Don’t Be Afraid of Fear of the Dawn

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dawn: A Hyperbole Free Review of Jack White’s New Album

Jack White Slays on New Long Play

Fear of the Dawn, Jack White’s latest solo effort is about what you’d expect; loud, weird, and really fucking good. Since the beginning of his career, White has been making guitar based rock music that appeals to music nerds and general rock fans at once. The musicianship, guitar geekery, and technical prowess appeals to the nerds, while the crunchy riffs, howling vocals, and catchy, anthemic choruses that sound great at the shows bring in the masses.

On Fear of the Dawn, the first of two LPs White plans to release this year, Jack is operating on his own having recorded these records during the pandemic. The isolated approach allowed White to mix in some digital effects into his traditionally analogue approach resulting in an album that sounds fresh and modern while retaining a lot of classic rock sensibilities.

Good from the Jump

From the jump Fear of the Dawn grabs you. It’s loud, it’s quirky, it’s classic Jack White. The fuzzy almost electronic guitar is searing and aggressive. It’s like your ears are getting tattooed. The buzz crackling in your head long after the song is over.

White continues this sonic assault across the rest of the album. The title track and The White Raven have the same buzzy guitars layered over solid, crisp driving drums.

Hi-De-Ho sounds like it would belong right next to an Eminem song on a late 90’s early 2000’s horror music soundtrack. Its weird af, but has an instantly head bopping sound and memorable bass riff that will stick in your head long after your first listen.

That was Then, This is Now could have been on any White Stripes album. It’s got a classic memorable riff and a sing along verse and chorus that will have you unable to resist bopping your head along to the beat.

Many of the songs on this record have a very classic rock, 70’s, bluesy, almost sleazy sound to them. Morning, Noon and Night and Shedding My Velvet best exemplify this sound, but it’s a sound that’s embedded deep in the heart of this album. The production is big and bold and many of White’s choices make this sound like an unreleased Led Zeppelin album. The drums are big, the rhythm is hard and driving.

The production is tight, crisp, and clean. Grab this on vinyl and listen through a good set of headphones for the full effect. Jack White is a master of creating memorable albums that keep rock and roll alive while infusing it with fresh and modern blood.

Wrap-Up

This album is weird af. The lyrics are wild, the song structures are unique, but don’t let that scare you off. If you’ve enjoyed Jack White’s music in the past, whether The White Stripes or solo or any of his other bands, you’re probably going to easily find an entry point into this album. I say embrace the weirdness, turn it up as loud as you possibly can and rock the fuck out.