We’re all used to the surprise digital release by now. Usually a Premier League artist, a Beyonce or a U2, will spring an album on their fans by uploading it to a streaming platform with little or no fanfare. They’re so big no promotional campaign is necessary – the news of the surprise album and the ensuing rushed and (usually) positive reviews are the promo.
Well, last week saw a surprise analogue release. A vinyl album, rushed into the shops and literally foisted into unsuspecting punters’ bags. And who else could be responsible for it but Jack White, the man who perhaps more than any other personifies the vinyl revival?
On Friday it was reported that purchasers of records at the Third Man store in London were being given an extra piece of vinyl with the words ‘No Name’ on it.
One shopper wrote on White’s Subreddit: “picked up a tee from third man soho today and the guy on the tills put this in my bag too…. I asked and thought maybe it was his demo or something aha but he didn’t seem to have a clue, saying he’d just been told by ‘management’ to give it out to customers)". On further investigation the album was found to have seven tracks on one side and six on the other and yes, it was the new Jack White album.
In the same thread another poster reported receiving the same album from Third Man’s Nashville store, saying: “I can totally confirm that is a new Jack White album. I gave it a listen and it’s pretty good.” Customers at the store’s Detroit branch have also received the album and members of the Third Man Vault subscription service have also reported receiving the album in the mail.
So what’s it like? Well one Redditer described as “the most raw JW since the White Stripes”. Detroit radio station WDET played a section of it on Friday. Judge for yourself:
It’s not clear yet whether the No Name album will get a ‘proper’ release at any point. When asked for further details, White’s publicist said he was “as surprised as everyone else” about the new record. What is clear is that the free album offer was a one day only affair for last Friday (the 19th).
It isn’t the first time White has given records away in this manner. Back in the 1990s when he was in a band called The Upholsterers, and erm working as an upholsterer, White hid 100 seven inches in furniture he was working on.
Those go for stupid money on Discogs these days. Expect the same to happen to these No Name albums…
