Rather like the belated release of "Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground" last Autumn, there's more than a hint of holding operation about "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself". Having said that, Jack White's unfortunate car accident has left something of a void with the cancellation of countless summer dates, so to continually remind the people of ver Stripes' continued existence while Jack's on the mend is the only option, really. No doubt, when Jack used to think of having a good screw, he hadn't quite got this end result in mind.
But away from such cheap jibes, "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" is OK enough. It's not half as transcendant as some of their own gear, and it's certainly not a patch on the majesty Dusty Springfield once invested in it. There again, it's much less chaotic than the version Elvis Costello & The Attractions knocked out on the Stiff Tour an aeon ago, so that's alright then.
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Actually, the two B-sides are probably more interesting. "Who's To Say" morphs from fiddly fingerpicking to grand crescendo and into off-waltz time and is actually far better, while the live, John Peel take of "I'm Finding It Harder To Be A Gentleman" makes that tight/ loose thing Jack and Meg do so well materialise before your very ears. That lovely Fender Rhodes is undeniably seductive, too.
Hardly groundbreaking, then, but it does an efficient job of keeping the White Stripes profile very much alive in the marketplace while Jack recuperates, which is what this one's all about at the end of the day. Brian.
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