Under Great White Northern Lights (Limited Edition Box Set) Review

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(More customer reviews)Approximately 59 minutes in length. The sound is very good,especially for a live recording. All the tracks are from a 2007 tour of Canada. The booklet has several atmospheric b&w and color photos of the band,audience,and related subjects. There's a DVD that's also for sale of this event,sold separately.
For fans of THE WHITE STRIPES,especially the intensity of the first few albums,this will be of great interest. This is the band,stripped bare to it's core elements of Jack and Meg,doing what they do best-Meg pounding out a primal,visceral beat,along with Jack's in-you-face distorted acoustic and electric guitar (along with keyboards and other instruments in places) in all it's glory. His vocals are a throwback to the group's formative years-very intense and immediate. The intensity of the live tracks on the earlier released "Walking With A Ghost",are only a hint of this set's power.
As an example,the first two tracks set the stage (no pun intended),and are pure WHITE STRIPES-these two tracks grab hold of you and don't let go,and are a glimpse of whats in store. Track three has Jack playing acoustic,but playing for all it's worth,with some great vocals. Then it's back to the fired-up sound they are known for. The tracks vary from there,from his trademark distorted electric guitar,to his intense acoustic sound,which help with the pacing,and add interest This concert series was an attempt to get back to what they originally became known for. Most (if not all) the venues were small,out of the way stops,and often times the group was unknown to the residents. This fact pushed the band to focus on what they do best,no frills-straight-ahead-rock. Tracks range from all through the band's albums,and all are given a no holds barred treatment.
From "Blue Orchid",to "Jolene",to "Seven Nation Army",through"Icky Thump",to other familiar (and not so familiar) tracks,this is a good example of THE WHITE STRIPES in all their glory-out to prove to an audience,that's not familiar with them,just what they're famous for doing in a live setting. The power that's only hinted at on several of these studio tracks,is unleashed in a loud,in-your-face-assault. At times,the sound,the excitement,is so immediate,that you feel you can reach out and almost touch it-such is the intensity of these performances. The only thing I don't like is the audience "participation"-there's to much of it,and intrudes on the performances. This is one of those albums that has to be played loud in order to get the full effect of what this two-person band is capable of. And with two musicians,who know how to play their instruments to maximum effect,and who want to prove themselves (again) for listeners-this is the real-deal. Be prepared to be knocked back by their intensity,as they take each tune and make it their own (again),and re-define not only their own songs,but rock music itself. This is honest music-the likes of which we don't get to experience to much today.

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Limited Edition Box set contains:Overbox - Sturdy box wrapped in black with red lining and adorned with UGWNL penguin emblem. Double LP in Gatefold Jacket - Pressed on 180 gram vinyl, contains 16 live songs from various shows in Canada during the tour, as well as artwork unique to the box and an exclusive 6 panel insert. Hardcover Photography Book - 208 page hardcover book containing photographs shot by Autumn de Wilde on the Canadian tour.CD/DVD Slipcase, Folder & Booklet - 7 inch, 3 panel disc folder and 24 page bound book housed in a sturdy black slipcase. Under Great White Northern Lights DVD- 92 minute documentary directed by Emmett Malloy containing footage from the Canadian tour. Under Nova Scotian Lights DVD - 135 minute 10th anniversary show in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia directed by Emmett Malloy. Under Great White Northern Lights CD- First ever White Stripes live album available containing 16 live songs from various shows from the Canadian tour in 2007. 7 inch Colored Vinyl Single - Region specific art.Side A - Icky Thump (Live)Side B - The Wheels On The Bus (Live)Silkscreened Print- 1 of 6 silk screened designs by Rob Jones based on a photograph by Autumn de Wilde.

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