Being a Jack White Fan is exhausting. If he’s not recording with The Raconteurs or The Dead Weather, he’s off collaborating with artists as diverse as Danger Mouse and even The Insane Clown Posse. I’ve grown weary of following all his side projects, but this is a solo album. Blunderbuss is pure unadulterated Jack White, but it’s nothing we haven’t already heard. Jack has shown hints of his appreciation for eclectic roots music on past albums, Blunderbuss just happens to be a bigger dose of that. The results are enjoyable enough, but I’m not sure I understand all the hubbub surrounding Blunderbuss.

Blunderbuss is a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll, and a whole lot of Jack White. I’ll give it to Jack, he has quite a presence on these recordings. His howling vocal delivery is unmatched and the same could be said for his guitar work. He self produces and commands the studio like a musical Swiss Army Knife. So Blunderbuss maybe his best work as a producer, but certainly not as a songwriter. Strip away all the production and these songs are fairly standard and even predictable.

“Sixteen Saltines” is easily the best track on the album. It’s a track that calls back to both the heaviness and simplicity of The White Stripes and frankly, really makes me miss that band. That group built up the heaviest songs with so little, and that’s really when Jack’s at his best. It’s a shame that Blunderbuss doesn’t have more riff heavy hard rockers. Jack has a unique approach to country, but it’s not nearly as captivating as his approach to hard rock.

There’s not a whole lot that differentiates Blunderbuss from Jack’s work on Consolers of the Lonely with The Raconteurs. That was also a very southern-flavored rock record. So Blunderbuss isn’t anything considerably new. That aside, Blunderbuss is still enjoyable for Jack White fans. He’s clearly made an effort to make these songs as polished and complete as possible. I enjoy the feel of this album and I commend the production. All I wanted to do here was present my case as to why I feel this album isn’t the masterpiece everyone seems to be saying it is. This is a solid entry from White, but I hopes he gives me a little more time to breathe before releasing any more recordings.

Favorite Tracks: “Freedom at 21”, “Missing Piece”, “Sixteen Saltines”

It took listening to the a new Shins albums a few times to remind myself that I actually really like this band. I was even a fan of the Broken Bells, even though it seems most people consider that a waste of James Mercer’s time. After reading about how Mercer fired members of the band a few times, I got it into my head that he was a big jerk. Then I finally realized it’s not really my problem how he runs his band, really all I’ve got to do is listen to the music and see if I like it. So I downloaded Port of Morrow and…

I think it’s pretty good. Port of Morrow isn’t my favorite Shins album, the identity of which I will keep a secret, but it’s another great release from a band that has yet to disappoint. That the band here has nothing in common with the original Shins lineup save for Mercer is obvious from the very first song, “The Rifle’s Spiral,” which sounds like it could be off a new Broken Bells LP. But the very next track, “Simple Song” picks up where Wincing the Night Away left off, a joyous pop party.

The rest of the album holds up as well as the first couple tracks. I particularly like the first half of this 10-track collection, but the back half has a few gems as well, including the nostalgic “Fall of ’82.” The Shins are a neat project by a guy who makes music I like. I’m glad I was able to remember that.

Favorite Tracks: “The Rifle’s Spiral,” “Simple Song,” “Fall of ’82”

Why would I have any interest in the latest album from an artist I was never that big a fan of in the first place? I like some of Dr. John’s hits, I have the In the Right Place album and I was content with that. Then somehow I heard a cut off of Locked Down and was impressed by how retro it sounded. In my experience whenever you get the latest from an artist who’s been around for awhile it does whatever it can to sound contemporary. Locked Down on the other hand uses tons of retro sounds and vintage instruments. It’s almost like Dr. John is trying to travel back in time on this one. I was curious as to why this sounded so different yet familiar and then it all made sense. Locked Down was produced/co-written by Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach who also plays extensively on the album.

Listening to Locked Down now, it almost sounds too much like The Black Keys. Auerbach’s influence is awfully strong, so much so that I wonder if Dr. John even knew what was going on. I get the feeling at times that Auerbach may be carrying too much of load due to the fact that Dr. John just isn’t as sharp as he used to be. Then again that’s all just speculation, so I should probably just focus on the songs.

The songs on Locked Down are fairly standard bluesy, funk numbers. Dr. John’s Cajun drawl is still as stylish as ever and there some delightfully old school sounds surrounding him. I only wish there was more new to offer in the songwriting department. Most of the songs on Locked Down are likable enough, but too derivative of not only past artists, but of past Dr. John material.

All in all it was an interesting experiment. I never thought I’d check out anything by a post-seventies Dr. John, so that’s saying something. I know some critics have really enjoyed this new album, and I’m happy for them. I’m also glad to see that Dr. John can still be critically relevant in 2012. Still I am no more than mildly pleased with Locked Down.

Favorite Tracks: “Eleggua”, “Locked Down”, “Revolution”

I don’t know why it took me as long as it did to check out an album by singer-songwriter M.Ward. I enjoy both his work with Zooey Deschanel in the band She & Him and his work in the supergroup Monsters of Folk. A Wasteland Companion is M. Ward’s seventh album and it does bear a lot of resemblance to his songs with those other groups, maybe even too much. Wasteland sounds like half of the songs here could of been done with Monsters of Folk and the other half with She & Him and I was really hoping for something different.

M. Ward’s songs shift between folky and 60s style pop. I can hear that Ward is trying to diversify, but I would much rather have either a folk album or a pop rock album. I don’t feel like there’s any real direction here other than “I’m just going to throw together all the songs I haven’t used yet for my other projects.” Don’t get me wrong, there are some nice songs but some fairly forgettable ones as well.

I like M. Ward’s breathy vocals and laid-back disposition, apparently the only disposition he’s capable of. I just wish Ward would stop relying so heavily on Zooey Deschanel. Of course Zooey Deschanel sings on a couple songs that sound exactly like She & Him songs. If I wanted to listen to She & Him, I’d be listening to She & Him. It’s crazy that even on an M. Ward solo album I still feel like I’m listening to some kind of group or collaboration.

A Wasteland Companion is fine, but in the grand scheme of indie pop forgettable. Next time I’d like to see M. Ward focus most heavily on his 60s style songs, at least that’s what I like hearing him do the most. At least I now have a general idea of what he’s all about, so there’s one mystery solved.

Favorite Tracks: “I Get Ideas”, “Me and My Shadow”, “Primitive Girl”