Review
The Raconteurs
Broken Boy Soldiers

XL Recordings (2006) Katrina

The Raconteurs – Broken Boy Soldiers cover artwork
The Raconteurs – Broken Boy Soldiers — XL Recordings, 2006

A raconteur is defined as "one who tells stories and anecdotes with skill." A skillful storyteller draws in his audience with an introduction that makes them want more. "Steady, as She Goes," the first single from The Raconteurs debut album Broken Boy Soldiers, is this introduction.

At first listen to "Steady, as She Goes," you may think, "Oh, it's The White Stripes." But as you listen closer, you become perplexed. "This can't be The White Stripes," you say to yourself, "the drumming is actually good!" The Raconteurs is the newest super-group in the indie scene, created by friends Jack White of The White Stripes and solo artist Brendan Benson.

The album begins with the poppy, dance-invoking single, "Steady, as She Goes." However, the album quickly strays from this sound and eases into something more Beatles-esque, with songs like "Hands," "Together," and "Yellow Sun." As The Beatles, The Raconteurs have a powerful chemistry - I'm really not trying to compare The Raconteurs to The Beatles; I swear. Benson's melodic voice complements White's more unconventional voice with ease, with neither one dominating the other. Throw in catchy guitar and key riffs with solid basslines from Jack Lawrence and drumming from Patrick Keeler, both members of The Greenhornes, and you have a pleasant package.

The Raconteurs say goodnight to their audience with the mellow, bluesy, piano-driven "Blue Veins," an excellent ending to an excellent story. Though Broken Boy Soldiers will not change your life, it is an impressive debut that is worth a listen or two.

7.8 / 10Katrina • July 18, 2006

The Raconteurs – Broken Boy Soldiers cover artwork
The Raconteurs – Broken Boy Soldiers — XL Recordings, 2006

Related news

New Raconteurs in June

Posted in Records on April 6, 2019

The Raconteurs Available Digitally

Posted in Records on March 24, 2008

The Raconteurs To Release New Album

Posted in Records on March 18, 2008

Advertisement

DCxPC 2025

Recently-posted album reviews

Chat Pile

Cool World
Flenser (2024)

The great American experiment has a wide range of experiences, but it tends to focus on the coasts. There are countless dystopian pieces of art, often culling from a Warriors-esque concept of urban grit. Chat Pile play dystopian, brutal noise-punk, but from a distinctly middle American point of view where instead of civilians shadowed under dense skylines, their anonymity instead … Read more

The Anomalys

Down The Hole
Slovenly (2024)

If I have to give the elevator pitch, I’ll call The Anomalys garage rock with an ear for surf and psyche rock -- turned up to 11 and blasted through blown out speakers in an old 1980s sedan. It’s high-energy, no-frills rock ‘n’ roll with attitude. While it’s short, loud and fast, there’s also quite a bit of nuance and … Read more

Pinhead Gunpowder

Unt
1-2-3-4 Go! Records (2024)

Pinhead Gunpowder began in 1990, recording a 7” in 1991. The band last released a 7” in 2008… Until late 2024 when the band returned with the 14-song full-length Unt. So congratulations if you had “we get a new Pinhead Gunpowder record before a new D4 record on your bingo card. (These two bands released a split 7” in 2000 … Read more