The Raconteurs - Live at Montreaux 2008

While we don't see the reason for Jack White's accolades, there's no denying this show was shot and recorded beautifully.Until this Blu-Ray hit my mailbox, I had no idea who The Raconteurs were.  I have to say I was intrigued by the packaging because I was thinking Soul Asylum, Goo Goo Dolls or some band of that alt rock ilk.  As you may know, I'm always looking for some cool rock or metal band to kick my ass, so when I got this new Blu-Ray release, I was geeked.  Unfortunately, once I started to read the liner notes, I started to get a bit soured.  The Raconteurs is a band that was formed by Jack White (White Stripes) and Brendan Benson (Wallflowers).  This is actually the band these guys had formed prior to having success with the other bands they joined/created later on.  Not being a White Stripes fan, it turned me off quick, but I have to say I was a little intrigued because White is is often heralded as some sort of guitar guru.  So, I decided to test drive this baby to see what it had to offer.

First off, this Blu-Ray is shot beautifully.  Even if you're not a fan of this band, you can't deny how good this disc looks.  The audio and visual come together to give you a real feeling of being in the front row.  I love shows like this.  Unfortunately for me, I didn't really care for the band.  The songs are okay - at least some of them - but don't really stick with you.  And as for White being some sort of superstar guitarist, well this show put that to rest because he is average at best.  Don't get me wrong, there were some enjoyable moments on this disc, but since I didn't really care for the band, it dampened things a bit.  For fans of Jack White and alt rock, then this one is for you because it looks and sounds amazing.

Bottom Line: An incredible looking concert with an average band.  Fans of The Raconteurs will love this one - I just don't know how big that audience is.  This one gets a decent rating just for the picture and audio.

- Ragman is still perplexed by people thinking Jack White is the best thing since sliced bread...Baffeling...