If you’ve scrolled past “Frozen Charlotte” on our pre-order shelf and done a double-take, yeah, we noticed it too. Jack White’s seventh studio album drops July 10 via Third Man Records, and the title has nothing to do with our zip code. It’s actually older and weirder than that.
A “frozen Charlotte” is a Victorian-era penny doll, a little ceramic figure that could float in a bathtub or get dressed up, named after an old folk ballad about a girl who froze to death on a sleigh ride because she refused to cover up her party dress. Dark stuff for a children’s toy, but that’s Victorian Americana for you. White explained the connection himself: an old carnival chalkware sailor statue broke in his studio, he glued a blue skull percussion shaker where the head used to be, painted the body white, and “Frozen Charlotte” was born as both a sculpture and an album title. The pieces are currently on display at a gallery in London.
As for the music, this is White’s follow-up to 2024’s No Name, and by most early word it keeps that same raw, frenetic energy. Thirteen tracks, recorded at his Third Man Studio in Nashville with his touring band (Patrick Keeler on drums, Dominic Davis on bass, Bobby Emmett on keys), built off a run of acclaimed live shows. If “Dollar Bill,” the lead single, is any indication, expect plenty of blues-soaked guitar and that signature unpredictable Jack White snarl.
We’ve got the indie exclusive blue vinyl pressing on pre-order now for $24.99, shipping right around release day. Given how quickly White’s pressings tend to move, and the fact that this one comes with a name that’s basically a free conversation starter at the counter, we wouldn’t sit on it too long.
Pre-order Frozen Charlotte here, and swing by the shop Friday, July 10 if you’d rather grab it in person the day it lands. Either way, you’ll get to explain to everyone asking that no, it’s not about us, but we’re claiming it anyway.