The Dead Weather - Horehound
Rating
RIYL
The RaconteursYeah Yeah Yeahs
The White Stripes
The Kills
Release Date
07/14/2009
Label
Reprise/Warner Bros.Tracklist
1. 60 Feet Tall2. Hang You From the Heavens
3. I Cut Like a Buffalo
4. So Far From Your Weapon
5. Treat Me Like Your Mother
6. Rocking Horse
7. New Pony
8. Bone House
9. 3 Birds
10. No Hassle Night
11. Will There Be Enough Water
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So how do we approach discussing The Dead Weather? Do we see this as another installment of Jack White’s myriad of rock groups or a completely separate entity in the music world. Though he produced the album, drums in it, and he’s really the only band member we hear about constantly (mainly because all we hear is him whine and complain about the advances of technology), The Dead Weather itself is such an impressive unit that they should be considered their own band, rather than just another White outfit. As much as we don’t want to admit he has done it again, The Dead Weather is the epitome of a modern day blues band.
The elements that make this group so strong are the members that make its music. The band consists of a super group of members such as singer Alison Mosshart of The Kills, bassist Jack Lawrence of The Raconteurs and The Greehornes, guitarist Dean Fertita of Queens of the Stone Age, and of course White on drums. All of these performers bring the character and style of their respective outfit, forming a melting pot of sonic-blues gold. Well, blues in the sense that the drum and bass hold down the low end as Fertita dances around them on either the guitar or piano. Their music could also fall into the category of stoner-rock, which has been made famous by bands such as Queens of the Stone Age and Clutch, thanks to their emphasis on bass and drums and psychedelic overtones playing out on the guitar.
A perfect example of this can be found in the song “Hang You Up From The Heavens” where the distortion of Lawrence’s bass vibrates and rattles through the speakers, or headphones if you prefer. Either way, it is something you won’t just hear but you will feel as well. This characteristic can be found in almost all of their songs, such as opener “60 Feet Tall”, the trippy and trotting “Rocking Horse” which features both Mosshart and White on vocals, and the instrumental “3 Birds”, a song that exemplifies the definition of stoner-rock.
The most irritating, or maybe the most impressive, thing about White is how versatile the man truly is when it comes to instrumentation. His drumming is most certainly better than that of Meg White. He isn’t the best drummer to grace a kit, but he can certainly hold his own and leads the band through songs with his associate Lawrence right by his side. A good example of this is the track “New Pony” which shows him tearing through the song as Fertita rips through a blistering riff.
It would be a crime not to mention the fantastic job done by vocalist Mosshart on this record. She sings with a certain conviction and confidence that cannot be denied. She maked her presence as she proudly explains, “I always get / the things that I want,” in the raucous “Bone House.” On the song “I Cut Like A Buffalo”, a strictly organ and drum song, Mosshart experiments with her voice as she is constantly making choking noises in between verses, while taking breaks to sing, “You know I love like a woman but I / Cut like a buffalo.” There are some moments, though, where you’re just not sure if it’s Mosshart that is singing or if it’s White, but that’s not something to really worry about.
The Dead Weather should not be met with any sort of apprehension; Horehound is a truly solid album. The aggressive and passionate nature that this band approaches their music with is what makes this album a must listen. It is blues music to its core but with a little bit of a bizarre twist in the composition. Honestly, that’s just what makes it so interesting and enjoyable.
--Andrew Beam
Comments
Boston, MA
Good review. I can't believe no one has commented on this yet. It's really an excellent album
Stereo Typing
Tweet at me, bro