Lazaretto
may not quite be Jack White at his
very best (i.e., The White Stripes/The Raconteurs), but this is a big improvement on his patchy first solo
record, Blunderbuss. It certainly feels like a strong entry into
his impressive back catalogue, if perhaps it doesn’t ever quite top it. However, there’s a grander musical
landscape on show here than in much of his previous work, with composition and
virtuosity being prioritised over the sparse song-writing that’s been his
trademark (albeit that this is still unmistakably Jack White). There is much
more use of piano in particular. I
especially love the (fittingly) homey piano playing on ‘Alone in the Home’. The super opener ‘Three Women’ is a lyrical
masterclass and has a riff that would belong on Get Behind Me, Satan. Best
on show here is ‘Temporary Ground’, with its subtle the country twang and
highly effective double-tracked chorus (the vocals on the second part of the
chorus are particularly haunting). A
very talented man getting back to something close to his best after a few
relatively barren years.
sample
track: Three Women