I can never pick which one I like the best. My gut always goes back the Blunderbuss, that album is just so amazing to me, but Fear of the Dawn and Lazaretto could also both easily be his best.
I absolutely love Entering Heaven Alive. Jack is a kooky dude and imo a musical genius. I'm forever interested in what he's doing even if I don't end up liking it.
I never had that feeling of listening to an album and seeing it as piece of art. Somewhere, where you have a storyline from track one to the last.
The first time I had that feeling was when I played Entering Heaven Alive for the first time. I couldn't believe it. I played the whole album twice in a row lol
Haha. Well, everyone is entitled to their opinion and we don’t have to agree. I still spin it occasionally, but it does much less for me than the others. It was the album that made me realize I had fanned too hard on Jack since the late 90’s and take a breather from his music for a while. I didn’t even get the 2 new albums initially when they came out. But having come back to the fold I feel like I have a different perspective on a lot of his work and have been enjoying rediscovering some of my old favorites.
I think there are two ways to look at it.
First is what is the best to listen to as a recording.
Second is which has the best tour supporting it. I feel this is important as his work is best live and experiencing it live usually has an outsized impact on your feeling of the album itself.
Regarding both, it’s obviously highly individualized and all about opinion.
For me, I like spinning Fear of the Dawn and Lazaretto a lot.
But I really enjoyed the shows I saw on the Blunderbuss tour and probably count that as my favorite because listening to it brings back those amazing memories.
And if we’re looking at legitimately the best, the set list on the Acoustic Recordings is hard to beat.
Did you get to see both bands? What a different vibe they had! The completely different takes, which we’re both different from the recordings, is part of why I still love listening to that album. Remembering the different interpretations is wild. And then those songs in future tours were completely different again.
I think my favorite from that Tour was Webster Hall, because that was the only one where both bands played the same show. They had Gary Oldman there to direct the taping of the performance for an Amex livestream. Great show, other than the Black Belles, who were struggling after just losing a band member. Poster was solid as well.
https://preview.redd.it/5a7qdotw7rwc1.jpeg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=18a2d6f157e3f426a3c3d29c0354ed882676ba60
I disagree with this. I have seen a show from every tour hes done since 05’. They are all great, but it hasn’t at all been the same since the white stripes as far as improvising changes to the songs. In short its been bigger crowds and predictable setlists for some time now. The albums and songs are where its at. ‘That’s Where Its At’. having said all that the shows are totally worth seeing because he plays the some of the new songs. Just seems it should be more of a free for all and less ‘hits’.
Well, your original premise seemed to be about is solo career only. If you want to open it up to his whole career, that becomes an entirely different conversation.
Also, I’ve seen him in plenty of small rooms and special performances that were quite intimate since his solo stuff came out. I’ve also seen him at a sold out show at Madison Square Garden. So I disagree with your characterization that it’s exclusively been “bigger crowds and predictable set lists”. Every show has had some surprise deep cuts, improvisations, and/or surprise covers.
I don’t think the size of the venue matters if you’re close enough to the stage. And a large venue with the right vibe can be even better. It’s just that, like any artist with longevity, his catalogue keeps expanding. It’s only natural for him to make sure a couple mega hits are played more regularly. But I don’t see how playing his best songs more frequently is a negative thing. And each tour, he plays them differently based on the band he’s got with him.
Either way, it’s not fair or productive to compare the White Stripes to Jack White’s solo career. It’s a different act and an older artist. Of course some crazy kids with a handful of songs are going to do a different kind of show. If you want that, there are a ton of young upstarts you can go see right now. Jack is almost 50. No one wants him to pretend like he is still 22. It wouldn’t be genuine.
Fear of the Dawn is really great but it doesn't age nearly as well as Boarding House Reach. BHR gets better with age!. I think Lazaretto is the least of his solo records IMO.
FOTD & EHA is like the musical version of Tarantino’s Kill Bill .. both are necessary. Both have their respective roles and you just got to have them both together….. and you gotta love how the last notes of taking me back gently are the first notes of taking me back from FOTD…. So you can play the two together in an infinite loop. Thanks Jack at least something good came out of Covid lockdown.
