Jack White has featured in music news a lot recently, from
producing a song in record-breaking time to publicly apologising to anyone he
has ever spoken cruelly about in the past. However, his new album Lazaretto – released on June 10th through his own label Third Man Records – is something which he shouldn’t have
to make apologies for.
The first song of his second solo album Three Women sounds like a rock gospel anthem – whether or not
that’s a genre, White has made it one – with White repeating “Lordy Lord”
accompanied by a bit of uncharacteristic organ music. Record-breaking track Lazaretto – the first single release – is the second song on the album and
despite the production of it being rushed, it is well executed. It contains
everything you would expect from the man. His trademark vocals paired with
strong rock-sounding guitar riffs altogether creating another great piece of
music.
Following on from that, Temporary
Ground is a refreshing change from the so far very rock-sounding album as
this song has more of a country edge to it. An image of White sitting on a porch
in a rocking-chair, chewing on a piece of barley and playing the banjo sprung
to mind as it began. However this change is short-lived as we’re straight back
onto the iconic piano/guitar pairing in next song: Would You Fight For My Love? Although it begins quite hard-hitting,
the guitar soon drifts off to leave White’s vocals – sounding slightly softer than
usual – and the piano. This song could be seen as his version of a ballad,
however he doesn’t commit to this concept as it very quickly turns back into
the familiar angry-sounding rock song. High
Ball Stepper is a strictly instrumental piece which seems to encapsulate
all we have heard so far in the album, and acts as a break almost half-way
through the 11 tracks, with heavy guitar being the most dominant feature and an
odd bit of violin thrown in for good measure.
Just One Drink seems
like a drunken nod to Would You Fight For
My Love? with the line “I love you,
honey why don’t you love me?” being repeated several times, hinting to perhaps
some trouble in White’s love life which makes for a bit of awkward listening.
This idea is continued through into Alone
In My Home as his previous anger seems to have subsided to leave something
that just sounds quite sad, with White claiming “lost feelings of love” as well
as that he is becoming a ghost. This sense of sadness continues on through Entitlement- which has remnants of the
country sound from Temporary Ground. That
Black Bat Licorice introduces the Jack White we know best back into the
world after a melancholic break, and what else would you expect from a song
with a title like that? This is followed through into I Think I Found The Culprit. The final song on Lazaretto, Want and Able begins with the sound of birds crowing
and features a chorus which is filled mainly with the word ‘who’. Or is it an
impression of an owl? It wouldn’t be an album by Jack White if there wasn’t
something a little odd in there.
As a Jack White fan, this album doesn’t disappoint at all. Artists
going solo can be a bit hit-and-miss, especially if it spills into a second
album, but Lazaretto fills the shoes
of Blunderbuss and then some. Bring
on the next one.
New dates for a UK arena tour in November have been
announced with tickets for the gigs in London, Leeds and Glasgow going on sale
at 9am on Friday 13th June. White will also be making an appearance
at Glastonbury later this month.
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