Broken Boy Soldiers has a lot of decent to good songs, but not enough great ones. “Steady, as She Goes” is an obvious winner. I also quite like “Hands” and “Intimate Secretary,” but the album gets tiring quickly. I suppose it’s a good thing it’s only 33 minutes total.

Though The Raconteurs have some great guitar style (no surprise there) and tight playing, the band feels like little more than a Jack White side project and showcase. The band is often referred to as a super group, but that doesn’t seem quite right when the only recognizable talent here is Jack White, and he’s the only presence consistently felt throughout the album. Maybe I’m just a rube for not recognizing the other members. It’s not like they aren’t talented musicians in their own right.

Regardless, I would recommend Broken Boy Soldiers to any fan of the 2000s garage rock revival era. The Raconteurs have potential to be much more, but I suppose only time will tell. I won’t hold my breath, though, and will appreciate this album for what it is: a solid set of garage rock numbers.