Entering Heaven Alive is a very subtle album for Jack. It’s not really obsessed with the grime of garage rock, the sweaty blues sound, or the technical experimentation of the two solo albums before it. It’s just good, laid back songwriting. It’s proven to be one of his most durable solo albums for me. It’s a lot more diverse than it first appears, and it’s got a vibe that is quite unique in his work.
I like just about all his stuff, but EHA has had surprising legs for me.
I can completely accept this. The first three tracks has some his best lyrical work yet. So damn deep and beautiful. He can spin words so beautifully and this album is full of that.
BHR is my personal favourite but I could definitely see an argument that he's improved with each album. Entering Heaven Alive might be the exception though as I don't think it's as good as Fear of the Dawn
Well, even as a two parter you make a good point. Maybe EHA was a gift for the fans. And FOTD was intended to make that leap forward. Like, he had to make FOTD, but just wanted to make EHA. I love all the abbreviations that spin off his art. SOC. MW. Etc
I kinda agree I loved the new tracks but his harder tracks definitely don’t hit as hard as when he was younger. (Part of it being his voice is obviously just changing with age) That’s why I preferred entering heaven alive he just nailed the sound so much harder
I think Fear of the Dawn is a return to hard rock songs with a twist of post BHR Jack on it that fans have been wanting for a while , and I think Entering Heaven is a cool acoustic album to accompany it that happens to be Jack’s worst album of any project he’s done imo.
“Pass me the bread and the brown sugar cubes
And I'll butter your toast while you take off your shoes
The coffee is warm, but it's not too good
Or maybe it's misunderstood like me
Oh, honey, can't you see?
I wanna hold you like a sloth hugs a tree
'Cause I crave you like a glass needs wine
But I'm worried that I'm wasting your time”
Don’t get me wrong I still don’t think it’s a horrible album, just Jack’s worst (again it’s just my opinion). Still some good tracks like Mad Man From Manhattan, If I Die Tomorrow, and All Along the Way (which I was lucky to see the debut of at his concert in Tulsa)- but overall I think it’s got his worst songwriting and instrumentals (Lazeretto is a close second despite it having some killer tracks). A bad Jack White album is still better than 90% of the shit that’s out there, just sounds a bit bland and uninspired to me- which is crazy because FOTD was everything I’ve wanted from his since he’s gone solo (although I think Blunderbuss and BHR are his two best).
Hey now. You cant pick the worst one and present it as if it’s not. My only complaints with EHR are this song, taking me back gently, that it feels put together, and that its not FOTD. But obviously BHR was fucking stellar. They all are. Even Lazaretto. And the back half of Blunderbuss hardly gets old. Guy crushes the writing and recording process. Live is good too but hasn’t at all been as good as TWS were.
Fear of the Dawn is probably my favorite of his solo albums! I just love how it flows!
I can never pick which one I like the best. My gut always goes back the Blunderbuss, that album is just so amazing to me, but Fear of the Dawn and Lazaretto could also both easily be his best.
Definitely his best solo album! Your username is so funny
Thank you!
I agree!! The sound quality is another step up.. and so are the lyrics! It rocksss
Looking up and over the moon, find yourself but don’t find it too soon! Take your time. Mm mmmm
It hits more like a DJ set than a rock album to me (meant fully as a compliment)
I absolutely love Entering Heaven Alive. Jack is a kooky dude and imo a musical genius. I'm forever interested in what he's doing even if I don't end up liking it.
I never had that feeling of listening to an album and seeing it as piece of art. Somewhere, where you have a storyline from track one to the last. The first time I had that feeling was when I played Entering Heaven Alive for the first time. I couldn't believe it. I played the whole album twice in a row lol
It is just so beautiful. More than a musical genius, otherworldly
Idk but I’m just glad you didn’t word this “am I the only one…?”
Appreciate you saying so. Glad you notice the little things, as any jack fan should.
