The overwhelming response to the White Stripes’ breakthrough White Blood Cells, made their major-label follow up one of the most anxiously awaited releases of the year. Elephant finds Jack & Meg White (divorcées, not siblings) adjusting to their newfound fame and success, pushed to meet the expectations and hype placed on them by artistically expanding while invariably actively working to quell any fears of “selling out�?.

Appropriately the White Stripes take more risks than on any previous outing, occasionally venturing away from their minimalist punk/garage-rock to introduce ballads, as well as more overt elements of blues, folk, pop and even show-tunes. The resulting Elephant, like its namesake, is a beast of many extremes. With visceral anthems like “The Hardest Button to Button�? and the infectious “Seven Nation Army,�? Elephant crashes through as a powerful juggernaut, knocking everything from its path. Yet on the acoustic “You’ve Got Her in Your Pocket�? there emerges a more docile but clumsy creature, far different than the dark and unwieldy mammoth that lumbers in on “Little Acorns.�?

Elephant also marks the first additions to their bare bones instrumentation. Judicious incorporation of basses and keyboards further expand the range, thankfully fleshing out their razor-thin sonic range without overpowering the band’s forceful simplicity. Although the resulting dynamics allow for a few more accessible songs, no one should worry about a lack of midrange punch and gutbucket abuse still prominent throughout (skeptics should be directed to “Black Math�?).