Raconteurs

The latest contestant in the recent competition to see who can release their album in the most bizarre way is the Raconteurs, the union of White Stripes frontman Jack White and singer-songwriter-guitarist Brendan Benson. They decided to release sophomore effort Consolers of the Lonely a week after they announced its existence, creating the unusual situation of dropping a record that the public had yet to hear anything from. Their first album, Broken Boy Soldiers, was a moderately interesting yet underachieving exercise in restraint that earned the band a passing grade in Side Projects 101, but on their sophomore effort they finally decide to loosen up and manage to capitalize on some of their considerable potential.

Opener "Consoler of the Lonely" immediately erases any doubts the album's sketchy release may have created. From the opening guitar riff, the song tears itself apart beautifully, and White's howling expertly compliments Benson's croon. White is in top form throughout, showing off his dextrous guitar work, polished songcraft and the best blues-y pipes in modern music this side of Dan Auerbach. Regrettably, the rest of the overlong 14-song LP errs toward tamer, more restrained pop rather than the high-intensity, guitar-driven rock that it began with. Granted, these songs are capable and diverse, with varied instrumentation (fiddle, horns, organ) and influences from all over the spectrum. The regrettable part comes from the fact that, while they are good, these more passive songs don't deliver on the promise of "Consoler" and follow-up "Salute Your Solution."

Although the difference in quality isn't nearly as pronounced as it was on Broken Boy Soldiers, Benson's contributions still do not hold up to those of White. However, the crown jewel of the record doesn't come until the end. "Carolina Drama" is genius, a blues and bluegrass-inflected narrative that demonstrates the heights the Raconteurs can achieve. Until they can come closer to this level more consistently, though, the band will still be a more-developed but less-inspired younger sibling to the Stripes.