WRITE YOUR 1ST LISTEN REVIEW OF THE LAZARETTO ALBUM

[mojoryan]

Unfortunately (or fortunately?) I listen to music with ears or scrutiny and dissection, and have a hard time letting myself go to give a true listen. That said, while my first listen elicited the mental picture I previously stated, "It sounds like a sweltering summer night with the windows open, curtains blowing about from the necessary-box-fans, while friends sit -instruments in hand- playing and talking and drinking until the rest of the world fades into the background," it still didn't grab me. However, after repeated listenings? Yeah, I'm floored. A note about those repeated listenings: while I do take my URP tour guide at her word regarding there being no difference between color(ed) vinyl and black, I will say the Vault version is muddy as hell! The cd version and the black vinyl version are clear as a Summer day, and those are the versions I've listened to over the last two days. This album was a creeper-a fast creeper, but a creeper.

1) VERY difficult. Sorry, but I can't begin to tell you my favorite.
2) Entitlement. I have very mixed feelings about the subject matter-philosophical ones, of course. Maybe for that reason it shouldn't be the potential edit-out.
3) My rating of Blunderbuss was off the 1-10 scale, as is this one.

[melikecheese]

1 - Want and Able (like the lyrics a lot)
2 - errrrrr, a few
3 - 3 or 4? (Felt only slightly better about his first solo)

Think I just dig his raw blues rock more then country style stuff, more fuzz and feedback for me please. Not a bad album at all, just not my cup of tea. Glad to see so many are really enjoying it! That makes me happy.

[SinghLse07]

I will chime in with my review. But wanted to see what people thought of the Ghost theme in many of Jack's lyrics. Off the top of my head: on Lazaretto, we have ghost references in Would You Fight for My Love and Alone in My Home. On Icky Thump we have a ghost reference in 300mph Outpour Blues. GBMS has several ghost references including Little Ghost and in White Moon. The Stripes did a cover song of Teagan and Sara's Walking with a Ghost. On WBS more ghost references can be found in Dead Leaves. Seems to me to be a recurring theme/motif in his lyrics and seems a Ghost could represent multiple things. To me, a ghost in the context of Jack's lyrics, represents the physical absence of a female character but the ongoing emotional presence that looms over him (Jack). Anyway back to the review of Lazaretto.

1) Favorite Song: Would You Fight for My Love (Alone in My Home, I think I found the Culprit and Lazaretto get Honorable Mentions)
2) Least: Entitlement. I have to say though that I feel there is more to this song as it seems way too obvious to think Jack would lay out his opinions so bluntly. I actually don't think they are his, but is rather the male character in Lazaretto.
3) Rating 8.5 out of 10. I have been listening to Blunderbuss jointly with Lazaretto and I go back on forth on which I prefer. They are both really close AND really good. I think Lazaretto is the more ambitious album and it is thoroughly shocking to me how much content/styles/emotions Jack has packed into JUST 9 songs that is just 39 minutes long.

Finally is there a loose theme to Lazaretto? To me there is the possibility of some character plot in Lazaretto as it relates to the male figure. The album starts with a really cocky, confident male character in the first few songs particularly in Three Women and Lazaretto. As the album goes on though it seems our male hero starts going through some difficult times with women and with society at large and seems a little less sure about himself and his role in the world. By the time we reach Alone in My Home he has become a shell of what he was, as in, maybe becoming a Ghost? From there it seems goes through an anger/blame stage with Black Bat and I think I found the Culprit. Finally, the album ends with Want and Able where he seems to be resigned to the fact that the world as he imagined it / hope it would be, simply doesn't exist. A harsh reality. Someone is singing the blues like he's never sung it before.

PS: Along with the Stripes I listen to a LOT of Pink Floyd. uh, prob too much, which explains this post! Apologies before hand.

[Kali Durga]

Can't remember now which interview it was in, but Jack has commented about how he sometimes can't let go of brooding over people and conversations that bother him. He said something about those people becoming ghosts that stick around with him. So there's another possibility for your theory.

[SinghLse07]

Wow, didnt know that he said that. Also, wasn't Karen Elson's solo Album called the Ghost Who Walks? Interesting....

[anonymousbrunette]

I don't have a review but I finally replaced Billie Holiday with Lazaretto last Thursday, popped on the cans, and closed my eyes. Made me feel like I'd read someone's diary. Felt like I'd crossed a line. Its cold in the basement in summer and I was alone. It was unsettling.

I'll give it another listen, and another and another. I won't pour over lyrics next time, but for now Temporary Ground resonates.

[dmdv1]

I don't have a review but I finally replaced Billie Holiday with Lazaretto last Thursday, popped on the cans, and closed my eyes. Made me feel like I'd read someone's diary. Felt like I'd crossed a line. Its cold in the basement in summer and I was alone. It was unsettling.

I'll give it another listen, and another and another. I won't pour over lyrics next time, but for now Temporary Ground resonates.

Pretty much how I felt inc Temporary Ground