De Stijl (album)

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De Stijl
Studio album by
The White Stripes
ReleasedJune 20, 2000 (2000-06-20)
Recorded1999–2000
StudioThird Man Studios, Detroit, Michigan
Genre
Length37:31
LabelSympathy for the Record Industry
ProducerJack White
The White Stripes chronology
The White Stripes
(1999) 		De Stijl
(2000) 		White Blood Cells
(2001)
Singles from De Stijl
  1. "Hello Operator"
    Released: May 2001

De Stijl (/də ˈsteɪl/) is the second studio album by the American rock duo the White Stripes, released on June 20, 2000, by the Sympathy for the Record Industry. Produced by the band's guitarist and lead vocalist Jack White, the album was recorded on an 8-track analog tape in his living room following the covert divorce of members Jack and Meg White, who nevertheless continued working together.

The album takes its name from the art movement of the same name, and features their early blues-inspired sound. De Stijl received positive reviews from critics, and earned a gold certification from the British Phonographic Industry. The album became a sleeper hit after appearing on Billboard's Independent Albums chart in 2002, and is considered a cult classic.

Recording[edit]

The White Stripes band members Jack and Meg White divorced in 2000,[2] however Meg insisted that they continue working together.[3] De Stijl was recorded by the duo in Jack's living room, exclusively using an 8-track analog tape.[4][5]

On February 5, 2008, Canadian media reported that former Radio-Canada host Dominique Payette filed a lawsuit against the White Stripes for using a nine-second clip of her interview with a little girl at the beginning of "Jumble, Jumble". She demanded $70,000 in damages and the removal of the album from store shelves. The dispute was settled out of court.[6]

Composition[edit]

De Stijl takes its name from the De Stijl ("the style" in English) art movement, which included the painter Mondrian.[7][8] Jack had been an admirer of the style for some time, especially of furniture designer Gerrit Rietveld,[9] who designed the Rietveld Schröder House which the band had visited. De Stijl was dedicated to both Rietveld and Blind Willie McTell.[10]

De Stijl features the band's early blues-inspired sound, which was prominent on their self-titled debut album.[11] Tom Breihan of Stereogum said the album showcased delta blues, hard and psychedelic rock influences, and Lizzy Goodman of NPR similarly noted its "camp" blues sound.[12][13]

Artwork[edit]

The cover art of De Stijl sets Jack and Meg against an abstract background of rectangles and lines in red, black and white.[14] It utilizes common elements from the aesthetics of its namesake, and had an impact on the band's image, presentation, and visual style.[15]

Release[edit]

De Stijl was released on June 20, 2000, through the Sympathy for the Record Industry label.[16] A re-issued vinyl LP version of the record was pressed at United Record Pressing in Nashville, Tennessee and mastered all-analog from the original master tapes.[17] The album was re-issued again for its 20th anniversary.[18][19]

Reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Boston Phoenix[20]
NME8/10[21]
Pitchfork9.1/10[22]
Rolling Stone[23]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[24]
Stylus MagazineA−[25]

De Stijl earned positive reviews from critics, who noted its simplicity and fusion of blues and "scuzzy garage rock". A critic for the New York Times described the album as "what many hip rock fans consider real music."[26]

AllMusic gave the album 4.5 stars out of 5, writing that "As distinctive as it is diverse, De Stijl blends the Stripes' arty leanings with enough rock muscle to back up the band's ambitions."[16] Pitchfork gave the album a rating of 9.1, writing that the album "contained thunderous, honky-soulful, lacerating pop at various stages of evolution".[27] Rolling Stone gave the album 3.5 stars out of 4, calling it "feisty and clever" and praising the drumming, guitar and vocal performances, stating that "like everything about the White Stripes, it [De Stijl] proves that you don't need bombast to make a blues explosion."[28]

De Stijl was a sleeper hit, earning a following after the White Stripes began to grow popular outside of Detroit.[29][30] After the band had achieved worldwide fame with their third album, White Blood Cells, De Stijl appeared at number 38 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart in 2002. It has since been considered a cult classic.[31] The song "Why Can't You Be Nicer to Me?" appeared on The Simpsons in 2010, used in the episode "Judge Me Tender" from its twenty-first season. The song "Apple Blossom" was featured in the 2015 Quentin Tarantino film The Hateful Eight.[32]

Track listing[edit]

All songs written by Jack White except where noted.[33] All music is composed by Jack and Meg White.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."You're Pretty Good Looking (For a Girl)" 1:49
2."Hello Operator" 2:36
3."Little Bird" 3:06
4."Apple Blossom" 2:13
5."I'm Bound to Pack It Up" 3:09
6."Death Letter"Eddie James "Son" House4:29
7."Sister, Do You Know My Name?" 2:52
8."Truth Doesn't Make a Noise" 3:14
9."A Boy's Best Friend" 4:22
10."Let's Build a Home" 1:58
11."Jumble, Jumble" 1:53
12."Why Can't You Be Nicer to Me?" 3:22
13."Your Southern Can Is Mine"William Samuel "Blind Willie" McTell2:29
Total length:37:31

Personnel[edit]

The White Stripes
Additional musicians
  • John Szymanski – harmonica on "Hello Operator"
  • Paul Henry Ossy – violin on "I'm Bound to Pack It Up", electric violin on "Why Can't You Be Nicer to Me?"

