The first question most Jack White fans are looking to have answered to when it comes to his new album, “Frozen Charlotte”: Is it effectively a “No Name 2.0”? Nearly everyone is hoping for a “yes,” on that one. In his solo career, White spent a few years notably bouncing around, veering between acoustically oriented efforts and pure freakazoid workouts, to wildly mixed reactions. Then came 2024’s “No Name,” one of the great modern rock ‘n’ roll records, which satisfied approximately 99.2% of the fan base with a formula that amounted to something like “the White Stripes, but beefier and brawnier.” Rarely has a standom been more primed to say, Please, sir, may we have another.
So, to cut to the chase: Yes! “Frozen Charlotte” feels like a sequel… a sequel people actually asked for. It couldn’t play much more like one if White had set to work on this one the day after sessions for “No Name” ended, even if we know that’s not exactly how or when it went down. Glory, hallelujah: You may now kiss the spinoff.
The sense of musical continuity is a welcome thing for fans who wanted to hear White keep mining that same vein of intricate/blowhard blues-rock. But listen beneath the surface of all that mind-blowing busywork and some differences do become apparent — more so in his attitude than the arrangements. Plainly put, Jack White is pissed. As in, really pissed, about something. Admittedly, sometimes it can be hard to tell: Even at his most mirthful or joyous, he has a way of sounding like he’s in a state of agitation. So, sure, his music already sounded furious, in fundamentally playful records like “No Name” and “Boarding House Reach.” But with “Frozen Charlotte,” it’s as if his psyche caught up. Whatever brought it on, it’s not bad for the music, which is as compelling as it is pummeling. He’s angry, and if anything, that’s just going to make us more mad about the boy.
