten a lot of mileage out of his limited palette. Sure, all that red and white looks striking, and the raw, co-ed blues setup has been fruitful enough to spawn a gaggle of imitators. But the real advantage of self-imposed limits is that the most minute change to White's formula appears gigantic-- consider the buzz that surrounded the introduction of black into his wardrobe circa Elephant's release.
With the White Stripes seemingly on hiatus, Jack White has the time and freedom to alter more than his visual aesthetic. Just in time, too, as both Elephant and Get Behind Me Satan revealed that Jack and Meg had backed their sound up against a wall. Our first exposure to Jack White's 2006 sound was the exploration of Abbey Road-like psychedelic orchestration in a song commissioned by Coca-Cola, his corporate brethren in barber-pole color schemes. Now comes a Midwest supergroup that includes fellow Michigander Brendan Benson and the rhythm section from I-75 commuters the Greenhornes.

Injecting new blood into his vampire persona would be beneficial to White's career, as would collaborating with another songwriter in Benson, working with an honest-to-god bassist and trained drummer, and generally being kept from succumbing to his own retro-obsession self-indulgences. On the other hand, the Raconteur recruits aren't exactly modern-minded themselves, with Benson being a devout merchant of power-pop and the Greenhornes traveling the same Nuggets-plundering path as the Stripes themselves. As a result, Broken Boy Soldiers isn't much of a departure, nudging White only a couple clicks over in his classic-rock worship.

Yet, as already established, forced perspective makes even these small steps appear as significant strides for Mr. White. It's there in lead single "Steady as She Goes", even though it's subtle; the improvements mostly come with hearing one of his compositions freed from the laboriously low-tech "realism" of the White Stripes' recent material. It's there even more in the album's title song, where tribal drums and an ominous bowed drone buttress White's valiant attempt at a passable Geddy Lee. Even the rote blues emulation of "Blues Vein" comes off more "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" than From the Cradle, saved from reenactment status by some backward-loop weirdness and film-noir production.

Credit White with allowing the Raconteurs to be a two-party system; though I've spent the review focusing on the head Stripe, Benson is an equal partner in this operation, and it's his power-pop rubric that largely dictates the sound of the album. Benson-sung songs like "Hands" and "Intimate Secretary" crackle with a Cheap Trick kind of charm, given extra heft by White's predilection for harder guitar sounds. "Store Bought Bones" might be the best merger of the assembled talents, featuring a distorted organ and manic slide-guitar that would be tired amidst a White Stripes record, but retains its zang here alongside a nimble rhythm section and Benson's understated vocals.

But tie on the celebrity blindfold, and Broken Boy Soldiers no longer seems like that much of an achievement-- just another case of men recreating their favorite vinyl deep cuts, if a bit more skillfully than most FM scrapbookers. The album may prove the Raconteurs to be more than just a vanity project, but still falls short of making enough of an impact to totally overshadow the components' origins. It may be refreshing like an ice-cold soda to see White t

I love Jack White and the raconteurs. It is a great album with the single steady as she goes on. I also wanted to hear the rest of the songs so i thought i would buy this album and the other raconteurs album - consolers of the lonely.

I bought this after already buying and falling in love with their next cd-Consolers Of The Lonely. Although I wouldnt part with either, I would say my favorite was the latter.

This album is one of my favourites and I've only listened to the whole thing all the way through a few times. I bought it after hearing the two singles they released from it which both are classic songs that I am sure will still be talked about in the future. The album is just as good, it doesn't disappoint on quality and variety of songs. I have always been a fan of the White Stripes but feel the Raconteurs have a more well rounded grittier sound.
Would definately recommend this album and the price that it came at was a steal!

The Raconteurs is a side-project; a break from the day job for four established musicians, most notably Jack White. These guys are not trying to change the world with ‘Broken Boy Soldiers’, they are merely enjoying themselves and this point seems to have been lost on some.

The album should not be judged in the context of other releases by White or Benson but be viewed for what it is; a great rock album – no more no less.

In just over 33 minutes the band rip through a dizzying range of styles. It almost feels like a potted history of rock. ‘Steady As She Goes’s loping bassline and quiet-loud guitar dynamic instantly recalls Pixies; ‘Hands’ is a grand guitar-pop number reminiscent of ‘Bends’-era Radiohead and the title track is mutant 70s blues-rock a la Led Zeppelin.

‘Intimate Secretary’ is a great indie-thrash track with superbly eccentric lyrics: ‘I gotta rabbit it likes to hop/I gotta girl and she likes to shop’ which make you smile until the band come out with: ‘I had an uncle but he got shot’. The smooth sound of ‘Together’ reminded me weirdly of ‘Easy’ by the Commodores, but that might be just me.

‘Store Bought Bones’ features a blast of squally guitars which would be quite at home on a Butthole Surfers track whilst the album closes with the bar-room blues of ‘Call It a Day’ and ‘Blue Veins’, the latter quite creepy and experimental.

The songwriting and musicianship are is of a very high standard throughout, all of the tracks are so different to each other but memorable in their own way. Love it, great fun.

I´m a huge White Stripes fan and when I found out Jack White was involed in this group. There was no question I I would buy it or not. A truly great CD.

I bought this because i'd see a Live show from the Raconteurs on the tv thought they were great.
This is a great album but not as good as their new release

Es un disco recomendable para el que le guste el rock con algo de pop. Me parecen muy buenas las dos primeras pistas ademas de "Level" que es muy original.

very happy with my purchase, I enjoy their music and wanted to buy their album! Item arrived in perfect condition

Great album - Great band!
I love Jack White in The White Strips and heard the song "Steady, As She Goes" and I just had to buy it!!

recommended+++++++++++ ,fast delivery, well packaged, cd and case in excellent condition when it arrived!!!!

This album is excellent in every way. I'm a big fan of the White Stripes, so bought this on the strength of Jack White's voice alone, and I wasn't let down or disappointed.

Every song is different and stands out in its own way, but the highlights must be the single "Steady as She Goes", "Hands" and "Intimate Secretary".

There isn't one duff song on this CD, and I never tire of playing it. Not like the White Stripes at all, but Jack White's voice, as ever, is distinctive and sells the songs well and gives them that "twist". I would recommend this CD to anyone that is partial to Jack's voice!

As a fan of the White Stripes I figured I would give the album a chance, and it was a good decision. The music is fantastic, whether a fan of the white stripes or not you should give this album a chance. The music is raunchy in parts, edgy in others, and somehow upbeat too to keep your feet tapping.

If this style of music is to your tastes then you should love the album. Just sit back and listen.

(If you are a fan of the White Stripes, just try to forget that half of the band is in the Raconteurs.. the music tastes much better that way, much more enjoyable!)