Review Summary: Jack White takes a bold move that works out in almost every respect
Video Review Here: https://youtu.be/uQ_bzj98czo
After two albums by Jack White that maintained a consistent sound of garage rock, with some country elements, it is an extremely surprising and unorthodox move for Jack to do something this drastically different. It should be noted that as I go through this album I will refrain from mentioning MOST of the spoken tracks, as I feel that there isn’t much to talk about them, and I’ll just leave it that they do make the album better and none of them are bad.
You can tell that this isn’t your standard Jack White fare as soon as the first track begins, “Connected by Love” with its dark ominous synths and Jack’s wonderful vocals, where he sounds admittedly a bit whiny. However on the verses he sounds very unhinged, like he is on the verge of losing his mind. And this coupled with the almost gospel choir it’s an interesting song for someone like Jack White to do despite it being a definite low point on the album. And it’s all uphill from here.
The next track is one that I’m torn on. “Why Walk a Dog” is one that musically, it’s just as diverse and interesting as the previous track on the album. But lyrically it leaves me a little more confused. All I can assume that Jack White just has some vendetta against pet stores. But I’d imagine that it goes just a little bit deeper than that.
“Corporation” is a definite high point on the album. With an exceptional groovy drum beat, driven by a very good guitar riff, it’s just a song that you can get up and dance to. (given that you are in a setting where it would be appropriate.) Sprinkled throughout the track are little bits of bongos and other instruments, which serves to make the track chaotic, and just a little unhinged. And about three minutes when Jack’s screaming vocals come it it escalates the song to a whole nother level. The lyrics are again, a little confusing to me (I’m stupid and I prefer to focus on the musical aspect) But it seems to be about/against commercialism. Maybe some sort of commentary on the current state of the music industry being more commercialized than ever before? I honestly don’t know.
“Hypermisophoniac” is just insane. Almost no structure and confusing lyrics that aren’t very fulfilling. Still, dont skip this one because it’s one hell of a ride.
“Ice Station Zebra” Is the best track on the album. Musically, it’s too complex for me to even begin to describe it but its instrumentation is extremely effective. But the main draw of this album is that Jack White RAPS. Allow me to repeat that, HE RAPS. Up until this point the album always a bit strange, and a deviation from Jack White’s normal formula, but this one certainly puts it over the top.
*inserts stupid joke about how I could listen to this song over and over.*
“Over and Over and Over” is the closest this album comes to a more classic garage rock sound with one main guitar riff driving the song with a hefty amount of fuzz. It feels like a marriage between The White Stripes, and The Dead Weather. And despite the fact that it sounds strikingly similar to Saturn Date’s song “Burning the Sun” I believe that that’s just a coincidence.
Even though I said that I wouldn’t mention any of the spoken interludes I feel like “Everything you ever learned” is too good to not briefly mention. Which starts out with some admittedly boring spoken words, in which some voice introduces you into presumably some sort of game show or television show in which it repeats “Hello. Welcome to everything you’ve ever learned.” And this repeats for a but before Jack White comes in with a vengeance. He begins yelling as a thundering drum beat plays behind him with some synths and bass scattered throughout the song. It’s a bombastic, fun, and chaotic song.
“Respect Commander” Mixes Blues Rock, and Electronica. With just miscellaneous noises thrown in seemingly at random. It’s also about respecting women. So if I don’t like it I’m going to get crucified by Xiao Meili.
“Get in the Mindshaft” is most likely the strangest song on the album. I honestly don’t know how to describe this one in a way to do it justice, so I’ll let you just listen to it yourself.
“What’s Done is Done” is good, although it’s probably the most straightforward and is also the safest song on the album. It’s nothing special and would be right at home on any of Mr. White’s two previous albums.
Humoresque is a very good track, but it’s also the calmest and softest song on the album, with quiet subdued instrumentals that eventually begin to build up to something, before almost abruptly ending. However this song wasn’t originally written by Jack White, but instead Al Capone. It began as a handwritten musical composition he wrote in Alcatraz in the 1930s. The song was called “Humoresque” was sold for $18,750 (to an anonymous bidder, in 2017. In an interview, Jack White revealed that the bidder was him. So i have to deduct points for the last song on the album being a cover.
Overall, Boarding House Reach is a wonderful album, that is sure to be extremely divisive. Fans will be surely split on whether is is the worst or best album that Jack White has worked on to date. I think it’s certainly one of the better ones, beating out almost all of the White Stripes and The Dead Weather’s discographies. I think it’s the best Jack White album only behind Consolers of the Lonely and Lazaretto. The album has a few shortcomings, including some issues with the song placement, and the poor production at times.
