Jump to content

Opinions On New Jack White Album- Boarding House Reach


gibsonfan159

Recommended Posts

 

"Connected By Love", I sense a little bit of Bowie, maybe some T-Rex, and some Pink Floyd "The Thin Ice" with the piano. There are a lot of sound effects on the album I'm certain I've heard on early 90s video games. Almost like he brought a hungover Trent Reznor into the studio. It's a shame because White is a hell of a guitarist, as evident on "Respect Commander". "Ezmerelda Steals The Show" has a Pink Floyd vibe. "What's Done Is Done" has the old White Stripes feel to it, with retro vinyl record scratching.

Musically, certain parts sound like a rock attempt at Skrillex. White seems desperate to sound poignant and philosophical, but sounds out of character and over-reaching. An artist can go two ways when reaching an audience- catchy, simple, and mainstream or deep with substance over cheap thrills. If you do the latter, you'd better make damn sure the substance is good enough to leave a mark on the human brain that's capable of understanding it. Otherwise you sound like someone who recorded an album while high on LSD. This album treads that line.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, gibsonfan159 said:

 

"Connected By Love", I sense a little bit of Bowie, maybe some T-Rex, and some Pink Floyd "The Thin Ice" with the piano. There are a lot of sound effects on the album I'm certain I've heard on early 90s video games. Almost like he brought a hungover Trent Reznor into the studio. It's a shame because White is a hell of a guitarist, as evident on "Respect Commander". "Ezmerelda Steals The Show" has a Pink Floyd vibe. "What's Done Is Done" has the old White Stripes feel to it, with retro vinyl record scratching.

Musically, certain parts sound like a rock attempt at Skrillex. White seems desperate to sound poignant and philosophical, but sounds out of character and over-reaching. An artist can go two ways when reaching an audience- catchy, simple, and mainstream or deep with substance over cheap thrills. If you do the latter, you'd better make damn sure the substance is good enough to leave a mark on the human brain that's capable of understanding it. Otherwise you sound like someone who recorded an album while high on LSD. This album treads that line.

Yes but, Funkadelic actually did record and album while everyone was high on LSD...Free Your Mind...and your ass will follow.

Damn fine album. However, I get your point. Free Your Mind came out in 1970 when Funkadelic were hitting their creative stride which would become evident in their follow up, the seminal Maggot Brain.

Bottom Line: Jack White is a great player and an original writer, but he is no Funkadelic and this ain't 1970.

Great breakdown Gibson, thank you

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Still on my to-do list. Way behind on new albums...haven't even bought the new Jack White yet. Even worse, I had to miss his recent surprise concert in L.A. because of work. But he is still playing the Arroyo Seco Fest in June. By then, I should have his new album ingested.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

This is the real thing!

First listen: Total time distortion! "Something's wrong with this disc, it's way too short, I only heard like three or four songs."

Second listen: I got that floating feeling of reading an excellent book, like I don't have a body! "I haven't felt like this from listening to a new album since Dark Side of the Moon!"  The sonic landscape is vast...

Third listen: Finally noticed all the guitars! "This dude is one hell of a guitar player!"

Overall this is a unique album of new sounds yet is true to the Jack White (stripes) sound.

Chef Free sez: Recommendo!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The new tunes work great live. I purposely stayed away from the new album because I wanted to hear them in a live setting first... wow !

Set list from last night at the Bomb Factory:

Setlist:

Over and Over and Over

When I Hear My Name

Corporation

Sixteen Saltines

Hotel Yorba

We're Going to Be Friends

Ice Station Zebra

Seven Nation Army

Connected by Love

The Hardest Button to Button

That Black Bat Licorice

What's Done Is Done

Milk Cow Blues
(Sleepy John Estes cover)

Everything You’ve Ever Learned

Carolina Drama

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 4/30/2018 at 6:06 PM, zepscoda said:

The new tunes work great live. I purposely stayed away from the new album because I wanted to hear them in a live setting first... wow !

Set list from last night at the Bomb Factory:

Setlist:

Over and Over and Over

When I Hear My Name

Corporation

Sixteen Saltines

Hotel Yorba

We're Going to Be Friends

Ice Station Zebra

Seven Nation Army

Connected by Love

The Hardest Button to Button

That Black Bat Licorice

What's Done Is Done

Milk Cow Blues
(Sleepy John Estes cover)

Everything You’ve Ever Learned

Carolina Drama

Made a playlist of your set list - great flow! Mixing the new songs with old gems is great and shows he’s really not that far off what he was doing with the Stripes.  It’s experimental, but definitely the direction he was going with much of ‘Lazaretto’.  I like a lot of the new disc, but prefer to hear the songs in a mix. As far as I’m concerned any Jack White is good Jack White.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 3/26/2018 at 12:43 PM, Strider said:

Still on my to-do list. Way behind on new albums...haven't even bought the new Jack White yet. Even worse, I had to miss his recent surprise concert in L.A. because of work. But he is still playing the Arroyo Seco Fest in June. By then, I should have his new album ingested.

Did you get a chance to indulge?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...