Vinyl of the Week - 19 February, 2023

Elephant, The White Stripes

DISPLAYABLE vinyl of the week. This VOTW is a special one for me. Not because it’s one of the great albums of its time, but because of the context in which it came into my possession. A present from my other half on the occasion of her putting up with me for fourteen years! This particular anniversary was traditionally ivory, but now thankfully just an elephant theme. So, fittingly, I received this iconic album from the White Stripes. When I think about it, this was certainly the album that got me into the band, and what a statement it made. From the driving force that is Seven Nation Army, to the soulful cover of Dusty Springfield/Burt Bacharach’s ‘I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself’, Elephant is one of the most celebrated releases of the early 2000’s. A masterful mix of old school recording and instrumentation methods, and the revival of garage rock. There were actually six different versions of the cover released, and two 2013 reissues that feature Meg in a black dress. According to Jack, if you stare at the picture long enough, you can also see an elephant in the image… It’s hard to believe this album turns twenty this year. If you haven’t heard it for a while, you really need to have a fresh listen - DS