One of Nashville’s most prolific and successful collaborators is finally out with his first solo album, and it is not chock full of country. Jack White, formerly of The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, and The Dead Weather, produced and recorded Blunderbuss in his Third Man Records studio, and the results are impressive. With rock as his foundation, White throws in blues, garage, roots, r&b and even folk into the mix, turning out thirteen fierce tracks of driving guitar and piano. Thematically the works speak of failed relationships and how women only lead to disappointment and downfall, yet ex-wife Karen Elson’s presence as backing vocalist only adds to the appeal of the album – another strange entanglement that deepens White’s mythology but improves the overall aesthetic (you may recall The White Stripes story framing Meg as White’s sister, when in fact she was his ex-wife). Blunderbuss which refers to a muzzle-loading firearm – an early form of shotgun – is a surefire hit that lives up to all the hype. – Written by SMarx
SIMILAR | Dead Weather, The Greenhornes, The Kills, The Raconteurs, White Stripes