Jack White has always been one of my favorite rockstars, mostly because no matter how famous he seemingly becomes heโs always kept that indie spirit and always puts the music first. I havenโt always loved everythingโs heโs put out but it has always seemed sincere. Which is something that he continues here, although Boarding House Reach is probably his most experimental project yet. Thereโs heavy influences from blues, country, and most surprisingly funk, with entire songs dedicated to said genres. In fact, these โother genresโ songs are my favorite songs on the whole album, especially the funk infused ones. I never would have thought Iโd hear funk coming from Jack White but I wouldnโt be mad if I got more of it in the future. Even the country song, โWhatโs Done Is Doneโ, is a highlight for me. He goes all in and really plays it up. Itโs the playful side of White that made him a standout when he was first starting out. However, that side of him shows through far too little onย Boarding House Reach, with his main motif seeming to be overly serious. But itโs not all non-rock as he can still deliver on that front (โOver and Over and Overโ), and itโs not all gold when he delves into different genres either. Letโs just say Iโm good on ever hearing another faux-rap/spoken word breakdown from White. All in all,ย Boarding House Reach was an unexpectedly experimental album thatโs a mixed bag of good and bad, but the good largely outweighs the bad.
โThe Sisyphean dreamer
My fibula and femur
Hold the weight of the world
(Over and over)
I think, therefore I die
Anxiety and I, rolling down a mountain
(Over and over)โ
Have you heardย Boarding House Reach? Whatโd you think of it? Whatโd you think of Jack Whiteโs experimental approach to his sound? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to leave your own ratings and reactions to the album.
