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September 20, 2007

New Acoustic And Fratty White Stripes B-Sides

The Whites may be sidelined a spell due to Meg's high anxiety, but the Stripes aren't leaving us without stuff to play with. The band's just released the "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)" CD and digital single, both with identical tracklists, featuring an acoustic "A Martyr For My Love For You" and, most notably, the title track in a Frat Rock version. Ahh, Frat Rock. Sure DMB and O.A.R. and other such three-lettered acronymic bands have subverted said genre, but to keep your expectations in line with what Jack had in mind, all you need to remember is something like "Louie, Louie." From what we've heard of it, which isn't much since it's just a minute snippet, it's "YDKWLI (YJDAYT)" but drunker 'n' sloppier. Fitting, yeah? Take a listen...

The White Stripes - "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told) (Frat Rock Version)" (MP3 Snippet)
The White Stripes - "A Martyr For My Love For You (Acoustic)" (MP3 Snippet)

The single's got three tracks (those two and the original "You Don't Know..."). Also, Jack, Greek system graduates tell us: It's not 'frat,' it's 'fraternity,' just like you wouldn't call your country a cunt. Right? Or maybe not...

Buy here. Vinyl's out in stores next Tuesday 9/25.

Posted at 9:57 AM in
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12 Comments

SO "frat rock" equals putting a phase shifter and rverb on everything.....huh.


Desperate attempts for money

Posted by: Dee at 09/20/07 10:49 AM | Reply
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Drunker and sloppier? Yes, but also shittier. Why would anyone pay for this?

Posted by: Ramon at 09/20/07 10:50 AM | Reply
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@ Ramon

Why would anybody buy a CD single?

Posted by: Lori at 09/20/07 10:56 AM | Reply
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@Lori

Personally, I'd buy a CD single if it offered anything different (and worth listening to) from the album. Baby Brother was a good B-Side to Icky Thump. These "B-Sides" on the other hand are just plain lazy.

Posted by: Ramon at 09/20/07 11:05 AM | Reply
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@ Ramon

Fair enough. These b-sides are acutely anxious.

Posted by: Lori at 09/20/07 11:33 AM | Reply
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These B-Sides are terribly tense. This is fun!

Posted by: Adam at 09/20/07 11:48 AM | Reply
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@Dee
How is releasing a single a "desperate attempt for money"? That comment sounds like a desperate attempt for pretentiousness.

I'm not impressed with the b-sides. They've been slipping in that area, lately.

Posted by: The Other Matthew at 09/20/07 1:23 PM | Reply
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... Stereogum used the C word and nobody is bothered? Nice.

Posted by: GMM at 09/20/07 1:53 PM | Reply
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@ C word

Yea it's frat, as long as we are talking about Count Dracula's fraternity.

Posted by: J-ZY at 09/20/07 3:42 PM | Reply
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i dont see it...

Posted by: jdubs at 09/20/07 3:56 PM | Reply
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hey, did any of you guys read this? not only talking shit about the 'gum but also us fun loving commentors:
http://idolator.com/tunes/open-minds/when-exactly-did-stereogums-comments-section-turn-into-the-national-review-301742.php

lets start a turf war!

Posted by: jdubs at 09/20/07 4:01 PM | Reply
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Yeah, it does sound like frat rock from the early 60s -- Louie Louie is a good touchstone.

Sounds cool to me. Jack likes playing with genre and sound, and despite not being a watershed of ingenuity, it's nevertheless an interesting take on an excellent song. But then, I like that early garage rock sound.

That said, no: It doesn't match some of their other singles. But once you've done Good To Me and Black Jack Davey on the Seven Nation Army Single, that's a foregone conclusion.

Posted by: Jeremy at 09/21/07 1:34 PM | Reply
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