Public Servant Lifestyle

Words and music by Bacharach and David, guitar and drums by the red and white clad Mr. Jack and Ms. Meg White.

I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself by The White Stripes

The White Stripes ? AKA Meg and Jack White ? return with a new single, the second stunning release from their massive fourth album, Elephant. The - perhaps - surprising thing about this follow-up to former single Seven Nation Army is that it?s a cover of the Bacharach and David lonesome ? but groovy track: I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself.

Lonesome

"Planning everything for two, and now that we're through...I'm so lonesome for you, it's a crime, going to a movie only makes me sad, parties make me feel as bad. When I'm not with you, I just don't know what to do."

These are the words sung by Jack White, the man behind one half of the unique sound that is Detroit?s glorious White Stripes - and really, how long can it be before they start to be introduced as such, in the way John Peel ? and a few others - have come to speak of The (Mighty) Fall?

Bringing a unique slant to the words of Burt Bacharach and Hal David ? and stepping into the shoes of the likes of Dionne Warwick and Dusty Springfield ? turns out to be a pretty natural thing for this particular front man, accompanied as ever by the edgy Moe Tucker-ish rhythmic pounding of other half, Meg.

Far from being an unholy mess (and it so easily could have been), this is yet another cracking single that swerves the band into new territory that should please established fans and turn a few heads among those yet to be won over by the band.

The CD is backed with the track Who?s To Say and a recording of I?m Finding It Harder To Be A Gentleman (recorded at the BBC?s Maida Vale studios, originally for a session on John Peel?s legendary Radio One show). The other two tracks were committed to tape - alongside the band?s Elephant album - at in the low-tech, low-key environs of Toe-Rag studios, in Hackney. Liam Watson was on engineering duties throughout.

Check The Record

For those waiting for another chance to catch the ?Stripes live in the UK - following their all to brief appearances this year - the bad news is they seem to have their eye on other territories for the time being. The band are currently on track to tour the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan right through until the end of the year.

Since the release of Elephant, apart from becoming genuine album chart notables, the ?Stripes continue to pick up a fair few plaudits on the awards circuit ? including an award at MTV's Video Music Awards 2003 ? with Seven Nation Army picking up the award for best video editing.

For more of the ?Stripes trademark storming tuneage, check out their chart-topping opus Elephant, the previous album that brought them swiftly into the forefront of rocks aristocracy. That disc, alongside White Blood Cells, De Stijl and eponymous debut The White Stripes are all waiting on the racks at your local music emporium, from XL Recordings.

For more information on the band themselves, you could do a lot worse than visit the official White Stripes website: www.whitestripes.com - which features a complete discography, show dates, news, photos, sleeve artwork, and guitar tablature.

I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself is available now, from XL Recordings.

PSP Ltd is not responsible for the contents of external websites.

More information available in Music