Did Radiohead know what they were starting? Probably not. Did Jack White know how much fun it could be? Almost certainly. In Rainbows Day was so exciting that it was only a matter of time before another huge artist would see what happens when they let the world hear their new album at once.

Today, as Jack's Raconteurs rush out their second album Consolers Of The Lonely, there's plenty of rant being spurted over whether this is the future of music. And Ben Beardsworth, grand fromage at XL Recordings, has told NME how the original plan was to make this whole endeavour a complete surprise.

The real question is in fact, is this the future of Jack White? And the answer is, probably not. The Raconteurs are a side-project, as side-projects should be. Weird and patchy and totally refreshing...as distractions go, this album is quite The Last Shadow Puppets, but better song-for-song than Icky Thump. (For my money, "Many Shades Of Black" is the best.)

You can read the full story behind the Raconteurs' surprise album on NME.COM now, along with U.K. fan reviews, thee ultimate Jack White gallery, and my compadre Jamie Fullerton's first listen. Of which this is the final sentence: "A notable progression from the first one, and plenty of huge riffs to enjoy at this year's festivals."