As 2015 marks ten years since the release of the White Stripes’ Get Behind Me Satan album and tour, Third Man Records is proud to use that as the focus of its 23rd Vault package. Completely dedicated to the White Stripes and highlighting their time in South America in 2005, this release should leave fans beyond satisfied.

Anchoring the box is the double LP Under Amazonian Lights recorded live in Manaus, Brazil on June 1st, 2005. Described by the local press as “deliciously irresponsible” and the first rock concert ever at the grand Teatro Amazonas Opera House, the performance that night was nothing short of amazing. Featuring a sublime cover of Bob Dylan’s “Lovesick Blues,” two versions (one electric, one acoustic) of “The Same Boy You’ve Always Known,” two versions of “Passive Manipulation” (both sublime), a snippet of Howlin Wolf’s “I Asked For Water,” and ample marimba on “The Nurse,” and what you have is one of the most iconic and memorable shows the White Stripes ever played. Both LPs will be pressed on blood red vinyl with stark black wisps.

So it should come as no surprise that we’d pair this LP with DVD footage from that performance. Words do not ably describe the beauty of the Teatro Amazonas nor the furor riled up by the White Stripes appearance. Not only was there fear that the amplification of the band would cause the plaster in the building to crack and possible fall and injure attendees, but out of custom/fear/lord-knows-what the crowd remained seated until being explicitly asked to stand from the stage by Jack White himself. If that wasn’t enough, during the show Jack and Meg ventured outside the venue to play an entirely unamplified version of “We Are Going to Be Friends” for the assembled multitude of fans unable to purchase tickets and watching the performance via closed-circuit feed. The resultant melee was arguably a riot and was lovingly captured by the film crew documenting that evening’s importance. All together what it makes is one of the best true rock and roll moments of the past decade. Heck, Jack White even got married that day.

The accompanying 7” single is a perfect example of the material the Vault was explicitly created to release. “Let You Down” is a solo recording done by Jack White roundabout the year 2000. Featuring both electric guitar and electric bass, the true meat here is the multi-tracked four-part harmony voiced by White throughout the song. The entirety of lyrics here “No I’m never, no I’m never, no I’m never gonna let you down now” would be repurposed into the White Stripes 2005 recording “The Nurse” and the overall germination illustrated here is devilishly insightful. The b-side “Ain’t No Sweeter Than Rita Blues” is a quintessential White Stripes guitar/drums outtake instrumental that was recorded during the tracking of Get Behind Me Satan and subsequently unused and forgotten for the past ten years. Dare we say it’s everything you hope it would be, pressed on wonderful white vinyl and ready for your love.

If that was not enough (and really, it should be) Third Man has decided to throw caution to the wind and absolutely overload this package with more extras than any sane record label would ever consider. We’ve poked the Grammy Award-winning designer Rob Jones to put together a collection of newly designed postcards celebrating the White Stripes performances in Brazil in 2005. In one word…stunning. Rob was gracious enough to throw in a badass death head monkey design that was so tasty we had to turn it into substantive enamel pin. A silk-screened White Stripes poster with some super-secret hidden glow in the dark graphics was a no-brainer. If you’re wondering where you’ll keep this vast assortment of sundries, worry you no longer…a soft touch, telescoping box with the same devilish death head monkey graphic on the cover will become a new member in Vault households worldwide. Join the family now.

LP tracklisting:

Blue Orchid
Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground
Black Math
Love Sick (Bob Dylan)
My Doorbell
Passive Manipulation
Hotel Yorba
The Same Boy You’ve Always Known (electric)
The Same Boy You’ve Always Known (acoustic)
Little Ghost
When I Hear My Name
I Asked For Water (Howlin Wolf)
Fell in Love With a Girl
The Nurse
Little Bird
Death Letter (Son House)
St. James Infirmary (traditional)
Screwdriver
Passive Manipulation (reprise)
I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself
(I’ll Be With You) In Apple Blossom Time (Albert Von Tilzer/Neville Fleeson)
I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself (continued)

Seven Nation Army

If you're not currently a member, sign up for Vault Package #23 HERE.