De Stijl

Dutch group of artists founded in 1917, and an aesthetic movement influencing primarily architecture, but also painting, decorative arts (including furniture design) and typography. Worked in an abstract style, with a love for geometry and clarity. They only wanted to practice art in a logical manner, and believed that their art was a perfect connection between an individual and society at large. The theories of the group are popularized by the german Bauhaus movement and the International Style.

Dutch for "The Style". The group published a periodical with the same name from 1917 to 1932.

Important names include:

• Piet Mondrian
• Theo Van Doesburg
• Bart Van Der Leck
• Gerrit Rietveld

Also the name of the second album from the garage rock duo The White Stripes. The album is really diverse, but it successfully pulls off a number of Stijls with intense originality, i.e. ballads, frenetic pop, thudding rock, and, most rewardlingly, old school blues. And the lyrical moods, often drawing on Jack White's plaintive, expressive vocals in their delivery, veer between smartass acidity, highway reverie, and "Why can't things be easy like when I was a kid?" sincerity. Instrumentation is mostly limited to Jack's rich guitar and Meg White's spare drums- I still maintained that she just never learned how to play- with the occassional song carried by piano or violin. (Trust me, I usually hate violins in pop music, but these really work.) The album also encorporates spoken samples in between a number of songs- a little boy's friends in a box, his parents, 50's televison, and other creepy juxtaposition.

Label: Sympathy for the Record Industry
Year: 2000
Produced by: Jack White

Tracklist:

1. You're Pretty Good Looking
2. Hello Operator
3. Little Bird
4. Apple Blossom
5. I'm Bound to Pack it Up
6. Death Letter
7. Sister, Do You Know My Name?
8. Truth Doesn't Make a Noise
9. A Boy's Best Friend
10. Let's Build a Home
11. Jumble, Jumble
12. Why Can't You Be Nicer to Me?
13. Your Southern Can is Mine