Wednesday, June 13, 2012

What You Should Have Heard #97


Jack White
Blunderbuss


I like Jack White. I’m not gaga for his music, but I tend to enjoy it when I hear it, whether it’s in the form of the the White Stripes, the Raconteurs, or just some solo work. He’s got a unique voice, and he doesn’t try to conform to any trends. I like that. And I like that he plays rock and roll that doesn’t necessarily sound like rock and roll. He tricks me into listening to other kinds of music, and I’m okay with it.

Take Blunderbuss, for example. When I listen to this album, I get a a few different vibes from it. There's just a smidge of country. I don’t like country music, but I find myself being drawn to it a bit. Maybe it’s “fringe country”? I don’t know, but I do know that I love honeyhoney, and I’m digging bits of White’s Blunderbuss, specifically the title track. It’s the only overly country-sounding track on the album, but it’s mighty nice. I also get a bit of funk and maybe a bit of southern rock, and there's an overall classic rock feel to the album. 

Like I said, I’m digging the album, but it’s a weird kind of digging. I have no desire to sing along with it. It’s not catchy. But it works wonderfully as background music. It’s music that I enjoy, but I don’t enjoy it enough to get distracted by it so I’m able to get my work done. I might hum along with “Love Interruption” and “Take Me with You When You Go” or tap my feet along with “Hypocritical Kiss” and “Hip (Eponymous) Poor Boy,” but that’s it. It’s background noise, soundtrack music. If I want some Jack White that I can sing along with, I’m going to put on some White Stripes.

I realize that this isn’t the most glowing of reviews, but it’s not a bad album. It’s just not something I want to listen to all the time.

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