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Jack White is truly a man who needs no introduction.
Combining the dirtiness of Delta blues, the eccentricity of Captain Beefheart and the showmanship of Led Zeppelin, White became one of the most distinctive mainstream artists since Frank Zappa.
On top of his years with the White Stripes, White had phenomenal acts like the Raconteurs, the Dead Weather and his solo career to add to his repertoire. Even Jimmy Page wasn’t that versatile.
The White Stripes was always one of those bands that could never be categorized in just one subgenre of rock. They were simply rock ’n’ roll. They could be whatever you wanted them to be.
White clearly understands this, hence his latest compilation album, “Acoustic Recordings 1998-2016.”
I want to emphasize this is not a greatest hits record. You will not find signature White Stripes tunes like “Seven Nation Army,” “Blue Orchid” or “Fell in Love with a Girl” on this LP.
In fact, of the 26 songs featured on the album, only three of them were ever singles. Not just for the White Stripes. That’s throughout White’s entire career.
Instead, White focuses on the lesser-knowns of his career. He either mixes, re-records with acoustic or leaves them entirely untouched.
Why make a move like this? Simple.
White clearly prioritizes substance instead of commerciality. He seeks to please his audience, rather than choke a few bucks off of them.
White is probably the biggest blues fan in the world, and he clearly had the desire to share his love for the style. It’s more than obvious most of the White Stripes and Raconteurs singles, as brilliant as they are, wouldn’t fit.
While the mixes and re-recordings sounded incredible, I didn’t quite understand why White simply cut and pasted previous album tracks like “Well It’s True That We Love One Another,” “White Moon” and “Forever For Her (Is Over For Me).”
Also, the remix of “Apple Blossom” was so minimally changed that only someone who has heard the song at least twenty times — guilty as charged — would have noticed that it was slightly condensed in some parts. It felt more like an edited radio version rather than a remix.
With all that said, the rest of this album is about as precious as the bluest diamond in the world. The bluegrass version of “Top Yourself” is pure gold, and the acoustic mix of “Carolina Drama” somehow manages to feel even more intense and Steinbeckian than its studio companion.
I also couldn’t forget the previously unreleased “City Lights,” which, if it were released before, I’m sure I would have declared it to many of my friends as one of the most underrated White Stripes songs ever.
While not a greatest hits record, this album is still more than a treat for true White zealots and blues buffs.
Don’t put off listening to this album, and add it to your Jack White collection.
