Jack White - "Taking Me Back"

Jack White returns with his first new solo track in nearly four years and he's got two versions of it!

By now, you know what to expect from a new Jack White song. Electric, bluesy guitars joined by his wicked howl and bashing drums. Every now and then he might throw in some acoustic jams with a little country swing to it as well. For his latest single and first piece of solo material since 2018's Boarding House Reach, he gives us both. "Taking Me Back" hits with all of White's usual punches. Fuzzed out guitars wail and drums come charging in with an illustrious, thundering crash. There's the expected solo which reaches dizzying heights and his production values which always feels top notch. It's a jolting single that feels like a vintage Jack White song that has suddenly been unearthed from his vaults for us to enjoy. Then there's "Taking Me Back (Gently)" which reimagines the song with more of a ragtime shuffle. The fingerpicking guitar is more intimate than anything we've heard from White in quite some time and the fiddle and piano give it some classic feels. The solo is still alive and well on this stripped back take and both feel like true versions of the track although it seems that the electric is indeed the real single. The song is featured on the latest Call of Duty video game (a weird move for someone who openly hates new technology), but this doesn't feel like something White cooked up for someone else. This is a blistering jam that feels right at home with his other solo work and a great moment to take us back to classic Jack.