De Stijl

Artist: The White Stripes
Released: 2000

The White Stripes pulled a fast one on the viewers of the 2004 Grammy Awards. No, they didn’t bring Soy Bomb out of retirement, nor did they collaborate with Chingy on “Right Thurr.” Instead, the band opted to segue from “Seven Nation Army” to “Death Letter” midway through their performance. Nearly obscured by the blinding display of strobe lights behind him, Jack White tore off a slide guitar solo that was breathtaking in both its speed and efficiency. They used to call it “cutting” back in the day, and it often occurred when two bluesmen would challenge each other for bragging rights over the fastest and dirtiest licks that could be squeezed out of their guitars. Jack was at the proverbial crossroads that evening, channeling the Deep South circa 1937.

“Death Letter” can be found on De Stijl, which may still be the definitive statement from the White Stripes. Their sound and songwriting has been refined on subsequent albums, but it’s here the band explores their roots most thoroughly. The Zeppelin strut of “Why Can’t You Be Nicer To Me” is found next to the Stooges thrash of “Let’s Build a Home,” which isn’t far away from the Beatleisms of “Apple Blossom” or the folk-psych of “I’m Bound To Pack It Up.” One could argue that the Flat Duo Jets and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion mined the alternative garage-blues sound first, but the White Stripes have taken the concept to a different level.