Consolers of the Lonely The Raconteurs Jack White and his second band The Raconteurs have succeeded in delivering a follow-up to their debut album, Broken Boy Soldiers, that is full of surprises.

Singer and guitarist Jack White, who first burst on to the musical scene with The White Stripes, announced the release of The Raconteurs' second album, Consolers of the Lonely, after only finishing recording in the first week of March.

Rushed though it may be, Consolers of the Lonely is an inspired mixture of the band's many musical influences, with big, The Who-style guitar riffs running through the album's more hard-hitting tracks, contrasted occasionally by acoustic piano and other instruments.

The White Stripes' influence is clearly evident in The Raconteurs' liberal use of crashing cymbals and jumpy tempos, but the creativity often takes a more bluesy slant.

The Rich Kid Blues is the only track on the album where huge guitar riffs are held back in favour of a slower paced, dynamic number, with more emphasis on vocals and piano.

Many Shades of Black offers some epic guitar sounds along with a driving bass line and a big chorus, while in Old Enough the band adds a celtic edge to the guitar-based sound in the form of a violin.

Vocals from White's co-frontman Brendan Benson feature in Hold Up, an alternative, slightly sixties style song which mixes guitars with an organ accompaniment.

The psychedelic element that features so prominently in some of The White Stripes' work is also present in some of The Raconteurs' writing but tracks like Top Yourself perhaps take the alternative approach a step too far.

The last track on the album, Carolina Drama, is a fantastic lyrical narrative of a troubled boy named Billy with "blue tattoos".

White's storytelling is so captivating you would barely know you were listening to a song.

RATING: **** Kirsty Jones