For the discriminating White Stripes collector, or just for those of you who arrived at the party late and are desperate to be brought up to speed, here is, as best as I can tell, every known pre-Elephant non-album track. The compilation starts with the band’s first two, super-rare singles on the Italy label and then works forward chronologically, including a handful of compilation-only cuts. Some of the highlights are surprising, especially if you’re a fan of covers: Marlene Dietrich standard “Look Me Over Closely,” Blind Willie McTell’s “Lord, Send Me An Angel,” Dylan’s “Love Sick,” Robert Johnson’s “Stop Breaking Down,” and, with tracks 10-12, a Captain Beefheart trilogy. The source material appears to be pristine vinyl in most instances as there is very little scratchiness that’s audible. Overall, it’s a fascinating way to hear how the band has developed in a relatively short period of time via these tunes.
Bonus tracks are as listed above and are self-explanatory. At the time the Stripes were doing the heavy promotion rounds for White Blood Cells which had been reissued by a major label. Sound quality is fine.
The label went all out with the packaging too. The digipak is striking enough and has a clear plastic disc tray with more peppermint candy art similar to the front sleeve. The inside also pictures all twelve record sleeves that correspond with the releases from which the songs were taken.
I found an interesting commentary on this release and the label on a Stripes fan site which I am copying below. Bottom line: this is probably one of the more essential Stripes boots out there, and it was limited to just 500 copies.
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“For the White Stripes completist, there are a few releases from Spiral Soundz, of dubious legality but excellent content. (No, I don’t know where to get hold of them). There are two vinyl LPs with Peel sessions: ‘First Peel Session’ (SSZ LP 003, red cover) was broadcast on 25 July 2001 and is the band at Maida Vale studios. There’s something raw and elemental about these early songs that makes them desperately exciting (‘Jolene’ is particularly spunky). ‘Electronics Have Got the Best Of Me’ (SSZ LP 004, white cover) contains the songs from the live broadcast from Peel Acres on 8 November 2001. Somehow the radio makes the songs both intimate and more powerful. Both are excellent for the committed fan.
“There’s also a CD, ‘Life On the Flip Side’ (SSZ CD 002) containing all the singles and B-sides from the Italy Records debut, ‘Let’s Shake Hands’ through the Hand Springs and Sub Pop Singles Club 7”s up to the second CDs released with the ‘Hotel Yorba’, ‘Fell In Love With A Girl’ and ‘Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground’ singles. That proves that the CD has been compiled from a fan’s perspective, not as a means to rip-off the band or XL Records. It also includes live tracks recorded on The Late Late Show, XfM, Letterman and the MTV Movie Awards.
“These might be bootlegs but there’s no piracy involved. These are well put together, by fans for fans. Don’t believe the lies of the record industry that you’re taking bread from the mouth of Meg and Jack by buying these; you might do if you buy ‘Elephant’ for a fiver from a dodgy trader on Lewisham High Street but you’ll only buy these records when you’ve got every other official release (or as many as you can find; these records give you access to the songs you can’t find for love nor money). If you’re a fan, good hunting!”
