There are those people who will think it’s far too left of field with its strange, spaced-out guitar effects and tones, and that none of the songs seem to make any logical sense. Yet when you think about it, Jack White has been a leader of innovation in his music throughout his career. From the all red and white colour scheme of the White Stripes, to choosing his backing band which rotated from all female and all male each night by the toss of the coin on the Blunderbuss tour, White is an eccentric man.
While I couldn’t seem to get around ‘Connected By Love’upon release, in the context of this album it’s a perfect introduction for White’s most adventurous and experimental project yet. From the distorted B3 Organ and carnival-esque conga beat on ‘Corporation’ to the jazzy piano run and heavy impacting rhythm section (which White raps over) in ‘Ice Station Zebra’, Boarding House Reach has a surprise around every turn – with many nods to classic rock tracks in ‘Everything You’ve Ever Learned’, as well as a spoken word part from our very own C.W. Stoneking on ‘Abulia and Akrasia’.
Moving on from the folk sounds of Lazaretto, Jack White has presented an intense listen that challenges how we think about making albums. It may be a while before he announces his long-awaited return to Oz, but in the meantime, we can indulge in Boarding House Reach.
8/10
