Jack White's solo, 'Blunderbuss' is impressive

CD art cover titled "Blunderbuss" by Jack White. Credit: Handout/

By GLENN GAMBOAglenn.gamboa@newsday.comApril 24, 2012

Jack White works best when someone can bounce the best of his manic musical ideas back at him.

That explains his impressive run of collaborators of the past decade from White Stripe Meg White to Dead Weather's Alison Mosshart to the country royalty of Loretta Lynn and Wanda Jackson. For "Blunderbuss" (Third Man), White's first solo album, he may be working alone, but he certainly seems driven by someone, or several someones.

"Blunderbuss" is filled with anger at people, mostly women, who are untrustworthy and mean. "You took your time talking trash, now you're trying to bring your garbage to me," he announces in the Louisiana-tinged kiss-off "Trash Tongue Talker." The White Stripes-ish "Sixteen Saltines" packs jealousy and put-downs in with the bash-it-out guitar riffs. He sings both sides of a painful fight in "Hypocritical Kiss," the lovely piano runs disguising the harshness of the lyrics. "You would sell your own mother out," White seethes. "And then betray your own brother with another hypocritical kiss."

Even when White is trying to be positive, it comes out dark, declaring, "I want love to roll me over slowly, stick a knife inside me, and twist it all around," in "Love Interruption," which makes the "Son of a Preacher Man" vibe feel far more desperate.

"Blunderbuss" only gets darker and more impressive upon repeated listening, as the reasons behind White's falsetto choices or bruising guitar work become clearer. It's an endlessly interesting world to visit, but it also makes you wonder if White needs to make some new friends.