Stripes Unfurled, Solo Rollin': "Blunderbuss" by Jack White (Cover to Cover)

During the last decade, Jack White has been an almost ubiquitous presence in alternative rock music, as half of the White Stripes, member of the Raconteurs and the Dead Weather, and producer for acts, like country legend Loretta Lynn. Therefore, it might be a surprise to some that Blunderbuss (released on Third Man Records) is White’s first solo album. It would be far too easy to attempt to compare it to White’s past projects as well as a disservice to the album itself; Blunderbuss more than stands up on its own. However, that isn’t to say comparisons can’t be made at all. The album’s second single, “Sixteen Saltines,” is the most typically White Stripes-esque of the album. The song is raw and loud with the distorted guitars and fierce drums that encapsulate the Stripes’ style. The album is also full of White’s love of the blues, country, and Dylan, threads that connect a great deal of his work, but now are processed through his vision alone.

With White’s recent divorce and the split of the White Stripes last year, it would also be very easy to fall into the trap of viewing the album purely as a postmortem statement on those personal situations. Of course, it would also be naïve to say those things didn’t influence the album at all. As White said in an interview with the Montreal Gazette, "As an artist, you're a victim to your environment. I'd like to make up a scenario, but my writing ends up having a lot to [do] with things I've felt and observed." The most overt comment on his former band mate comes in the clever and bittersweet track “Hip (Eponymous) Poor Boy.”  He sings, “So I get into the game, but always keep it the same / And I'll be usin' your name,” a reference to his use ex-wife/ex-drummer Meg White’s last name. Despite this track, like his idol Bob Dylan, White’s lyrics are almost always too vague and obscure to pinpoint his precise meaning or inspiration. (Not that that has stopped anyone from trying.)

The album’s title track “Blunderbuss” is another highlight. It is beautiful and vulnerable and conveys raw emotion lyrically the way tracks like “Sixteen Saltines” do so musically. Other highlights of the album include the flat out awesome cover of Little Willie John’s “I’m Shakin’,” “Hypocritical Kiss,” and “Freedom at 21,” which strongly echoes Rush’s “Tom Sawyer.” The album Blunderbuss is a perfect blend of rock, blues, country, and even pop. Whether you’re a fan of White’s previous work or just looking for something new, this album cannot be recommended highly enough.