The Raconteurs “Now That You’re Gone” and “Sunday Driver” 2018. Today, July 9th, is Raconteurs/White Stripes/Dead Weather/solo artist Jack White’s birthday (b. John Gillis, 1975). This double A-side single on copper foil vinyl was part of last year’s Third Man Vault package #38, a reissue of The Raconteurs’ Consolers of the Lonely for its 10th anniversary. Both tracks appear on their newest album, Help Us Stranger, which came out last month (and I received as a Third Man Vault package but haven’t gotten around to giving it a serious listen yet. Both songs are pretty good (much better than White’s last solo release, Boarding House Reach from 2018) but I prefer the harder rocking “Sunday Driver” to the more mellow, bluesy “Now That You’re Gone.” The guitar work on both is pretty excellent (I assume that’s White playing) and the tracks are pretty straight-forward and melodic, with “Sunday Driver” adding in an element of head-banging and ass-shaking. In my opinion, when Jack White collaborates (whether it’s with Brenden Benson, Meg White or Allison Mosshart) he’s in his best form and some of his wackier whims are tempered.