On April 8th, former member of the garage band duo the White Stripes, Jack White, released Fear of The Dawn, his fourth studio album and the first of two that he’ll release this year. Experimenting at his best, after a four-year break from releasing music, White creates a diverse sound that is his alone, working on this album like an inner collaboration channeling new energy behind explosive riffs and beats.

White is best known for being a part of the garage band duo the White Stripes as lead singer and lead guitarist, writing hits like “Icky Thump” and the anthem that is “Seven Nation Army.” But that was the early 2000s when garage bands were growing in masses, and this isn’t youthful games, Fear of The Dawn shows his intentions as he shows his maturity.

Being credited as the solo musician behind all the music it stands true for the most part until an appearance from Q-Tip on the song “Hi-De-Ho”. Yet nonetheless from the first track “Taking Me Back”, which was released late last year, to “Shedding My Velvet”, the whole album flows fluidly. Changing songs in ease between and creating the sense that it’s an elaborated piece that only gets better.

Although at times added sounds seem a bit too much, as well as the overdubbed guitar riffs upon each other, but regardless it feels special. Going back to the White Stripes days and being as dangerous and explosive as he can be especially on track 9, “That Was Then, This Is Now” the essence of his former band still seems to linger on. But to think of it now, it leaves to show how much of a big role he played in his last band to see it extend over to his newest music.

But this is now, and this album stands tall even in the dawn. A great piece of music made by one of the creative geniuses of the garage band era, even impressing a legend like Jimmy Page when they met. It leaves excitement for what’s to come later this year with his next full length album Entering Heaven Alive.