Jack White “Help Me Stranger (demo)” 2019. Third Man Records. Split single with fellow Raconteur Brendan Benson. Part of the Third Man Vault package #40 Help Us Stranger LP. Both songs are early demo recordings of two songs from the 2019 LP – “Help Me Stranger” and “Somedays (I Don’t Feel Like Trying).” Neither seem to be available to listen to online so here’s my take. I adore the Racontuers’ single “Help Me Stranger” (Help Us Stranger one of my top LP’s from 2019) and White’s acoustic demo version is sparse – even a bit hollow, haunting and super-short. While completely different, it gave me MTV Unplugged Nirvana “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” vibes. Brendan Benson’s demo of “Somedays (I Don’t Feel Like Trying)” is fully electric with a bluesy, country twang – all bendy guitar, a waltz beat and a sad, sad voice. Here’s a sort-of similar version from 2020: