…besides the title of Jack White‘s debut solo album, I mean.
Yes, it’s true. After recording as The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather, and producing albums for just about everyone in the damn world, Jack is finally making a go as a solo artist. The legion of Jack fans (in all his various incarnations) is strong, and his Third Man Records has developed some serious press lately, so look for this one to be one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful rock albums to be released so far this year.
He’ll be challenged on the charts this week by boy band The Wanted. You know the cycle by now–every ten years or so, there’s a resurgence of teen boy groups. This current wave has been led by OneDirection (the guys that were on SNL a couple of weeks back) and The Wanted, whose “Glad You Came” is the #1 song at Top 40 radio currently. With rumors already floating around suggesting beef between the two groups (GANGSTA SON!!) will this become the Backstreet Boys vs. *NSYNC of…what the hell are we calling this decade, anyway? Oh, shit. They’re releasing an EP this week, called, um…The EP. Seriously.
Otherwise, it’s a relatively quiet week for new music, at least from major artists. Jack’s Raconteurs bandmate Brendan Benson enters the new release fray this week, with an album called What Kind of World. He’s joined on the release schedule by Hollywood Undead’s frontman Deuce, with the album Nine Lives. Also, in the land of “Where The Hell Have You Been?” there’ll be albums by ’90s power-pop trio Eve 6 as well as poor man’s Michael Bolton/poor man’s Kenny G. (because he sings AND plays sax) Curtis Stigers. You probably remember Curtis if a) you listened to adult contemporary radio in the early Nineties and remember his hit “I Wonder Why,” or b) you own a copy of The Bodyguard soundtrack, to which he contributes a cover of “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding.”
Y’all know the drill by now. Check out Pause And Play for a complete listing of this week’s releases.