Jack White’s new band: The Dead Weather

After using The White Stripes to reveal himself as one of this generation’s pre-eminent rock n’ roll gods, Jack White tried on his prog-rock shoes with his first side project, The Raconteurs. Having enjoyed the continued accolades brought on by another project featuring both his considerable guitar talents and hauntingly powerful vocals, White has decided to change gears all together with his latest project, The Dead Weather.

The new band boasts a powerful lineup, featuring two of White’s co-Raconteurs, Jack Lawrence and Dean Fertita, on the bass and guitar, respectively, and Alison Mosshart of the Kills taking on lead vocal duties. In a surprising turn, White takes his position behind the drum kit, seemingly intrigued by the opportunity to experience a different perspective. Upon listening to the band’s debut album, Horehound, it becomes immediately clear that despite what appears to be a move away from the spotlight,White is very much in control and very much the primary creative force within this new project.

The album’s opening track, “60 Feet Tall”, features Mossharts slinky yet powerful vocals as the song progresses from a stuttering collection of riffs and rolls to a steady, pulsing march. This first track also features one of many searing guitar solos from the fiercely talented Fertita. His guitars feature largely throughout the album and enjoy the immense benefit of White’s signature set of production values. The rhythmic marriage of Lawrence and White is exceptionally powerful while displaying an impressive set of suspended time signatures and pregnant pauses. But of course, you would be wrong if you thought that White would sit out on vocal duties all together. Indeed, on tracks like “I Cut Like a Buffalo” and “Treat Me Like Your Mother”, White’s gruff vocals mix viscerally with Mosshart’s commanding howl, sometimes sounding like a sinewy, unified voice.

All of these ingredients mix exceedingly well, providing a sound that is at once both raw and exacting. However, what is starkly evident is White’s control of the production on this album. Opting to honor his musical roots, Horehound is alive with the ragged blues-driven rock that has become White’s calling card. Infused with an undeniable vitality, this album is anything but cliche or predictable. White is a master of space and atmosphere, and he has deftly sewn together all of the sonic elements. From the juicy-thick guitar sounds, to the uncomfortably choked vocal melodies and the driving crackle of the bass lines, this album bears White’s stamp like a cattle brand the entire way through. If your looking for a new listen that highlights many of the best things about Rock ‘n Roll, give this album a listen.

The Dead Weather at “It Might Get Loud” Premier After Party/ Photo: ZUMA Press