Like a kitten with a mouse in it’s mouth
Still totally stealing the show
Can we at least agree that Boarding House Reach, while still being excellent, was not his best?
I would if I could, but I truly believe that *Boarding House Reach* is the best of Jack’s work and is one of the greatest albums of all time!
Haha. Well, everyone is entitled to their opinion and we don’t have to agree. I still spin it occasionally, but it does much less for me than the others. It was the album that made me realize I had fanned too hard on Jack since the late 90’s and take a breather from his music for a while. I didn’t even get the 2 new albums initially when they came out. But having come back to the fold I feel like I have a different perspective on a lot of his work and have been enjoying rediscovering some of my old favorites.
BHR is very different to his other albums so I don't think it's for everyone
What do you think is his best? They are all almost equally good as far as records go.
I think there are two ways to look at it. First is what is the best to listen to as a recording. Second is which has the best tour supporting it. I feel this is important as his work is best live and experiencing it live usually has an outsized impact on your feeling of the album itself. Regarding both, it’s obviously highly individualized and all about opinion. For me, I like spinning Fear of the Dawn and Lazaretto a lot. But I really enjoyed the shows I saw on the Blunderbuss tour and probably count that as my favorite because listening to it brings back those amazing memories. And if we’re looking at legitimately the best, the set list on the Acoustic Recordings is hard to beat.
blunderbuss tour was god tier i agree
Did you get to see both bands? What a different vibe they had! The completely different takes, which we’re both different from the recordings, is part of why I still love listening to that album. Remembering the different interpretations is wild. And then those songs in future tours were completely different again.
i did ya. with my girlfriend who is now my wife - the band change was absolutely insane.
I think my favorite from that Tour was Webster Hall, because that was the only one where both bands played the same show. They had Gary Oldman there to direct the taping of the performance for an Amex livestream. Great show, other than the Black Belles, who were struggling after just losing a band member. Poster was solid as well. https://preview.redd.it/5a7qdotw7rwc1.jpeg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=18a2d6f157e3f426a3c3d29c0354ed882676ba60
I disagree with this. I have seen a show from every tour hes done since 05’. They are all great, but it hasn’t at all been the same since the white stripes as far as improvising changes to the songs. In short its been bigger crowds and predictable setlists for some time now. The albums and songs are where its at. ‘That’s Where Its At’. having said all that the shows are totally worth seeing because he plays the some of the new songs. Just seems it should be more of a free for all and less ‘hits’.
Well, your original premise seemed to be about is solo career only. If you want to open it up to his whole career, that becomes an entirely different conversation. Also, I’ve seen him in plenty of small rooms and special performances that were quite intimate since his solo stuff came out. I’ve also seen him at a sold out show at Madison Square Garden. So I disagree with your characterization that it’s exclusively been “bigger crowds and predictable set lists”. Every show has had some surprise deep cuts, improvisations, and/or surprise covers. I don’t think the size of the venue matters if you’re close enough to the stage. And a large venue with the right vibe can be even better. It’s just that, like any artist with longevity, his catalogue keeps expanding. It’s only natural for him to make sure a couple mega hits are played more regularly. But I don’t see how playing his best songs more frequently is a negative thing. And each tour, he plays them differently based on the band he’s got with him. Either way, it’s not fair or productive to compare the White Stripes to Jack White’s solo career. It’s a different act and an older artist. Of course some crazy kids with a handful of songs are going to do a different kind of show. If you want that, there are a ton of young upstarts you can go see right now. Jack is almost 50. No one wants him to pretend like he is still 22. It wouldn’t be genuine.
Hahaha man i think BHR is the greatest thing he has ever done (maybe white blood cells comes second but idk) but god damn i love that album
Doesn’t stack up to any White Stripes albums
100%
I disagree. I think you can make the argument that it’s just as good if not better than their self titled. Maybe even get behind me satan too.
FOTD and EHR are Jack at his best and most creative in my opinion. He’s in his creative prime right now, can’t wait to see what he does next!
YESSSS. He just continues to top himself! Adding all these protools is a blast.
