Jack White is devoted to using the number three (his real name is
John Gillis III) whenever possible, so why wouldn’t he have three different bands? With
The White Stripes over, and
The Raconteurs unlikely to return,
The Dead Weather is his last band standing (plus his solo career). The busiest musician this side of
Dave Grohl has tons of priorities, but managed to release a third (!) Dead Weather album,
Dodge and Burn.
White takes a back seat (literally) on the drums in The Dead Weather to singer
Alison Mosshart of
The Kills, multi-instrumentalist
Dean Fertita and his old pal
“Little” Jack Lawrence on bass. The band originally planned to release a series of singles on
Third Man Records that would eventually be compiled into their next record. That plan fizzled out quickly after just a few tracks, but they eventually reconvened in the studio to finish what became
Dodge and Burn.
The album kicks off with a blazing start, thanks to lead single “I Feel Love (Every Million Miles).” “Buzzkill(er)” runs on a chainsaw of guitars from Fertita, while “Lose the Right” showcases his organ sounds that have become a vital part of their sound. In Fertita’s guitar, you can hear a dizzying vibe he may have picked up from playing with
Josh Homme in
Queens of the Stone Age for years. In fact, Mosshart and Fertita truly feel like the driving force of The Dead Weather, while White just bashes away on his drums and contributes on the mic part of the time.
That’s not to say you don’t hear from him, most notably on the duet “Three Dollar Hat,” where he brings some of his newfound hip hop swagger heard on last year’s “That Black Bat Licorice.” White and Mosshart later duet again on “Rough Detective” (a song about
Ray Velcoro?). The record winds up with the string laden “Impossible Winner,” a lovely showcase for Mosshart’s voice and a tune unlike anything else in the band’s catalog.
Due to their commitments to so many other bands, The Dead Weather isn’t touring this album, which gives Jack yet another excuse not to perform in Philadelphia. So if you want to hear their raucous sonic storm,
Dodge and Burn is your best shot.