ALBUM REVIEW: Jack White ‘Lazaretto’

Jack White’s back, and is so in typical style with his second solo studio album, ‘Lazaretto’ and it’s safe to say this album offers even more than ever before.

The album begins with ‘Three Women’, in classic vintage bluesy Jack White style accompanied with his daring edge, easing the listener into the world of innovative skill of the virtuoso and guitar technician. It’s known that White likes to experiment with different instruments and sounds (take ‘The Nurse’ from his days with The White Stripes for example) with the bulk of the song being played on the xylophone, and the opening track of his second solo album also shows his unending ability to experiment, and inevitably succeed, with a steel guitar creeping in every so often.

The second single to be released from the album so far, sharing its name with the album itself, ‘Lazaretto’ follows. Boasting White’s genius thinking around the guitar, with multiple piercing solos being heard throughout. The song is electric and nothing more needs to be said.

The overriding factor that could be taken from Jack White’s first solo album, ‘Blunderbuss’, was diversity.  Numerous types of songs could be found within the album, whether it would be diverse in terms of pace, volume, the instruments being used, or even the types of songs themselves. This trend continues into the second album from Mr. White, with quick shifts in essence intertwined within each song. For example, ‘Lazaretto’ is sharp and relentless whereas, ‘Temporary Ground’ is calm and soothing, almost therapeutic with its country attributes, perhaps showing some of White’s influence to pick up a guitar in the first place.

Although all the tracks on ‘Lazaretto’ are interesting through different means, it is first single, ‘High Ball Stepper’ that deserves a special mention. It’s very rare that an instrumental track holds the ability to keep the momentum strong within an album and keep the listener engaged and eager for more. However, ‘High Ball Stepper’ does just that with its gritty riffs and vicious volume. Jack White at his best.

‘Lazaretto’ is definitely going to provide Mr. Jack White with even more big tracks to add to his live arsenal, with the likes of ‘That Black Bat Licorice’ and ‘I Think I Found The Culprit’ accompanying already mentioned tracks, the opener ‘Three Women’, hard hitting ‘Lazaretto’, viciously energetic ‘High Ball Stepper’: and mentally soothing whilst simultaneously entertaining tracks such as ‘Just One Drink’ and ‘Alone In My Home’.

If one thing can be deduced from Jack White’s second solo album since he parted with his sister and consequently the prized peacock which was The White Stripes, it’s that ‘Lazaretto’ is definitely continuing in the right direction for White, offering the perfect mix between the types of songs with a satisfying offering of fast paced action to brother songs that act as the cliché “the calm before the storm”. It would appear a lot of the bands in today’s industry are changing; changing their whole means of thought and attitude, and more importantly their sound, however White is not doing so, nor should he, because right now, what he has to offer truly is remarkable.

You can pick up a copy of ‘Lazaretto’ on June 9th and if you’re one of the lucky few who are holding the privilege to see the man behind the madness perform at either Glastonbury festival or a one off sold out show at London’s Eventim Apollo, you’re in for some treat indeed.

James Cummins

James Cummins

James Cummins

James Cummins

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