Internal Debate: The Dead Weather

The reviews are in for the latest from The Dead Weather and, for the most part, the feedback sounds great. Our Staff Writers recently zeroed in on the latest from Jack White & Co. entitled Horehound and this debut project passes beautifully according to most (save for one). Check out the latest Internal Debate feature here at Stereo Subversion as we find varied takes on The Dead Weather’s initial venture:

Jack White’s latest joint contains more references to the devil than any other rock record in recent memory — not too surprising, coming from the man who once gave us Get Behind Me Satan. But The Dead Weather’s music isn’t demonic; it’s just devilishly stylish, taking cues from swampy blues and the sleaziest, seediest rock the 1970s had to offer and transforming familiar sounds into bewitching gothic fairy tales and murder ballads, all sex and sleaze and boozy shoot-outs. The music’s scary-good, and the devil’s got nothing on Jack White. [Josh Hurst]

If the combination of Jack White and Alison Mosshart on paper is a blues-rock wet dream, then the resulting album is like an actual orgy. Horehound combines elements from all of its contributing parts: the attitude of The Kills, the heavy hits of QOTSA, the Raconteurs’ homegrown feel, and the fun of the Stripes. Mosshart is undoubtedly the star as White takes a supporting role on this spectacular offering of pure rock bliss. One shot or first release, The Dead Weather will be remembered. [William Trinity]

Jack White fanatics had reason for concern when he formed yet another band, The Dead Weather. But he’s also thrown in the female vocal element of Alison Mosshart (of The Kills). She adds lazily sexy singing to “Far from Your Weapon” and vocal hyperactivity on “Treat Me like Your Mother”. Sure, Horehound includes a mess of blues, but the surf-y guitar sound on “Rocking Horse” also incorporates a cool new sonic wrinkle. So rejoice, Dead Weather heads! [Dan MacIntosh]

Let’s face it. So long as the White moniker is attached to a band, it will be known as a Stripes side project no matter who the other members are and as far as they go, this one isn’t half bad. The Kill’s Alison Mosshart does a much better job at matching Jack’s intensity than Brendan Benson ever did and songs like “60 Feet Tall” bring desolation to a whole new level while somehow keeping it sexy. [Julian Zlatev]

With a debut that resembles a drizzle more than a thunderstorm, Dead Weather’s Horehound suffers from a generic sound that gradually becomes stagnant. While White, Fertita and Lawrence form a great instrumental trio, too many songs on the album feel empty and lacking; Mosshart’s sub-par vocals don’t ever come to the rescue either. There are occasional sweet spots such as the reggae infused, “I Cut Like a Buffalo,” but for the most part, Horehound is void of any real innovation. [David Cawthon]

Tagged as: Internal Debate, Rock

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