Jack White is an old musical soul or, at the very least and more likely, he has spent a lot of time listening to, and being influenced by, music most artists his age have never listened to. When I listen to Blunderbuss (2012), I hear echoes of J. Geils and Bo Diddley, 10cc and Mott the Hoople transmuted through his thin, tremolo voice. Yet, of course, the music is his own, guided by his growing and formidable talent. Tapping deeply into several decades of both classic and obscure rock music is setting this man up for great things in his musical future.
“Sixteen Saltines” is the justified single, but there’s so much more here. The title track is the prettiest song on the album, and “On and On and On” is a great emotional tune as well. “Missing Pieces” is growing on me quickly, but it’s “I’m Shakin,'” with a few added vinyl-induced pops and scratches, that could have been recorded a half-century ago in a hot, cramped studio in Memphis.
I have to admit that I hadn’t given the White Stripes much of a chance, but I’ll be circling back to his work there now. Needless to say, when Keith Richards took notice of Jack White, I did too. The Raconteurs really focused my attention, and Blunderbuss already has me wondering what White will be up to next.
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