The White Stripes “The White Stripes XX” 2019/1999. Third Man Vault #42. Double LP on white and red vinyl. This came out in August ‘19 for The White Stripes 20th anniversary and I’m just now getting to it. As always a fantastically packaged product from Third Man. The first LP, pictured here, is a set of outtakes from their debut album’s recording session. Super-raw but pretty close to perfect, maybe even better than the final product for some songs. “Dead Leaves (outtake)” is amazing (also on XX is “Let’s Build a Home (outtake)” from De Stijl, both released both in 2012 as part of the Third Man Vault #11 package). So too are “I Fought Piranhas (alternative take)” and “When I Hear My Name (alternate take).”  Another De Stijil track, “Why Can’t You Be Nicer to Me?” appears as well, takes 1 and 2. Take 1 is better.

The second LP on red vinyl is a recording of their show at The Ritz in Raleigh, NC from September 26th, 1999. Included are live versions of several White Stripes songs like “Jimmy the Explorer,” “Sugar Never Tasted So Good” and “Screwdriver,” plus a few covers like the always amazing “Jolene.”

The accompanying look-book of photos, setlists, newspaper reviews and show flyers is a great addition to the package. Especially excellent is the large rendition of the promo art for their show at Milwaukee’s Cactus Club, a venue in our neighborhood. The original still hangs in the bar. The White Stripes opened for one of my favorite (now defunct) local bands, The Mistreaters, for their 7″ inch release party on November 13th 1999. We still kick ourselves every time that show comes up in conversation because we missed it – pretty sure we had a family obligation to attend that night.