BIG BLASTS FROM THE PAST – 10 Classic Albums Turning 25 In 2025

Back in time

30 December 2024

PrimalTerminator

Band: PRIMAL SCREAM

Album: XTRMNTR
6th one, #3 in the UK.

AllMusic: “XTRMNTR is a nasty, fierce realization of an entire
world that has also lost the plot. It’s simply a protest, sonically
as well as lyrically, and maybe this would be a fine time to once
again rally behind something worthwhile.”

PLAY


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Instagram – Linktree
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Artist: PJ HARVEY

Album: Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
Her 5th longplayer. #23 in the UK. Platinum in the US.

NME: “A magnificent, life-affirming opus.”

PLAY


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Instagram – Linktree
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wHITEsTRIPES

Band: THE WHITE STRIPES

Album: De Stijl
The duo’s 2nd one. No. 137
in the UK. No. 38 in the US.

Rolling Stone: “Feisty and clever. Like everything about the White Stripes,
the album proves that you don’t need bombast to make a blues explosion.”

PLAY


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Instagram – Linktree
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Band: RADIOHEAD

Album: Kid A
4th LP. No. 1 in the UK, US, Ireland,
Scotland, New Zealand and Canada.

The Guardian:Even listeners raised on krautrock or
Ornette Coleman will find Kid A a mystifying experience.”

PLAY


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Instagram
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Artist: RICHARD ASHCROFT

Album: Alone With Everybody
Solo debut.

NME: “Ashcroft’s newly discovered stability has done nothing
to blunt his powers of communication or reduce his belief in
the apocalyptic potential of music.”

PLAY


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Instagram
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Band: SHELLAC

Album: 1000 Hurts
3rd full length.

AllMusic:True to Shellac form, the record is a sound purchase.
Within the domain of atonal, anti-commercial rock & roll, very
few are on their level.”

R.I.P. Steve Albini.

PLAY


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Instagram
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Band: THE DELGADOS

Album: The Great Eastern
3rd longplayer. #12 in the UK, #37 in
their home country Scotland.

DIS: The Great Eastern is a majestic
journey of astounding beauty.

PLAY


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Instagram
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Band: GRANDADDY

Album: The Sophtware Slump
Second LP.

The New York Times: “A heart-achingly beautiful requiem for
a culture in which progress and technology have led to alienation
and disposability”.

PLAY


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Linktree
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Band: QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE

Album: Rated R
Second one. #16 in the US,
#54 in the UK.

AllMusic: “R is mellower, trippier, and more arranged than its predecessor, making
its point through warm fuzz-guitar tones, ethereal harmonies, vibraphones, horns,
and even the odd steel drum.”

PLAY


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Instagram
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AtTheDriveInn

Band: AT THE DRIVE IN

Album: Relationship Of Command
Their 3rd. #33 in the UK,
#116 in the US.

BBC Music: “Mesmerising. A statement of
grand intent that could never be followed.”

PLAY


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Instagram

Happy 50 To MEG WHITE

10 December 2024

Super-cool White Stripes (1997-2011) drummer Meg White
was born Megan Martha White on 10 December 1974.

Happy 50!

Former husband and chief white stripe
Jack White wished her happy bee on his
social media.

I say Happy B. with this stunning TWS cracker, musically/visually.

DOLLY PARTON Released Her Huge Hit ‘JOLENE’ Today 49 Years Ago – THE WHITE STRIPES Covered It In 2004

Top singles from the past

15 October 2024

Mega country star DOLLY PARTON, now aged 78, who drew a lot of attention with her Rockstar album last year, covering multiple hits of big names such as The Police, Prince, CCR and Aerosmith, released her huge, self-written hit JOLENE this day in 1973.

The White Stripes played it live frequently in
the early 2000s and recorded it and released
it as B-side of ‘Hello Operator‘ in 2004.

– DOLLY –
Almost 900 million
streams on Spotify.

– JACK & MEG –

2004

On Repeat Since 2001 – ‘HOTEL YORBA’ By THE WHITE STRIPES

Favourites 4ever

30 April 2024

THE WHITE STRIPES (1997–2011 – 6 albums)
with their terrifically 1991 earworm HOTEL YORBA
from their 3rd LP Wild Blood Cells

“Well, it’s one, two, three, four
Take the elevator at the Hotel Yorba
I’ll be glad to see you later
All they got inside is vacancy”

TWS: Story – All Albums

‘SEVEN NATION ARMY’ By THE WHITE STRIPES Released 20 Years Ago – More Than 600 Million Views On YouTube Today

19 December 2023

THE WHITE STRIPES was/is one of the greatest bands of the 21st Century.
Meg and Jack were a mean blues-rock machine who released 6 albums
between 1999 and 2007.

