Broken Boy Soldiers

Manufactured in the Motor City, Broken Boy Soldiers is the eagerly anticipated first model off The Raconteurs’ conveyor belt. Detroit residents Jack White and Brendan Benson are at the controls of this Backwoods Beatles vehicle, while in the engine room we have The Greenhornes' rhythm section. Before we begin, listeners are advised to buckle up, because this, dear passenger, is gonna be a rock ‘n’ roll helter skelter of a journey. Our first pit stop, ‘Steady As She Goes’, is a carefully navigated and thoroughly enjoyable statement of intent. White’s bastard blues fostered by Pop Benson, the swaggering chord progression and fervid rhythms unfurl behind an unremarkable chronicle of life and love. Like much of this record it’s uncomplicated, but nonetheless affecting. An act of musical escapology for White and Benson, it seems that The Raconteurs has afforded them the opportunity to throw off stylised musical shackles and embark on their very own rock ‘n’ roll pilgrimage. With its quasi-mystical lyric, plaintive guitar and Bonham heavy drums, ‘Broken Boy Soldier’ comes tumbling out of a Led Zeppelin vortex. ‘Together’ is vintage The Band, the folk-simple wisdom of “You gotta learn to live/And live and learn,” intoned over a beguiling acoustic tableau. Then there is the glittering pop alchemy of ‘Yellow Sun’, a song that wouldn’t be ashamed to find itself on the White Album. Indulgent, hell yeah, but really who cares? On the road with the Broken Boy Soldiers we all get our kicks.