The Dead Weather :: Sea of Cowards

Musician Jack White has a lot on his plate, especially since taking on yet another band and releasing its sophomore album, Sea of Cowards.

The lead singer of The White Stripes and The Raconteurs takes a back seat with The Dead Weather, acting as drummer and vocalist.

The band takes the raw sound that White is known for to the next level in Sea, implementing crunchy, distorted guitars and simplistic drum beats (which may not be so simple once you learn that White plays drums and sings simultaneously).

Dead Weather Lead Singer and Guitarist Alison Mosshart of The Kills rocks the album with her vocals, but you probably would not be able to tell if you weren’t listening closely.

Mosshart’s voice sounds very similar to White’s in that both voices share elements of abrupt inflection and rough-around-the-edges yelping.

The album’s first single is “Die by the Drop,” a track that opens with buzzing guitars and effects, accompanied by quick piano strokes. The dark and bluesy sound makes you want to put your shades on and sit in a corner of a musty dive bar until the verses build up to a high-energy chorus that rocks you to your core.

Sea’s opening track, “Blue Blood Blues,” is the perfect example of creating a raw presence. The mid-tempo cymbal and buzzing guitar melodies mixed with White’s screeching voice are the perfect recipe for a raw and catchy jam. It is also true to its name, as it is heavily laced with blues influences.

The inclusion of the cosmic organs and sound effects throw off the direction of the song but are very charming nonetheless.

“The Difference Between Us” is a track that, though it still has a bit of that raw sound to it, there are a lot more special effects you may find yourself used to, such as the opening bleeps and blips you would probably hear in a game on your Super Nintendo. All of the effects can be overwhelming for some, but add different and interesting elements to the track.

Mosshart seems frustrated as she complains that this unnamed person has changed her, but she still wants to “go where no one can see us/ and find the difference between us,” making for a sexually charged battle with her conscience.

Sea of Cowards shows off The Dead Weather’s bluesy, garage band appeal quite well. White and Mosshart’s catchy vocals are repetitious at times, but all of these make the album all the more catchy.

Buy the album at our record store on Amazon

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