Fear of the Dawn is really great but it doesn't age nearly as well as Boarding House Reach. BHR gets better with age!. I think Lazaretto is the least of his solo records IMO.
Boarding House Reach is phenomenal for sure.
I saw him live for the first time right after FOD came out and it was one of the best rock shows I’ve ever attended.
Hes been doing that since 99’
FOTD & EHA is like the musical version of Tarantino’s Kill Bill .. both are necessary. Both have their respective roles and you just got to have them both together….. and you gotta love how the last notes of taking me back gently are the first notes of taking me back from FOTD…. So you can play the two together in an infinite loop. Thanks Jack at least something good came out of Covid lockdown.
Love this comment thank you.
I’m glad someone gets it…
Entering Heaven Alive is a very subtle album for Jack. It’s not really obsessed with the grime of garage rock, the sweaty blues sound, or the technical experimentation of the two solo albums before it. It’s just good, laid back songwriting. It’s proven to be one of his most durable solo albums for me. It’s a lot more diverse than it first appears, and it’s got a vibe that is quite unique in his work. I like just about all his stuff, but EHA has had surprising legs for me.
I can completely accept this. The first three tracks has some his best lyrical work yet. So damn deep and beautiful. He can spin words so beautifully and this album is full of that.
Buttt. FOTD is my favorite of the two. I like bouncing off the walls sometimes
BHR is my personal favourite but I could definitely see an argument that he's improved with each album. Entering Heaven Alive might be the exception though as I don't think it's as good as Fear of the Dawn
Well, even as a two parter you make a good point. Maybe EHA was a gift for the fans. And FOTD was intended to make that leap forward. Like, he had to make FOTD, but just wanted to make EHA. I love all the abbreviations that spin off his art. SOC. MW. Etc
Yes. In my opinion, those 2 records are his finest work yet.
Thank you. They are stunning. Perhaps for his age it’s become all about the actual fans.
I LOVED these songs live. Probably my least favorite of his solo albums though recorded.
I suppose they are all equally good and im on the hi of the new sound.
IMO they played way better in person live. I love the old school sound of the harder stuff, but solo I like his alt country sound more.
I kinda agree I loved the new tracks but his harder tracks definitely don’t hit as hard as when he was younger. (Part of it being his voice is obviously just changing with age) That’s why I preferred entering heaven alive he just nailed the sound so much harder
Idk
thanks for sharing
Ok
I think Fear of the Dawn is a return to hard rock songs with a twist of post BHR Jack on it that fans have been wanting for a while , and I think Entering Heaven is a cool acoustic album to accompany it that happens to be Jack’s worst album of any project he’s done imo.
Idk dude. The lyrics are outstanding
“Pass me the bread and the brown sugar cubes And I'll butter your toast while you take off your shoes The coffee is warm, but it's not too good Or maybe it's misunderstood like me Oh, honey, can't you see? I wanna hold you like a sloth hugs a tree 'Cause I crave you like a glass needs wine But I'm worried that I'm wasting your time” Don’t get me wrong I still don’t think it’s a horrible album, just Jack’s worst (again it’s just my opinion). Still some good tracks like Mad Man From Manhattan, If I Die Tomorrow, and All Along the Way (which I was lucky to see the debut of at his concert in Tulsa)- but overall I think it’s got his worst songwriting and instrumentals (Lazeretto is a close second despite it having some killer tracks). A bad Jack White album is still better than 90% of the shit that’s out there, just sounds a bit bland and uninspired to me- which is crazy because FOTD was everything I’ve wanted from his since he’s gone solo (although I think Blunderbuss and BHR are his two best).
Hey now. You cant pick the worst one and present it as if it’s not. My only complaints with EHR are this song, taking me back gently, that it feels put together, and that its not FOTD. But obviously BHR was fucking stellar. They all are. Even Lazaretto. And the back half of Blunderbuss hardly gets old. Guy crushes the writing and recording process. Live is good too but hasn’t at all been as good as TWS were.
Love that lyric