Charts[edit]

Chart (2004–05) Peak
position
French Albums (SNEP)[34] 164
UK Albums (Official Charts Company)[35] 137
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[36] 38

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[37] Gold 100,000^
United States — 366,000[38]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Phares, Heather. "De Stijl – The White Stripes". AllMusic. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
  2. ^ Brown, Jake (June 9, 2002). "White Stripes Divorce Certificate". Glorious Noise. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  3. ^ Handyside, Chris (August 13, 2013). Fell in Love with a Band: The Story of The White Stripes. St. Martin's Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-4668-5184-9.
  4. ^ "Stripes take on a modern slant". The Age. June 15, 2007. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  5. ^ Chute, Hillary (July 31, 2001). "Primary Colors". The Village Voice. Retrieved October 23, 2008.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ "The White Stripes sued for sampling from reporter's radio show". The Globe and Mail. The Canadian Press. February 5, 2008. ISSN 0319-0714. Archived from the original on August 3, 2008. Retrieved August 26, 2017.(subscription required)
  7. ^ "De Stijl". Tate Glossary. tate.org.uk. Archived from the original on September 4, 2004. Retrieved July 31, 2006.
  8. ^ Eliscu, Jenny (February 15, 2001) "THE WHITE STRIPES". Rolling Stone. 862:65
  9. ^ DeGenaro, William (July 13, 2011). "Albums of Our Lives: The White Stripes' De Stijl". The Rumpus. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  10. ^ "De Stijl, The White Stripes, Music CD - Barnes & Noble". February 20, 2009. Archived from the original on February 20, 2009. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  11. ^ "TIME.com: The Sampler -- Music: White Lies and The White Stripes". web.archive.org. June 23, 2001. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  12. ^ "The White Stripes' 'De Stijl' Turns 20". Stereogum. June 19, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  13. ^ Goodman, Lizzy (July 6, 2020). "20 Years Ago, The White Stripes Made An Album For No One". NPR.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ Cameron, Keith (March 29, 2003). "The sweetheart deal". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  15. ^ Baker, Brian (March 8, 2001). "Stars and Stripes". CityBeat.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2008.
  16. ^ a b The White Stripes - De Stijl Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic, retrieved April 3, 2023
  17. ^ "The White Stripes - De Stijl (Third Man Records) on press". Facebook. February 23, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  18. ^ "The White Stripes' 'De Stijl' Turns 20". Stereogum. June 19, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  19. ^ "White Stripes Mark 20th Anniversary of 'De Stijl' With Third Man Vault Reissue". Rolling Stone. February 5, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  20. ^ Carioli, Carly (April 7, 2004). "White Stripes: Die Stijl (Sympathy for the Record Industry)". The Boston Phoenix. Archived from the original on April 7, 2004. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
  21. ^ Chick, Stevie (April 20, 2001). "The White Stripes : Die Stijl". NME. ISSN 0028-6362. Archived from the original on February 9, 2011. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  22. ^ Bowers, William (June 17, 2002). "The White Stripes: The White Stripes / De Stijl". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on June 30, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
  23. ^ Eliscu, Jenny (June 25, 2001). "De Stijl". Rolling Stone. ISSN 0035-791X. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
  24. ^ Hoard, Christian (2004). "The White Stripes". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). New York City: Simon & Schuster. p. 870. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  25. ^ Chakroff, Evan (September 1, 2003). "The White Stripes – De Stijl – Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on November 12, 2006. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  26. ^ Powers, Ann (February 27, 2001). "POP REVIEW; Intellectualizing the Music Or Simply Experiencing It". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  27. ^ "The White Stripes: De Stijl / The White Stripes". pitchfork.com. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  28. ^ "De Stijl". Rolling Stone. November 23, 2000. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  29. ^ "The White Stripes, 2002 People of the Year". Rolling Stone. February 2, 2011. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  30. ^ "White Stripes: Biography : Rolling Stone". October 28, 2008. Archived from the original on October 28, 2008. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  31. ^ "White Stripes De Stijl Albums, CDs, Vinyl Records and LPs". web.archive.org. November 20, 2007. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  32. ^ "The Hateful Eight's composer 'shocked' by violence in Tarantino's new film". The Independent. December 11, 2015. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  33. ^ "Artist: WHITE STRIPES". Repertoire.bmi.com. Retrieved August 4, 2014.[permanent dead link]
  34. ^ "Lescharts.com – The White Stripes – De Stijl". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  35. ^ Zywietz, Tobias. "Chart Log UK: Kristine W – Tammy Wynette". zobbel.de. Tobias Zywietz. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  36. ^ The White Stripes - De Stijl Awards. AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  37. ^ "British album certifications – The White Stripes – De Stijl". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  38. ^ Center, Marc (June 13, 2009). "Weather Report" (PDF). Billboard. p. 22. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 22, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2022 – via American Radio History.
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