One of their best LPs, without a shadow of a doubt, is their
breakthrough one Elephant released 20 years ago (April 2003).

The opening track and also the album’s first single SEVEN NATION ARMY
(more than 1 billion streams so far on Spotify – 1, 475 465 471 to be exact)
made them famous around the globe. It was at #1 on the UK indie charts
and #1 on the US Alternative Charts.

The accompanying video (more than 612 million views on YouTube, so far)
was a cool rock ‘n’ roll one with, of course, Meg and Jack, as the charismatic
stars in the middle.

WATCH/LISTEN

THE WHITE STRIPES: Bio – Discography – Instagram

THE WHITE STRIPES Released Their Triumphant 4th Album ‘ELEPHANT’ This Day 20 Years Ago

Back in time

1 April 2023

Band: THE WHITE STRIPES
Active: 1997–2011 / 6 albums

Anniversary album: ELEPHANT
Released: 1 April 2003 – 20 years ago

Rolling Stone wrote: “There are still only two of them. But now they sound like an army.
The White Stripes made Elephant, their fourth album, in just two weeks with an eight-track
tape machine and recording gear that predates the Beatles. But the Detroit duo walked out
with a work of pulverizing perfection.”
Score: 4/5.

Turn Up the Volume: The Stripes‘ best album in my book. A sultry melting pot of
boiling blues crackers and spellbinding ballads injected with an overall razzle-dazzle swagger. Late-night rhapsody from start to finish.

Singles/Clips: Seven Nation Army / The Hardest Button To Button /
I Don’t Know What To Do With Myself

– SEVEN NATION ARMY
24 Karat Gold classic.

– HARDEST BUTTON TO BUTTON
Bang bang. Spectacular clip.

– I JUST DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF –
Electrical Burt Bacharach ardor.

Album in full.

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THE WHITE STRIPES: Biography – Discography

JACK WHITE Tackles Attack On MEG WHITE’s Drumming With A Poem

Last week a journalist named Lachlan Markay tweeted this about
Meg White “The tragedy of the White Stripes is how great they would’ve
been with a half decent drummer. I’m sorry Meg White was terrible and
no band is better for having s—ty percussion.” “
Meg was criticised for
her minimalistic way of hitting the drums but this time that tweet
caused a storm including a reaction by White Stripes maestro and
ex-husband Jack White. He responded with this poem on his
Instagram account.

Also Jack‘s ex-wife Karen Elson went on to defend Meg.

Meanwhile, Markay has deleted the tweet and apologized extensively
for his criticism of Meg White, citing that he went over the top.

Take this mate!

THE WHITE STRIPES Released Their Final Album ‘ICKY THUMP’ 15 Years Ago

Back in time

25 June 2022

Band: THE WHITE STRIPES
The duo responsible for starting
about a thousand two-piece bands
Active: 1997-2011 / 6 LPs

Anniversary album: ICKY THUMP
Released: 15 June 2007 – 15 years ago
The longplayer was certified gold in the United States.
It also won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music.

AllMusic wrote: “While ‘Get Behind Me Satan’ was heavy on pianos, ‘Icky Thump’ is just plain heavy, dominated by primal, stomping rock that feels like it’s been caged for a very long time and is just now being released. Jack White’s guitars are back in a big way… With its fuller sound and relaxed flights of fancy, Icky Thump is a mature, but far from stodgy, album — and, as is usually the case, it’s just great fun to hear the band play.” Full review here. Score: 4/5.

Turn Up The Volume: Any White Stripes album is better than any of Jack White‘s solo  ones.

Top Tracks/Clips: Icky Thump / Rag And Bone /
You Don’t Know What Love Is (You Do Just As You’re Told)

– ICKY THUMP –
Smoking blues banger…

– RAG AND BONE
Filthy drones…

– YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT LOVE IS (YOU DO JUST AS YOU’RE TOLD) –
Biting love…

ALBUM in full…

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THE WHITE STRIPES: All Albums