Jack White “Fear of the Dawn” 2022. Third Man Records. Limited edition “Astronomical Blue” colored vinyl. My initial response to hearing White’s fourth solo album was that it’s only slightly less bat-shit crazy than his 2018 release Boarding House Reach (which I really disliked). Upon the third, fourth and fifth listen (which I’m currently on), I’m going to stand by that review but also note that I am now enjoying his bat-shit crazy. Fear of the Dawn has done quite well commercially, hitting #4 on the US album charts (and #1 on both the Rock and Alternative Albums charts) and #3 in the UK. It’s way more accessible than his last album, but is still layered with crazy sounds (some quite industrial, especially on the creepy, crazy “Eosophobia” which is a bit prog-rock meets The Who). My top track, also the nuttiest, is “Hi-De-Ho” (the third single, released in March) which has White collaborating with A Tribe Called Quest’s Q-Tip; it is obviously heavily inspired (and samples) by Cab Calloway’s famous “Minnie the Moocher.” I’ll admit to being startled, and not in a good way, on my first listen to that track but it has steadily grown on me and it’s even ear-wormed itself into my brain, and I’m not bothered! My other top track is “Morning, Noon and Night,” the most upbeat/sunny song on an otherwise dark record. I also like the first two singles he released: “Taking Me Back” (released in 2021) and the title track “Fear of the Dawn” (released in January ’22). Both are buzzy, crashing upbeat rockers with some squealing guitars and wicked drums. The fourth and final single is “What’s the Trick?,” a heavy garage blues track that weighs heavily onto the bonkers side of the scale: it has a lot of rap-metal qualities (I’m not a fan) and chainsaw guitar.  The video is also super-reminiscent of that rap-metal style from the late 90’s/early 2000’s.