Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Album Review: The Raconteurs - Live at Electric Lady

The Raconteurs
Live at Electric Lady EP
*** and 1/2 out of *****

The Raconteurs have released a live EP and documentary about their time at Electric Lady Studios in NYC where they performed for fans in 2019, simply titled Live at Electric Lady.

After an intro describing them as "messy sophisticated" and multiple thanks to the corporate sponsors the band breaks into their distortion drenched new rocker "Born and Razed". The coolest part of the short EP arrives next as the band tackles a cover of "Blank Generation" by Richard Hell & the Voidoids for the hometown. The cover features the wailing guitars of Jack White and Brendan Benson as well as lots of backing vocal 'oooh's and ahh's'.

One of the band's oldest originals "Level" showcases the true power of The Raconteurs as a live act. Bassist Jack Lawrence and drummer Patrick Keeler (both of The Greenhornes) are a powerhouse low end combo which push each song forward via power, grace and energy; while White and Benson may get the headlines, this band is really propelled by their rhythm section.

"Old Enough" is delivered expertly with Benson's vocals ringing true while the title track of their newest release "Help Me Stranger" gets a disco influx from keyboardist Dean Fertita along with more cool drumming from Keeler. "Only Child" contains a killer guitar solo with warbling pedal effects that ends too soon while the EP wraps up with strong vocals and rocking guitar from White on "Sunday Driver".

The EP contains a studio version of "Blank Generation" for good measure and while short, Live at Electric Lady proves they are a force to be reckoned with from the live stage. Other recent live releases like the Third Man Records Vault release Live In Tulsa capture the elongated full night of arena shaking capabilities of the band, but this brief outing scratches the 2020 live music itch.
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