De Stijl: The White Stripes’ Most Important Record (25 Year Anniversary)

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

On June 20, 2000, duo Jack and Meg White, known as The White Stripes, released their second record, ‘De Stijl‘. The name originates from a Dutch art movement. This artsy style is reflected on the cover, along with their iconic band colours. Jack White produced the record and released it under the music label Sympathy for the Record Industry. Critically, the album is still recognised as a cult classic and a staple part of the group’s discography.

Divorce and Lawsuits

The record’s history is rooted in a chaotic amount of legal difficulties and unrest between members and other parties. Jack and Meg had quietly divorced earlier in the year. Despite this, they agreed to continue their musical partnership. Their musical camaraderie saw Jack recording the album in his living room. It used an 8-track analog tape to achieve the desired audio aesthetic, which leans towards a distinctive blues influence.

Whilst the tensions in the band could be put to use in the creation of the record, this wasn’t the only tension ‘De Stijl’ revolved around. The eleventh track on the album, ‘Jumble, Jumble‘, opens with a short soundbite of radio DJ Dominique Payette. Payette would sue the band eight years after the record’s release for not getting her permission. However, both parties eventually settled the matter outside of court. 

‘Jumble, Jumble’ is a great addition to the album and would be sorely missed had it been removed. Furthermore, Meg’s drumming is punchy and builds up to a dirty riff that keeps the song consistent. It’s a great example of the duo being able to fill a song without excess production or too much instrumentation.

Refining Their Sound

One year earlier, the duo released their self-titled debut album and, through this, defined their sound. The band wove elements of garage rock and blues into a style that contradicted the polished, over-produced pop during the turn of the millennium. ‘A Boy’s Best Friend‘ uses slide guitar and bells in the background to create a country element to this distorted rock track. Nonetheless, there’s something very recognisable in the way the instruments come together. It’s a perfect example of the way ‘De Stijl‘ pulls together different elements to culminate in a sound so unique and so Jack and Meg White.

‘Apple Blossom‘ stands out to me as a song that demonstrates the capabilities of The White Stripes perfectly. Jack’s vocal style, paired with the piano chords, reminds me of the sixties rock group The Kinks. The Kinks also played around with the garage rock sound. There’s almost an element of melancholy within the storytelling in this track that draws me to pay close attention to the lyrics. As the guitar solo comes in, I appreciate how Jack keeps it laid back instead of overloading it with flashy licks and slides. It fits nicely into the track, as well as creating a nice break in the structure.

Foundation of Impact

The first two records by The White Stripes helped to establish the Detroit group’s mammoth impact on modern rock music. They’d go on to release another four records. These included mainstream hits such as ‘Seven Nation Army‘ and ‘Icky Thump‘.

Having 13 songs with a runtime of under 40 minutes is a testament to the fast-paced and hard-hitting tracks the band would become known for. Meg’s drumming is a crucial factor in keeping this consistently present punch to the noise. ‘Death Letter‘ is the longest song on the record, yet it doesn’t feel prolonged or overdone. I think a big part of this is relying on blues melodies, combined with such a full soundscape. The musicianship and songwriting are raw yet precise. I feel the project achieves exactly what it intends to do. It’s impressively confident. 

There’s only one thing that stops me from loving this album more. That is the fact that the group reached higher heights, and released better projects, after this. Only three years later, they would go on to release ‘Elephant‘, which pulls more into a harder rock style. Whilst I enjoy the country feel of ‘De Stijl‘, I do sometimes wish the pace were faster and the tracks were harder hitting because they’re able to achieve this so masterfully. We get glimpses of this on records like ‘Let’s Build a Home‘. Here, they perfect the sound that I’m after from them. It’s fast, dirty, and full of nuances that keep it an interesting listen.

Only a few years later The White Stripes would bring out the hard rock. Tracks like ‘Black Math‘ and ‘The Hardest Button to Button‘. 

In conclusion, I can’t ask for much more from this album. It paved the way for the rest of their legendary discography.

Rating: 7/10

The White Stripes are on Instagram. You can stream their album ‘De Stijl‘ below or buy, and read more anniversary pieces here.

About The Author