A few interesting things happened today as the White Stripes announced that they have finished their new record Icky Thump (those things just seem to ease right out of Jack White's mind, dont they?).

The first was the Stripes, who should know better, announced their news on their website that is only accessible via Flash, meaning it's impossible to cut n paste the info and pop it into an email or a web post to help spread the news. Bad White Stripes! So not Web 2.0 of you! Anyways, we typed it up for you and it's waiting after the jump.

But the most interesting thing about the announcement was something that CMJ wrote today while they covered it.

Recorded in Nashville at Blackbird Studios, Icky Thump includes songs "Catch Hell Blues," "Little Cream Soda," "Rag and Bone," "You Don't Know What Love Is (Just Do As You're Told)," "I'm Slowly Turning Into You," and "Icky Thump." No release date set, but if you catch Jack and Meg at this year's Coachella, be sure to ask.

Maybe they want to do a battle of the bands against The Black Keys?

From White Stripes.com

Hello to all the Candy Cane Children in the land,

“The White Stripes have completed the recording and mixing of their sixth album. It is entitled: “Icky Thump” and is their first album to include a title track, which curiously (and not ironically) has the same words in it's [sic] name. Though some residents of northern England might almost recognize the title, the Stripes stress they are spelling it wrong intentionally just for "kicks" and "metaphors", and to avoid a possible lawsuit from the estate of Billy Eckstine.

“The record was recorded in Nashville at Blackbird Studio. And word around the sewing circle is that many of your favorite White Stripe type songs may not be your favorite (pronounced favaright) White Stripe type songs for long.

Some song titles include:

Catch Hell Blues
Little Cream Soda
Monkeys Have It Easy (discarded)
Rag and Bone
Clicky Bump (retitled into something pleasant)
Blue Orchid (relocated to previous album)
You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)

It was the longest time the delightful duo have ever spent in the studio, totaling almost three weeks. Jack and Meg were said to have been looking like they were "into it almost". And even Meg herself was quoted while leaving a local Nashville Laundromat saying that the record was, in her best estimate; "finished", "musical in nature" and lastly, though slightly muffled, "good".

The Stripes will be releasing a statement soon saying: "we are doing our best (whatever that is) to release the album as soon as corporately possible. And though we are tired, worn, weary, hungry, cold, and left without an ounce of nutrition amongst ourselves, we are in the midst of planning performance type shows aroundst the world."