Party with the Queen
Jack White strikes again. Coming off another busy year touring and recording with his Southern gothic blues outfit, The Dead Weather, the prolific rock n roller sets his sights on resurrecting the “Queen of Rockabilly,” Wanda Jackson.
At 73, “Queen of Rockabilly,” Wanda Jackson still retains the smoldering fire that characterized such 50s singles as “Fujiyama Mama” and “Rock Your Baby.” Her new album’s title, “The Party Ain’t Over” is a sly reference to the singer’s 1960 hit, “Let’s Have a Party.” Indeed it is a party, with White at the helm as Jackson tears through an album of raucous 50s rockers including “Shakin’ All Over” and “Rip it Up.” She lends a sexy swing to “Like a Baby” and even shows Amy Winehouse a thing or two as she snarls the singer’s hit, “You Know I’m No Good,” an inspired cover choice.
The centerpiece of the album and indeed the strongest track on the record is a barn burning version of Bob Dylan’s “Thunder on the Mountain,” a standout track on the singer/songwriter’s criminally underrated 2006 opus, “Modern Times.” A fan of Jackson, whom he has described as “an atomic bomb in lipstick,” Dylan suggested the song to his longtime disciple White, having featured the singer’s “I Gotta Know” on his 2006 compilation of musical influences released by Starbucks. Â It couldn’t have come off any better, with the horn section, boogie woogie piano, and a blistering guitar solo from the White Stripes front man that sends the song into the stratosphere.
As much as the instrumentation fuels the record, White, ever the Svengali, is always sure to place the singer’s voice front and center. Much like Jeff Tweedy did for Mavis Staples last year, the music is always there to support the voice, which is showcased to great effect on songs like “Teach Me Tonight,” a loping ballad harking back to 50s standards, as well as the album’s closer, “Blue Yodel #6.” Recalling White’s work on Loretta Lynn’s “Miss Being Mrs.” off 2004’s “Van Lear Rose,” the final track features a simple bluesy acoustic guitar and laid back vocal from Jackson with obvious yodeling.
“The Party Ain’t Over” is deliciously retro recalling the best aspects of rockabilly and country blues from the 50s and 60s. In producing this record, White has once again polished a gem of an American artist and hopefully called attention to a rewarding back catalog (as this review goes to press, 1960’s classic “Rockin’ with Wanda” is a mere $5.99 on Apple’s iTunes), of which this record is a worthy addition. While Jackson’s picture is alone on the cover, one can’t help but also consider this equally White’s show with him having selected all the songs as well as overall aesthetics of sound and packaging (did the black and pink color scheme). Credits aside, this is pure Americana and although it is only January, it will most certainly prove to be one of the best records of the year.
