Like the other archival releases that appeared after
the White Stripes called it quits in 2011,
The White Stripes Greatest Hits is filled with the same detail, wit, and willingness to subvert expectations that made the band so dynamic when they were active. As with all things involving
Jack and
Meg White, the collection's hand-curated feel is much more personal than the average best-of or streaming play list. The idiosyncratic track list shuffles the pages of
the Stripes' songbook, bringing new life to their music in the process. While there are plenty of expected choices here ("Fell in Love with a Girl," "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground," "The Hardest Button to Button") that still sound great, the set goes deeper with songs that are just as strong if not quite as well known. "Astro" and "Screwdriver," both from 1999's
The White Stripes, reaffirm just how bold and clearly conceived the band's music was from the start, while the brash hooks of
De Stijl's "Hello Operator" foreshadow the massive success they earned with
White Blood Cells just a year later. Elsewhere, the marimba-driven "The Nurse" sounds just as eerie as it did on
Get Behind Me Satan, serving as a potent reminder that the group's artiness was as vital to their music as their dedication to rock. The compilation's nonchronological approach allows for some clever song pairings, such as the floral theme of "Blue Orchid" and "Apple Blossom" and the animal-related duo of "I Think I Smell a Rat" and "I Fought Piranhas."
Jack and
Meg's flair for covers is well represented by "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself," "Conquest," "Death Letter," and "Jolene," the latter of which became nearly as iconic as
Dolly Parton's original. The decision to put their most inescapable song, "Seven Nation Army," at the end is an unusual move and also a fitting one, adding an extra sense of finality to the proceedings. It's clear a lot of love went into crafting
The White Stripes Greatest Hits, and its quirks should make it all the more endearing to fans and newcomers alike. ~ Heather Phares
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