Jack White

On 19th July 2024, amidst the global chaos created by the “2024 CrowdStrike incident”, unsuspecting music fans left a record store with a vinyl in an innocuous plain white sleeve bearing a curious ‘No Name’ label stamped on the A-side. Little did they know, they had just been slipped Jack White’s brand new solo album for free!

Turns out, Jack White’s own Third Man Records was distributing free copies with any purchase in their Detroit, Nashville and London stores that day. Any envy in the music community was quickly abated, as the 13-track album was immediately up for sale on auction sites but, most importantly, uploaded online.

Running at just under 43 minutes, the sound of the album feels like an old cut from the 1970’s. Jack White’s style is heavily influenced by the progressive rough around the edges gritty 70’s rock riffs.

Starting the album off with rock’n’roll’s patented sexy attitude on ‘Old Scratch Blues’ (giving the Rolling Stones a run for their money), White’s riffs sound coarsely luxurious. Leaning into the hard rock nature of Led Zeppelin on ‘Bless Yourself’, you are swept up in the heft of their melodious metal.

Moving from fast to steady, ‘That’s How I’m Feeling’ flows into garage rock and is far more sleek then the previous tracks. ‘It's Rough on Rats (If You're Asking)’ stays the course with distorted, frenetic blues and an unhinged twangy Jack White guitar solo. Followed by one of the album highlights, ‘Archbishop Harold Holmes’. Think of a “Jack de la Rocha” (I know it’s Zach!?) evangelical rap-sermon delivered against furious rock’n’roll!

‘Bombing Out’ keeps us trashing around in the echoes of early White Stripes, only for ‘What’s the Rumpus?’ to take us energetically down a notch or two. The album continues confidently in the same vain on ‘Tonight (Was a Long Time Ago)’, until we get to ‘Underground’ bringing us back to Jack White’s iconic Southern eccentric signature sound.

Starting with a playful intro leading into the chaotically compelling ‘Number One With a Bullet’, White reels us in with crashing guitars and holds us back with moments of bold instrumental intricacy. In the same way, ‘Morning at Midnight’ uses keys to get a gospel organ sound to inflame the spirit, clearly taking inspiration from the early days of Elvis-era rock’n’roll. Lest we forget, Jack White has played Elvis before.

‘Missionary’ is an unstoppable riot with infectious chords and Jack’s excitedly enthused screams makes this the obvious album earworm. To conclude ‘No Name’, we have ‘Terminal Archenemy Endling’, a wondrously epic and majestic final movement. Like so much of the album, it’s electrifying!

From 1st August 2024, “No Name” will be available at Third Man Records. For everyone else, you’ll find it at select independent retailers and all digital streaming services on 2nd August 2024.

Tracklist:
1. Old Scratch Blues
2. Bless Yourself
3. That's How I'm Feeling
4. It's Rough on Rats (If You're Asking)
5. Archbishop Harold Holmes
6. Bombing Out
7. What's the Rumpus?
8. Tonight (Was a Long Time Ago)
9. Underground
10. Number One With a Bullet
11. Morning at Midnight
12. Missionary
13. Terminal Archenemy Endling