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 - Rock is back!I knew I would be seeing this band at Lollapalooza so I checked them out beforehand. All I knew was that Jack White was in the band, and I had never been a big fan of the White Stripes, but the collaboration with Brenden Benson (the other main singer) and the other musicians turned out to be a godsend! This album is incredible, I haven't stopped listening to it since I bought it nearly a month ago. I highly recommend it to anyone, especially anyone who thinks rock is dead. Rating:  - The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely 8.5/10Indie supergroup the Raconteurs, consisting of Jack White, Brendan Benson, and the Greenhornes' rhythm section, released Consolers of the Lonely a week before its release, doing away with pretty much any pre-release media hype, and the album's raw, bluesy sound reflects this choice. Unlike their debut, Broken Boy Soldiers, their latest does away with any attempt at musical exploration, with guitarist White cranking the amp to 11 on every song and the rhythm section running a tight ship. The title track is a refreshing blast of guitar freakout and anthemic drum pounding, and single "Salute Your Solution" only continues to up the energy with a funky bass line and White's wild yelping. Benson's and White's lyrical matchups populate the lyrics with desperate tales of outlaws and love, and the album's energy refuses to flag, switching from New Orleans-style horn riffs to White Stripes-esque stadium guitar antics to a bouncy harmonica/fiddle solo on "Old Enough." Consolers of the Lonely aims the Raconteurs down a single path paved with simple rock `n roll, and in doing so produces a hell of a lot more fun than they'd ever before recorded. Rating: - Might be a classic!"COTL" is a fantastic rock record with plenty of grit and a genuine groove in spots. I hear a little of 70s prog-rock in several of the tracks (as if YES did an impromptu pub gig with John Bohnam sitting in). I love the clever tempo shifts and there are plenty of blues-rooted guitar riffs to set the whole thing alight. I rarely step up to write album reviews but, this one? I dig it, big time! Rating: - The Raconteurs - Consolers of the LonelyConsolers of the Lonely (2008, XL Recordings) The Raconteurs' second studio album. **** The first listen is actually a bit challenging, and for a band that you have to love, it's honestly scary. However, once you rewind and try again, all the beautiful little parts come out and come together, forming a solid album. When you go back and listen to Broken Boy Soldiers, you think maybe that's how their supposed to sound and that Consolers of the Lonely is a step backwards or in the wrong direction since it's much more focused on hard rock. That isn't the case. Jack White was born to play the blues, and while the White Stripes may be a way for him to do a practically one-man minimalist show, the Raconteurs is a band. White may be the most important factor, but when you listen you can't imagine him playing with anyone else. Benson proves he can sing, lead or harmony, as well as shred his guitar like White. Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler are an outstanding rhythm section that is reminiscent of John Paul Jones and John Bonham. All four members of the band are unique, all are excellent at what they play, and the Raconteurs wouldn't be the same if one of them was missing. Not every track is a gem, but the opening hard blues rockers "Consoler of the Lonely" and "Salute Your Solution" show that the band had finally accepted embracing their hard rock influences, having the appeal and sound of White Stripes tracks but with a much warmer and full sound. "Old Enough" is a southern rock/folk number that really swings, the album's finest moment. Lawrence creates a very Entwhistle-esque bassline, and the fiddle and organ sounds only accentuate their 70's influence. This track also proves the band have not lost their playfulness. As with Broken Boy Soldier's "Intimate Secretary," the lyrics here are equally fun, though they do have a darkness to them. "And how have you gotten by so far/Without a head and no visible scar?" "The Switch and the Spur" bring in unexpected horns that may seem intrusive, but then cement themselves as belonging. The romping Rolling Stonesy "Hold Up" is one of the standout pieces, featuring excellent shredding by White and Benson while Lawrence and Keeler lay down a pounding head-banging beat. A Hammond organ finds its way prominently into "Rich Kid Blues," played skillfully by the bands fifth unofficial member, Dean Fertita, who also gives a magnificent piano performance on "You Don't Understand." Benson and White continue to harmonize flawlessly and extend their Sam and Dave approach to singing. This is a great album with just a bit too much filler. A shame, because this could be a true classic if some of it was cut out. Hopefully everyone is still getting along so that we can see a third album, because this is a band to be reckoned with. I dare say they are better than the White Stripes. Why? Because there are few bands who play as well together as they do. You can't imagine anyone else pumping out the shifting bass and drum rhythm on "Old Enough" other than Lawrence and Keeler, who, with Fertita's Hammond organ performance, sound like Radle, Gordon, and Whitlock from Derek and the Dominos. You can't imagine any other vocalist coming in with spunky attitude after Benson's monotone delivery on "Salute Your Solution" other than White. A band with immeasurable amounts of potential. (Consoler of the Lonely, Salute Your Solution, Old Enough, Hold Up) -Stephen www.politicianrock.blogspot.com Rating: - Raconteurs RockMuch better than their last effort - Rock & some ballads ;). Overall it's worth the investment, particularly if you enjoy listening to the lyrics and what they have to say. Jack Whites influence runs rampant (so if you don't care for him, charnces are you won't like this).
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