Rating
5.0

I don’t know about you, but whenever I hear a band’s live album is being released, I lose a tad bit of interest. If a band is performing live, the best way to listen to the music is to be at the concert. Head-banging along to polished, studio-recorded music outside of a concert atmosphere is usually preferable to listening to a concert I am not currently attending.

But why is this? Why do I prefer studio-enhanced music to live recordings?

The answer is simple: A large number of live albums just suck.

There are, however, a select few bands able to pull off the art of a live album. The White Stripes is one of those bands.

I admit, I have been a fan of the band for the past few years. My love for them sparked as soon as I heard “Fell in Love with a Girl” — I will say I first heard the song in an Internet rendition of kittens playing guitars. Nonetheless, I fell in love.

With Under the Great Northern Lights, a DVD/album compilation recorded during the band’s 2007 tour in Canada, The White Stripes prove they have what it takes to be seen as true live performers, not musicians who need a studio. The record contains the essence of what an outstanding show should sound like: an energetic and successful combination of both original material and revamped songs.

Jack and Meg White bring some of their greatest hits, and even some new material, to the stage in this 16-track album. What is presented may seem like rehashed material, but The White Stripes manage to play their songs in an entirely different and pleasurable light.

Some of the album’s songs are White Stripes classics, including “We’re Going to Be Friends,” “Fell in Love with a Girl” and “Seven Nation Army.”

The White Stripes completely and successfully experiment with some of the tracks, including “Fell in Love with a Girl.” The song incorporates a softer beginning up until the song’s normal transition when the chorus hits.

Each and every track on this 16-song album is performed in such a way that listeners will find a completely different experience from the band. Combine this with the same amount of talent as the band’s previous studio-recorded albums, and you have a sure-fire winner.

What else did you expect? It is The White Stripes, after all.