Jack White
Lazaretto

A courtyard with four neo-gothic style angel statues and a towering Jack White at the center... the cover perfectly reflects the atmospheres of this great album that draws from the best blues rock, country, and southern rock. 

It begins right away with a pleasant funky blues "Three Women" interrupted at the end by a frenetic guitar solo. Immediately after starts what is perhaps one of the best riffs ever, accompanied by White's furious voice and another memorable guitar solo... I'm obviously talking about the overwhelming title track. The song ends with a violin performance masterfully executed by White's band violinists: Fats Kaplin and Lilie Rische. And here the violin reappears in a calm country song "Temporary Ground" for those who say Jack White is not innovative: the way he uses classical instruments in blues-rock style tracks with a decidedly modern sound is unique. After "Would You Fight for my Love", the least favorite yet noteworthy track, a dark piece where the piano and choirs dominate, we reach the absolute masterpiece of the album... the instrumental "High Ball Stepper" where distorted guitars alternate with female screams and the piano, there's nothing more to add, you have to listen to it to understand its intensity.

 Just this half of the album would be enough to confirm Jack White as one of the most important musicians of these years and not just a "revivalist". As a solo artist, he has truly managed to demonstrate his capabilities, thanks to a real backing band.

 Moving forward, the album calms down a bit with southern rock "Just One Drink" and the ballad "Alone in my  Home". However, it picks up again with the dark "The Black Bat Licorice" where the verse "Now state the same thing with the violin!" is followed by a spine-chilling solo. Slowly, the album nears the end with the sweet "Entitlement", I think I Found The Culprit" where the violin is heard again with languid phrases between the verses. The acoustic "Want and Able" puts an end to this masterpiece, making the haunted nightmares of "Lazaretto" seem like just a memory.