Under Great White Northern Lights

Under Great White Northern Lights

Cover to the standard Compact Disc edition
Live album by The White Stripes
Released March 16, 2010
Recorded 2007 in Canada
Genre Alternative rock, garage rock, punk blues, blues rock
Language English
Label Third Man
The White Stripes chronology
Icky Thump
(2007)
Under Great White Northern Lights
(2010)
Live in Mississippi
(2011)
Deluxe box set contents

Under Great White Northern Lights is the documentary film and first live album by The White Stripes. The film, directed by Emmett Malloy, documents the band's summer 2007 tour across Canada and contains live concert and off-stage footage. The album collects various recordings from throughout the tour. The album was released on CD, as well as 180-gram vinyl LP. The documentary was released on DVD and Blu-ray, alongside the album. A special edition box set was also available. The CD, LP, DVD, BD, and box set were released on March 16, 2010.

Contents

Film

The White Stripes' "Under Great White Northern Lights" premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 18, 2009. The film, directed by Emmett Malloy, documents the band's summer 2007 tour across Canada and contains live concert and off-stage footage. Jack and Meg White appeared at the premiere and made a short speech before the movie started about their love of Canada and why they chose to debut their movie in Toronto. The film ends with a version of "White Moon" played by Jack White at a piano which leaves Meg White in tears.

Album

The live album was recorded during the band's tour across Canada. It is available as both a CD and 180-gram vinyl LP. A limited edition box set containing the film was released on March 16, 2010. The box set includes the "Under Great White Northern Lights" documentary, the 16-track live album CD, and the same 16-track live album on 180-gram vinyl. Exclusive components to the box set includes a live 7" single featuring "Icky Thump" on one side and "The Wheels on the Bus" on the other, a 208-page hardcover book of photographs from the tour, one of six possible silkscreen prints, and a DVD of the band's 10th anniversary show in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, entitled "Under Nova Scotian Lights".[1]

Critical reception

Slant Magazine gave the album 3.5 out of five stars[2] and The A.V. Club gave the DVD release a B+.[3] Metacritic gave the live release a 83/100, based on thirteen critical reviews. Rolling Stone Magazine gave the DVD release 4 out of 5 stars. The album also won a Grammy for best limited edition packaging.

Track listing

All songs by Jack White, except where noted.

  1. "Let's Shake Hands"
  2. "Black Math"
  3. "Little Ghost"
  4. "Blue Orchid"
  5. "The Union Forever" (White, Pepe Guizar)
  6. "Ball and Biscuit" (incorporating portions of "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom" and "Phonograph Blues" both by Robert Johnson)
  7. "Icky Thump"
  8. "I'm Slowly Turning Into You"
  9. "Jolene" (Dolly Parton)
  10. "300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues"
  11. "We Are Going to Be Friends"
  12. "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" (Burt Bacharach, Hal David)
  13. "Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn"
  14. "Fell in Love with a Girl"
  15. "When I Hear My Name"
  16. "Seven Nation Army"

Personnel

Chart performance

Chart Peak Position
Germany [4] 41
US Billboard 200 11
US Alternative Albums 3
US Rock Albums 4

References

External links