To say Jack White has been in the news lately would be something of an understatement. His feud with, and then terribly fake sounding apology to The Black Keys raised eyebrows, not least due to the convenient timing around the release of this album, his second solo record. Then again, Jack White is an old-school kind of guy, not one usually associated with masterminding a fake PR storm.
When you accuse The Black Keys of ripping of your own sound and being a watered down version of The White Stripes, you really are creating a rod for your own back. In other words your new album better be nothing short of stellar. Lazaretto isn’t stellar. It is however a reminder of why Jack White is one of the most important musical talents of the past twenty years. He was the brains of The White Stripes; who created some of the best new tracks of the last two decades that were made with traditional techniques.
2012’s solo debut Blunderbuss was very well received, prompting a nervous excitement from fans and critics alike, for the follow up album to be one of quality. The first track released from Lazaretto is the title track, unveiled back in April to much fanfare. When listening to it, it’s easy to see why. This is a balls-out rock’n’roll masterpiece. If you don’t like the buzzy bass line that underpins the track, and White’s trademark frantic, almost pleading vocal style on this track, then you may not have a pulse or could be in good need of a hearing check.
The only thing bad about Lazaretto is that it’s so much better than the other ten tracks on show. However, luckily they still meet a fairly high bar. Temporary Ground brings the mood down with the guest country drawls of Lillie Mae Rische, who also contributes violin. It sounds very much like a country version of the famous ‘Stripes track We’re Going To Be Friends.
The urgency in White’s voice mentioned before is nothing compared to what you’ll find on Would You Fight For My Love? which, is akin to a man making an emergency services call. Mid-album track High Ball Stepper is a country fuelled instrumental and distorted electric guitar lovers’ heaven. Its imperfections are enticing, something that can be said for White in general and in particular, this album. The noises of instruments purposely left in that the over use of production would usually take out remind you that this is music made the old-fashioned way.
Opening track Three Women is up there with the best of the album, it’s brash, arrogant and typical Jack White. This album would be a good White Stripes album. It’s impossible to claim he’s broken new ground, yet when he was the brains behind the duo why should he change? When the result is a quality country-tinged rock record, who the hell cares?
BY ALEXANDER CROWDEN
Best Track: Lazaretto
If You Like These, You’ll Love This: THE WHITE STRIPES (derrr), THE KILLS, THE BLACK KEYS (somewhat ironically)
In A Word: Polarising
