Jack White Has A Love Interruption

When the White Stripes issued a statement on Feb. 2, 2011, that the band had officially ended, it was a surprise. And yet, it wasn't a surprise. The band hadn't released an album (save for a live album) in four years and Jack White was busy working with bands like the Raconteurs and Dead Weather.

In the last two years, he has become even busier. White and Third Man Records are behind a lot of great music. But reading the words that marked the end the White Stripes was still disruptive, even if the intent was pure. Musicians need to evolve and sometimes that means protecting what they made.

"It is for a myriad of reasons, but mostly to preserve what is beautiful and special about the band and have it stay that way." — The White Stripes

Nonetheless, while the banner of the American rock band from Detroit (1997) has retired, it's great to see White remerging as a solo artist. It will likely bring a new infusion of life into alternative folk rock, given his DIY style of music. Bands won't sound like White. He will.

Love Interruption brings White into focus, rawly inventive and always unexpected.

Kicking off the anticipated album Blunderbuss due out toward the end of April is the release of the first single. Love Interruption is a short minimalistic duet, with all the smoke that has become associated with almost anything he touches.

Joining White on the duet is Nashville singer Ruby Amanfu. Amanfu, who has had a long run as a singer/songwriter since the third grade, is best known for her duets with Sam Brooker. Coincidentally (or not) Twenty Ten Music put out a 4-track solo session EP by Amanfu the day before the White single.

She is solid as a soloist and renowned for her duets, but it's her songwriting skills that are easily among the best in the business (the fourth track, especially). With White, she is the perfect match for Love Interruption, bringing a soulfulness that blends and contrasts beautifully with him. He powers up crisp lyrics; she lends a wavering emotive tone that soothes the delivery.

They know how to work together. Amanfu has been working with White here and there for more than a year. It was even around this time last year that Amanfu sang backup for rockabilly queen Wanda Jackson on Conan to support the release The Party Ain't Over, which White produced. White also played guitar with the Third Records Band on the show.




The appearance is worth mentioning because it hints at the White magic. He remains elusively independent in his vision, which carries along or allows him to be carried along with others. It has always been about the music, not just what can be cut in the studio, but what can happen naturally and spontaneously.

Love Interruption lights up his solo career as experimental as anything (or at least as experimental as Fly Farm Blues), and yet has the familiar signature style that impacts everyone around him. You can even hear it in Amanfu.

Listen to her alone and then as an integral part of the duet, and you'll find she sounds markedly different. With White, there doesn't seem to be a moment when she tries, making everything sound impossibly effortless. And isn't that White really aims for on every album?




Whether on his own or in mixed company, he is one of a handful of players who deconstructs in preparation of whatever might be played. He markets much the same way. While Love Interruption carries a B-side, you won't find it on the digital release. It's being saved for the 7" vinyl that will be available Feb. 7. The non-LP B-side is called Machine Gun Silhouette.

Love Interruption By Jack White Strips Away At 8.8 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

In case you were wondering, Amanfu won't be the only guest gracing Blunderbuss. Seasick Steve and Chris Thile (mandolinist/singer for Nickel Creek, among others) are reportedly making contributions too. They have their feet in blues and bluegrass respectively. According to White, these have been the first songs he has written from scratch that have nothing to do with anything except his own expression.

You can download Love Interruption from iTunes. The single is also available at Amazon. Unrated, The Simple Sessions by Ruby Amanfu is also on iTunes. While very different from the stylings of White, Making A Living is especially collectible.

The Greenhornes Put Four Stars In An Album

When most people were introduced to the Greenhornes in 2005, it came by way of the ultra eerie There Is An End. It was a collaboration with singer Holly Golightly, and used as the theme song for the movie Broken Flowers.

It was one of those rare times during a movie that people stopped viewing for a second to ask ... who's that band? Little did most of them know that Greenhornes weren't new. And they aren't a one-trick pony either.

The Greenhornes have been recording and touring (mostly touring) non-stop since 1996, when the band was formed in Ohio. Throughout their career, they've released more than their share of strong albums, including 2002’s Dual Mono.

They received mostly positively acclaim for their 60s-meets garage-meets-jams sound. It rightfully owes more than a nod to the best of the 60s bands, especially the Kinks, Yardbirds, and Rolling Stones. However, the real magic here is that this music creates a feeling that stands apart from an era when anything new and shiny grabs attention. It's timeless.

It’s still British Invasion meets America, but there’s more diversity and cohesion.

On **** (yes, symbolizing four stars), the Greenhornes have come together for their first album in eight years. Everything that made the band great is still in evidence, but there is a maturity of sorts that gives them a more cohesive sound. People familiar with the Yardbirds' vibe will notice a change in focus. The Greenhornes are much more devoted to melodies.

The band is also stripped down from a five piece to three. This trio includes singer/guitarist Craig Fox, bassist Jack Lawrence, and drummer Patrick Keeler. Two-thirds of the trio—Lawrence and Keller—also served as the rhythm section to Jack White’s Raconteurs.

They (Keeler and Lawrence) also took time out to play on Loretta Lynn’s brilliant Van Lear Rose CD, produced by White. Any time White takes an interest in a band and its musicians is a good thing. You'll agree. Just listen to ****, which was released by White’s Third Man Records, and this special segment produced by Rolling Stone.



The Greenhornes have always been strong, but this CD is full of melody and song crafting that is far superior to previous efforts. The band might say it feels the same, but the impact off the stage is far more enduring.

Standouts on **** include the bold, rich flavor of Saying Goodbye and some killer harmonies within Need Your Love. Cave Drawings is also especially good as 60s psychedelia played the way everyone wished it was then. Let's just hope they don't wait another eight years to get back in the spotlight because **** has it all — jams, ballads, melodies, and garage rock.

The Greenhornes’ **** Turns In A 7.0 Straight Up On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

Always on the go, the Greenhornes are on tour now. They have dates around the corner at the infamous Troubadour (Los Angeles), followed by stops in San Francisco, Oregon and then Illinois. You can keep up with them on Twitter and Facebook.

You can find **** by The Greenhornes on ITunes. It is listed as 4 Stars on Amazon. And yes, the image above is Patrick Keeler pressing a record. It doesn't get better than that.