Review: Jack White ‘No Name’

Review: Jack White ‘No Name’

By Hal Horowitz

That Jack White….you gotta love him. The guy’s got hutzpah!

It makes no difference if you thrill to his eclectic rock/prog/blues or not, White is consistently pushing boundaries. Whether it’s eschewing the spotlight to be a supporting member of other bands (The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather), recording two very different sounding albums in one year (2022), or touring tiny clubs to promote a forthcoming surprise album (without any indication of what is inside the all blue cover), initially distributed with purchases at his Third Man stores, he revels in thinking outside the box.

That last entry is what happened as this defiantly monikered No Name collection was made commercially available August 2 with virtually zero advance publicity.

That jumbles, challenges and even contradicts everything most stars of his caliber adhere to when releasing new music. But it also shows a willingness to throw a wrench into the established industry process, something he has made a habit of since the White Stripes’ 1999 debut. And as a reputable festival headlining star, none of this has negatively affected his career. On the contrary, the ex-White Stripes frontman has never been more popular.

These twists wouldn’t mean much though if he didn’t have the music, and live show, to back it up. Anyone who has seen White’s concerts, either with the Stripes or solo, knows he brings it on stage. And his albums display a raw, unfiltered, guitar-heavy professionalism that proves he’s a talented songwriter, guitarist and quirky yet often hypnotically forceful singer.

Those who found his previous release, 2022s more laid-back, acoustic, ballad oriented Entering Heaven Alive a little lackluster, will rejoice in No Name’s return to harder edged form.

Push play and hang onto something sturdy as “Old Scratch Blues” latches onto a sizzling guitar riff. It finds Jack White howling in his distinctive wail “You’re gonna find out…everything you need to give for free to be a sellout,” as he and just a backing two-piece of bass and drums go for the throat.

That sets a high bar for the remaining 40 minutes which finds White, with stripped-down backing, going all Zeppelin on a 70s influenced, tough, grungy set pounding out frills-free roaring rawk. From the power licks of the aggressive “Missionary” (“I’m back seat driving when you’re driving me crazy..but I can’t drive a stick” is followed by a maniacal laugh) to the thick as glue AC/DC inspired muscular chords reverberating on “Tonight (Was a Long Time Ago)” and the thunderous thumping with twisted guitar solo that makes “It’s Rough on Rats (If You’re Asking)” (gotta love these titles) so brain frying, White is in electrifying, spellbinding form.

Air-guitarists will think they have died and gone to heaven as White cranks up the tempo for the penetrating “Bombing Out,” spitting out lyrics of “You thrill me if you don’t kill me” like he’s eaten a hunk of stale cheese. The attack gets slower and funky in the beginning of “Number One with a Bullet” until he steps on the musical gas bringing a pumping “Radar Love” inflected energy to the table.

The closing psychedelic entry, intriguingly titled “Terminal Archenemy Endling” (no clue what that means), doesn’t bother with bass as White shifts into minor tunings singing “What’s the point of being free if I’m all alone” with his trademarked shriek. Drums pound out like John Bonham at his most animalistic and the sound of dogs yapping brings us to the disc’s fadeout.

It’s an understatement to say No Name is a high-octane, race car ride. Rather it’s a non-stop roller coaster of Jack White at his most animated and invigorated, expanding limits as he destroys brain cells with relentless, yet always artistic, intensity.

Strap in.

“Old Scratch Blues”

 

Jack White website