I've had an on again but mostly off again relationship with Jack White since the very first White Stripes album. I could not get on that bus. People said, "It's just like Son House and Skip James, but for the kids. If the kids get turned on to old blues thanks to the White Stripes, it could only be a good thing."
Yeah, ok. Ask all those White Stripes fans how many Son House and Blind Willie Somebody records they bought because of "De Stijl."
But then, I bought a ticket for a bizarro triple bill at Madison Square Garden that was opener, legendary country star Porter Wagoner, Grinderman with Nick Cave in the middle slot, and The White Stripes closing things out. It was one of the greatest nights of music I had ever seen. The White Stripes, a duo of just guitar and drums, somehow managed to get 20,000 people on their feet for the entire set. I'd never seen anything like it. It was just the two of them, but it sounded like seven people on the stage. The Garden was shaking!
Still, I don't care for those White Stripes records.
White's solo career has been hit and miss with me too, yet I love The Raconteurs. And I know people loved "It Might Get Loud," but Jack White got on every one of my nerves and I still haven't finished watching it because of him and that...what? What exactly was that performance?
(P.S. I think Jack White is an amazing guitar player.)
As for Third Man Records, I love that they exist. I've enjoyed many of their releases but I despise every one of their gimmicks. Records that play inside out, records that play at 34 1/3 R.P.M., different colors, subscriptions, these are all things that give an old school record buyer the twitch.
This brings me up to date and a text I received from a friend, which was a screenshot showing how he got shut out of the Jack White show at White Eagle Hall in Jersey City. He was in a queue with 2716 people and then, typical of what seems like any show these days in New York Shitty, it sold out in 48 seconds. I said, "I didn't realize you were a fan." He said, "I like the new album so I thought I'd go see him."
If I didn't get that text, I don't think I would have bothered listening to "No Name," another annoying gimmicky release, as it was given out for free as a white label promo, clandestinely stuffed into buyer's bags at Third Man Records while they were still trying to figure out how to play the last Jack White release.
Well, guess what kids?
Jack White's "No Name" knocked my socks off!
This record is the best rock record of the year. I did not expect this at all.
Thankfully, there is an official release that we can all just buy the normal way, you know, with song titles and other old unhip things for people of a certain age, like an album cover and an inner sleeve. (I assume the vinyl will play outside-in when it is released on Friday.)
The music you will hear on "No Name," at least to these very Zep friendly ears, is what Jimmy and Robert were doing on their first three records. It's swampy and funky, and it reeks of Son House and Skip James, just like those White Stripes records were purported to be, only "No Name" nails it.
And that's my Jack White story.
Listen to these tracks and do your best to NOT play air guitar or shake a few body parts.
14 comments:
Wow, great recap, and now I really am looking forward to listening to this. Thanks!
“Blind Willie Somebody.”
I’m not worthy.😎
I agree -- it's his best solo record yet and the gimmicky releases (like this one) of Third Man Records hasn't every bothered me (though I'm somewhat of a homer living in the greater Metro Detroit area...)
Shriner, I was under the impression from comments made a number of years ago, that you no longer bought vinyl, which would explain why gimmicky releases don't bother you.
I was having a great afternoon listening to the BW birthday mixes from last Friday, only to have the buzz killed by JW. I'm glad you are enjoying it, but I'll continue to file Mr White under "don't play again" :-)
- Paul in DK
100% spot-on about Jack White, Sal. Mainly off-again relationship and yet he can still hit a grand slam. I didn't hear Zep, I heard Sweet, which is just fine with me!
How did I miss that Jack White had a new album out? Thx! And glad a stopped clock got the time right for a change. It happens!
True, I no longer buy vinyl, so I should probably leave my thoughts about the medium to myself. :-) I just appreciate the apparent fun he has with it with his releases,
I thought Jack White was pretty interesting from the get go. My daughter is a big fan and exposed me to the White Stripes when they only had the debut out. She asked me what I thought. I told her it showed promise and gave it a C+/B- grade. I was skeptical that they would live up to their potential, but they proved me wrong. The next three albums were a Jesus rush. Jack White has immense talent and I feel he still has a lot more to give. Because of my daughter, I've seen all the bands he's been associated with on pretty much every tour. He's a fuckin' rock star and he still hasn't peaked.
Sal, that bizarro triple bill at MSG was a one-time gig. I was planning on flying to NYC to see it and bought tickets and booked a non-stop flight on the day of the show. The flight, which was on a week day, got delayed for some damn reason. This meant we wouldn't be in time for the concert. We cashed in our flight tickets and went to the Melody Bar & Grill for booze and tacos. I was surprised to see a friend of mine in the bar. His name was Herman and he had connections with all the concert venues around SoCal. They always unloaded the excess comp tickets to him and he would sell them to brokers. Over the years, I got to know him well. The guy turned me on to so many killer concerts I could never thank him enough. He was such a dork too. He didn't know or care about the music but he knew who was hot and not. I asked him what he was shopping around. For that night all he had was a World Music Night at the Bowl and a Dream Theater concert in San Diego. We ended up going to DT because my daughter's boyfriend was a big fan.
That bizaro triple bill sounds like it must have been as good as it looked on paper. And Porter Wagoner died just a few months later. It was a bummer that my plane bricked, but I saw Wagoner a bunch of times before at the Palomino and Crazy Horse. In fact, I saw him at Safari Sam's about a month before your concert. He was a little forgetful about the lyrics, but the guy was 80 and was dying of lung cancer.
I saw the White Stripes around the same time. Great show. They played the Sunset Strip in the Tower Records building which had been vacated six months earlier. Tickets were non-existent but my daughter knew someone who worked at KROQ and they let us in. The whole thing got videotaped and is sure to be floating around on youtube. It was a good show, but not the best I've seen. However, as far as the total experience was concerned, it was untouchable. It was a fuckin' privilege to be there. They were powerful and electric and for chrissake it was in the hallowed Sunset Tower building! Only drawback - Drew Barrymore was there. I got to know her from other concerts. What a blabbermouth airhead.
Caught Grinderman a month or so later at the Great American Music Hall, one of my favorite venues for taping. They were fantastic.
Gonna reserve my opinion on the new one till I hear the rest of it.
VR
Sweet? Any particular song? I'm not hearing it. Zep definitely. Zep has always been there.
VR
Damn! I listened because of your recommendation. This is great!!
Since the comments section isn't working (at least for now) Sal have you heard Dea Martona?
I had a very similar experience when I heard his recent Fear Of The Dawn album. At that point I finally decided I was a fan. Do you know that album? I think it's even better that this new one.
Jobe, I listened to the first three songs on their most recent. Didn't kill me. Is there one thing you recommend?
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