Jack White: Blunderbuss

"After six albums with the White Stripes and two each with the Raconteurs and Dead Weather, Jack White has finally gotten around to recording a solo album. 'Blunderbuss' (Third Man/Columbia) is full of songs that sound pretty much like Jack White songs, but more so. With no co-equal bandmates to consider, these 13 tunes find White at his, er, Whitest, as if instead of chasing his muse White bundled her into the back of his car and sped off in pursuit of his vision. The result is a wide-ranging collection of songs, from White Stripes-style guitar rockers like 'Sixteen Saltines' to the jaunty 'Hip (Eponymous) Poor Boy,' which falls somewhere between Vaudeville piano-pop and honky-tonk. In fact, keyboards are prominent throughout: there’s luminous electric organ on 'Love Interruption' and opener 'Missing Pieces,' a rich, earthy piano vamp on 'Hypocritical Kiss' and even jazzy touches on 'I Guess I Should Go to Sleep' and closer 'Take Me With You When You Go.' Elsewhere, White is all about hypnotic guitar riffs, with an up-and-down figure on 'I’m Shakin’' and a relentless seven-note part prowling through 'Freedom at 21.' Although it’s an eclectic record in terms of sound and style, it’s also a unified album, held together by White’s skillful musicianship the sheer force of his magnetic personality" (Eric R. Danton, "Album Review," Sound Check, 4/24/12).

View catalog record here!