The White Stripes "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)" [MP3]

FLUXBLOG.ORG: Jack White has a lot of big ideas, but I'm starting to get the sense that he's mainly just concerned with writing songs that are ideally suited for bar jukeboxes. I suppose that lead singles from White Stripes albums must always be heavy thudding riff machines in order to curry favor with what remains of rock radio in the United States, but this number is the obvious smash, the one that will probably do okay if it gets pushed within a few months, but would've been HUGE if it came out thirty years ago. The song hits an ideal balance -- it's big and crashing, but tightly composed and full of instantly ingratiating hooks. It feels a bit old and lived-in, but it's just different enough from previous Stripes songs to seem relatively fresh. The lyrics aren't all that special, but they are simultaneously gallant and dickish, which is the perfect distillation of White's public persona. [MP3]

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Justice "D.A.N.C.E. (Paste Black Remix)" [MP3]

Vice knows a good thing when they've got one, so the promo blitz for Justice's shit-hot club jam "D.A.N.C.E." includes a slew of free remixes -- one a day all this week, in fact. Today's isn't up yet, but we're digging Monday's Paste Black remix 'cause it's got some hyper superimposition on the b.e.a.t. and we can dance to it. (Assuming we had any ability to, in fact dance. Which we do not. Hence, the blog.) [MP3]

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Junior Senior "Headphone Song" [MP3]

Anyone who's been seduced by the dancetastic sounds of Junior Senior already knows the Danish duo believe there is joy in repetition, that there's nothing a good popdiscorock beat can't fix. And the US has been deprived of an official release of second effort Hey Hey My My Yo Yo for the past two years, so added incentive to American Jr. Sr. fans comes by way of the seven track Say Hello Wave Goodbye EP, coming to LP purchasers as a limited edition bonus companion disc.

So, to the new music. Well, lead track "Headphone Song" might not be up to the highest peaks of D-D-Don't Don't Stop The Beat or "Can I Get Get Get," but just 'cause it don't stutter doesn't mean it's not special. Actually, it's a perfect party jam, spreading a couple of body-rocking movements over its five-and-a-half minute stretch. "If the world seems grey ... if you have a bad day, put your headphones on / If your friends won't play, put your headphones on..." We love escapist advice, and it's worth heeding for this one...[MP3].

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