Gibby Haynes and Jack White Expertly Marry Punk and Blues on Third Man Blue Series 7-Inch

Jack White's Nashville-based record label Third Man has a series of 7-inch 45 rpm vinyl singles called The Blue Series that brings in varied musicians to the Third Man recording studios to cut two tracks, usually all covers. Each Blue Series release puts a unique spin on familiar and not so familiar songs and really showcases the uniqueness and innate talent of both the featured artist and White's production ability and musical taste. The Blue Series entry from Butthole Surfers frontman Gibby Haynes is no different, though it features original songs written by Haynes.

Side A of the 45 starts off with the wonderfully demented punk ditty "Paul's Not Home," originally by hardcore band Adrenalin O.D. The song is structured around a person ringing the doorbell and asking questions like "Is Paul in rehab?" followed by one line repeated over and over again, like "Paul's on dope!," very fast with a jackhammer downstroke-heavy repetitive punk riff led by Jack White on guitar. The song ends in a typically punk sputter of disjointed notes and random vocalizations. Also in typical punk fashion it's very short, clocking in well under two minutes.

The second track on Side A is a Gibby Haynes original, "You Don't Have To Be Smart." Naturally, it sounds a bit like Butthole Surfers but with a bit more of a blues thing going on. The song also has some Stooges vibes in the tones and a blistering, frenetic James Williams-like guitar solo from Jack White in the middle that actually takes up most of the short song.

Side B is another Haynes original, "Horse Named George," which is an overt Chicago blues boogie, presumably about a guy's adventures with his horse, that nearly verges on parody simply because Gibby exudes tongue-in-cheek. However, it's still a rocking song with the classic Muddy Waters-like call-and-response structure but explosive guitar and drums that recall Jack White's many bands as well as Led Zeppelin.

Not every Blue Series release is a winner but this one from Gibby Haynes is. It manages to capture the unhinged weirdness he has but also showcases it in a way that's enjoyably different than what we've heard from him before.

Iggy Pop Goes Solo Again With A Radical Change In Musical Direction

At age 62, Iggy Pop continues to buck trends. Abandoning the punk sound he helped create, his new solo album, Preliminaires, ventures into the territories of jazz, blues and even French romantic balladry. This new mix of sounds has created music that's just as unique and refreshing today as The Stooges were when they exploded on the scene in the late '60s.

"Les Feuilles Mortes," a song recorded by French singer Edith Piaf, among others, opens and closes the album. Pop's version has him using a deep baritone croon a la Leonard Cohen. But the mix of electronic-sounding percussion and bright acoustic guitar brings to mind David Byrne's "Like Humans Do."

Once more featuring deep baritone singing, "I Want To Go To The Beach," expertly captures the mood of the song's lyrics. With reverb-drenched low-key guitar and piano and a gently rolling rhythm, the image of a lazy day at the beach with waves crashing comes to mind.

"King Of The Dogs" is pure classic New Orleans jazz, complete with trumpet leads. Pop's vocals take on a raspy quality here. The song could be described as an appealing mix of Preservation Hall and Tom Waits.

"Je Sais Que Tu Sais" is swamp rock at it's finest. This song would easily find it's way on the soundtrack for TrueBlood. Driving drums move the rhythm along with some bluesy acoustic slide guitar. Pop's vocals are mixed low and sound distorted, possibly even sung through a "green bullet," a microphone often used for blues harmonica. Airy female vocals provide and interesting contrast with his as well. This song shows up again near the end of the album with the English title "She's A Business."

Though "Nice To Be Dead" is definitely a rock song it has no similarities to Pop's previous work. Despite crunchy, chugging guitars the urgency of punk isn't there. The rhythm is like a snake biding it's time before it's prey moves within striking distance.

Originally a bossa nova song, "How Insensitive" is re-worked by Pop with a space age lounge croon, backed by soft electronic undulations. In this way there are similarities to Pop's past collaborator David Bowie.

Though the title of "Party Time" suggests dumb rock, the song is actually quite schizophrenic, taking elements of funk with it's angular bass slapping and elements of '80s gothy new wave with a continuous synth haze in the background.

"He's Dead, She's Alive" is pure acoustic Mississippi blues. An atmospheric drone gives the song some depth. Pop stays away from the deep croon of much of the other songs. The lighter vocals fit this type of song well.

"A Machine For Loving" is essentially a book reading set to music, with the story being about a dying dog. The melancholy, minor key acoustic guitar goes well with the overall somber quality.

The English translation of the word "preliminaires" is "foreplay." In a sense it's an accurate title. While it's a wonderful listen, you're left not entirely satisfied in the end. It feels as though Pop tried to cram three or four albums into one. Without a defining musical direction, besides the obvious departure from punk, this album loses focus. However, that doesn't stop the music itself from being fantastically eccentric and entertaining, like Iggy Pop himself.