Jack White
Lazaretto
Jack White is special – and I mean that in the most inappropriate way. Actually, if I was a casual or close friend, I would mock him like that. But in reality, I think the world of the guy. I think we are better off having him create art. It’s probably too generous to grace him with the word “genius,” but he is a mad creator and a free spirit. We need more like him. He chases whims like women, seemingly catching ahold of good ideas like he has a charm with melodies and riffs. It’s like the notes and sounds can’t resist the guy when he turns on that charm, coaxing sing-able and memorable melodies out of nothing but (mostly) raw materials.
Lazaretto is another solo album (technically his second solo full-length) from the driving force behind The White Stripes and The Raconteurs. While I cannot say I had an immediate liking to it, there’s enough of that White magic to keep me listening. Icky Thump and Red Blood Cells and were both immediate fireballs that had me at “Hello” (hooked after one listen). This one jumps around and danged if he doesn’t trip a bunch of wires musically and lyrically along the way.
The cleverness of the book The Shack aside, the lyric in the title track can’t help but rub me the wrong way: “And even god herself has fewer plans than me / But she never helps me out with my scams for free, though / She grabs a stick and then she pokes it at me / When I say nothing, I say everything.” That’s a little odd.
He jumps all over the place here, mixing roots rock with Gospel with classic “convertible rock” (imagine how effortlessly the plodding verses of “Would You Fight For My Love?” would cascade around your ears inside a big convertible on an open road. The Pettys, Rondstants, Browne and the rest of the Laurel Canyon crowd might turn a little green with jealousy on how relaxed that one goes down. Of course, a musical doppelganger of sorts like Frank Zappa would’ve no doubt loved this stuff. “High Ball Stepper” follows that track, however, with some Danielson-like vocal sounds and Polyphonic Spree Romper Room fun melodies. Dude scatters his creative muse from one spectrum to the other, but I think it’s best that we just let him go. His exploration is our entertainment.
Never one to forget what’s worked in the past, this man’s a sucker (and a good fit) for a male/female duet and “Alone in My Home” sounds sweet with its mandolin, piano and vocal accompaniment from the lovely Lillie Mae Rische. It’s equal parts Zeppelin (“Down By the Seaside”) and O, Brother, Where Art Thou? “That Black Cat Licorice” could have been lifted off any White Stripes album, with its big, bad and bold grooves and nice ‘n’ trashy guitar tones. “Entitlement” is pretty funny and pointed lyrically.
“I can’t bring myself to take without penance / Or atonement or sweat from my brow / Though the world may be spoiled / And getting worse every day / Don’t they feel like they cheated somehow?
“In a time when everybody feels entitled / Why can’t I feel entitled too? / Somebody took away my god given right / I guess God must have gave it to you / Yeah, I guess God must have slipped it to you…“
“Three Women,” the lead-off track, sounds like a womanizing caricature, which is my suspicion since it is so over-the-top with the misogyny. All in all, the man delivers compelling tunes. I couldn’t help but hope for a home run, but I won’t complain about this triple bouncing through the infield and causing outfielders to collide like a cosmic dance. The album makes me smile. And it’s nice to see some old familiar names in the liner notes – like Brooke Waggoner on Hammond B3, Moog synth and piano, along with Timbre on harp.
We’ll see about tomorrow, greatness, legend and classic albums later. This’ll do just fine for now. [Third Man/XL/Columbia] Doug Van Pelt
Video links: http://www.guitarworld.com/jack-white-performs-alone-my-home-and-temporary-ground-conan-video
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