Review Summary: If it ain’t broke…
There’s a certain appeal to watching masters of their craft do what they do best – even if, to them, it’s merely routine work. Gordon Ramsey doesn’t need to reinvent cooking every time he steps into a kitchen to impress people, and Jack White doesn’t need to reinvent rock music every time he picks up a guitar. The man needs no introduction as one of the most influential stars in the garage/indie rock movement, and I don’t think it’s controversial to say he’s one of the greatest guitarists alive. On his latest album,
Frozen Charlotte, he does what he knows best: creating fun, bluesy rock songs that largely serve as an avenue for him to put his stellar, unique guitarwork on display. There are no wheels being reinvented – no boundaries being pushed. In many ways,
Frozen Charlotte can be seen as a spiritual successor to 2024’s
No Name, an album that saw White shed his experimental flair in favor of more stripped back, easily digestible rock songs. It can also be argued that this is the most White Stripes-esque release of his solo career. This is largely because of the drumming on the album; songs like
I Can’t Believe What I’m Hearing,
Dollar Bill, and
Thick As Thieves all feature elements of Meg White’s underrated signature cymbal-riding drum style.
The thing about an album like this one, however, is that its ceiling can only be so high. When an artist stays within familiar territory, there are certain limitations that come with it. Consistency may be easier to achieve, but moments of surprise become much rarer, leaving
Frozen Charlotte as a consistently solid-but-not-amazing album. By no means is that a bad thing though; even Jack White’s worst, most forgettable efforts still stand tall compared to the average rock artist, and
Frozen Charlotte isn’t even his worst material. What you have here is a collection of three-to-four star, easily accessible, rock tracks. While there may not be any top-tier songs, there are also no obvious skip-worthy ones. Although White’s recent rock-and-roll return has been satisfying to listen to, I can’t help but miss some of the experimental tendencies he had on past releases like
Lazaretto and
Boarding House Reach. It would be nice to see White marry his signature blues rock, guitar-driven style with some of the weirdness and unconventionality he displayed in the past similar to how he sounded on
Fear Of The Dawn. Be that as it may, Jack White has nothing left to prove in his accomplished musical career.
Frozen Charlotte, by his standards, might be considered “run of the mill,” but to you and me, it’s still a spectacle to behold. We’re currently witnessing one of the most distinctive and genre-defining guitarists of the century, and I'll relish the opportunity to kick back and appreciate the privilege of watching a musician of Jack White's caliber continue doing what he does best.
3.5 out of 5
