The Raconteurs "Consolers of the Lonely" (Third Man Records) Sounds like: The album you want playing as you drive your blind date home so they know just how truly cool you are
The Raconteurs' sophomore album, "Consolers of the Lonely," is everything a sophomore album should be. Once you get past the slightly emo title, the music is fresh, innovative and musically inspiring.
"Consolers of the Lonely" is a mutt of the great roots of American rock. Blues, funk, piano rock and 1970s power rock all found its way onto the record.
The best songs are "Many Shades of Black" and "Five On The Five," but this record offers something for everyone. Be sure to visit the band's Web site to download the songs, where they are offering larger file sizes than what can be found on iTunes for what they claim to be better sound quality. The album, coincidently, was released a day earlier online than it was in stores.
Buzz aside, a few of the lyrics are lacking ingenuity: "It's hard sticking to your guns / when everybody's having fun / makes me wanna run / I don't know what to do." But what they occasionally lack in their lyrical skill is more than made up for in a unique balance between words and notes. The music is poetry itself. This kind of equilibrium is typically reserved for mature bands. "Consolers of the Lonely" proves that The Raconteurs are not just riding on Jack White's good name - they have real talent.
So whether you get your kicks laying on your leather jacket and reading Nietzsche on the quad or if you're all about the upcoming sorority party, you'll still be slightly cooler after listening to this album.
