Jack White must not sleep at all. His latest project, The Dead Weather, has released its sophomore album, “Sea of Cowards,” within a year of its debut, “Horehound.”
This time around, the group continues experimenting with its take on explosive guitar rock.
Remember the song that first backed up the radio waves, “Treat Me Like Your Mother”? Think something like that with added blues grit and effects-heavy riffs.
The back-and-forth scream/singing between White and Alison Mosshart has been refined. Their vocal intensity pushes further into the ferocious and dark.
A guitar solo in “I’m Mad” sets a new bar for guitar players, exploring the possibilities of effects pedals. “Hustle and Cuss” shows a fascination with riff-based psychedelic grooves, though it’s less menacing than other tracks.
The overall sound hasn’t changed much from the first CD. It’s much of the same with added flare and a fuller sound. The fuzzy guitar licks have become more expansive, the bass lines more brutish and forceful.
The single “Die by the Drop” is an eerie ride. It escalates into a bizarre anthem about death, with White and Mosshart screaming “I’m going to take you for worse or better/to my little grave.”
It’s vague what exactly The Dead Weather is trying to say, but whatever it is — it’s loud and sort of creepy. Some albums are hard to listen to without high volume. Certain notes get lost in the mix, begging to be turned up. This is one of those albums.
