Album of the Day

Alternative rock's great White hope in the new millennium was a Detroit duo who bashed out raucous anthems that drew inspiration from vintage blues as well as '60s garage. Guitarist/vocalist Jack White and drummer Meg White – collectively known as The White Stripes -  covered a lot of ground stylistically, and while their final album, 2007's ICKY THUMP, is in some ways a return to the raw attack of their debut, there are also plenty of surprises. The 13 songs here include Scottish folk influences (“Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn”), a Patti Page cover (“Conquest”) and some trippy Moog work (the title track) as well as hook-filled guitar rock (“You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do as You're Told)”). Somehow it all works; the set debuted at #2 on the Billboard chart, and racked up two Grammy Awards. Jack White turns 40 today, and we'll celebrate the birthday with The White Stripes' superb swan song, ICKY THUMP!