Hang You From the Heavens ::

This track was the first song that the world heard from these 4 musicians. It was really supposed to go no further than this song. Jack and Allison sat down over christmas to record a '45 for fun, and as soon as Dean and JL jumped into the mix, it seems as though they couldn't help but keep writing music for a full record.

Hang You From the Heavens, while missing a Jack White on his usual guitar spot, still feels like home for Jack White fans out there. The swaggering goth-blues line that opens up next to the sultry sounds of Allison's voice let everyone know that this isn't just some cheap-o side project.

I've always said that Allison's effort, the Kills, has this very seductive tone about them. And this definitly applies in a rougher sense here. Like, she's singing to you in the doorway of her bedroom, seducing you to crawl inside for rock and roll sex, which you know is going to be oh-so utterly painful....yet enjoy every second of it intensly. Dean plays the guitars on this track, and not hearing much of him outside of QOTSA, I'd say his playing style is way baller. More reserved than Jack's screaming solos, but filled with twists, turns and effects. This is to be expected, seeing as though QOTSA is a very twisty-turny band in the first place.

While this song may become their most popular, I don't believe it to be the best song that's come out so far. My first impression upon listening to it was that I felt like I was waiting for a climax that never really comes around. Listening further, I began to single out the parts and relate the voice to the music, and it became more of a fun piece. It also helps to see it live, I seem to have grown more fond of it after seeing it played on Conan and From the Basement.

Are Friends Electric? (Gary Numan Cover) ::

Taking a complete turn from the dark riffs and tricks that was Hang You From the Heavens, we now go to this cover of Gary Numans "Are Friends Electric?" A perfect cover in my eyes, and to be honest listened to this track more than I did HYFTH, which worried me. Were the Dead Weather going to be a better cover band than an original band? My worries of course, were far exagerrated.

This was a perfect song to be covered by the Dead Weather. Listening to the original... ( and a ukulele version on youtube) i've decided that it sounds way better with a chick. The drumming is not as defined here, it is mostly simple, but that works for what the song asks for. The most interesting thing to note is that Jack White returns on guitar, with a signature TEEENNY TIINNY riff thats kicked the octave between verses. This song, for me, was better than it's A-side Hang You From the Heavens. Now, i'm not so sure. Listening to both of these songs though, I can definitly say that I wish they would have pushed this song to make the real tracklist of "Horehound."

Treat Me Like Your Mother ::

There was just no getting out of listening to this track alive.

Tempo changes, Jack White and a distorted microphone, it's what defines the Dead Weather as a group so far.

Coming out as a free download, I jumped onto this track so fast, already knowing that a song with that kind of title was going to be nuts. This track IS the best track i've heard so far from Horehound. We open with a climbing hit that already climaxes into Allisons voice. She belts 2 verses until Jack comes in with a chant like "Who's got it figured out? Left, Right, Left, Right got it figured out? Who's got it figured out, play safe. Try to manipulate."

Run program TempoChange.exe here.

The song kicks into this high powered jump riff, singing and spelling M A N I P U - LATE! That is probably the best part of the song for me. Verses change, in and out, there's a small guitar solo, and it ends with Jack and Allison belting "Play Safe!" If you need to know what the Dead Weather is all about, you hit that track.

You Just Can't Win (Thems cover) ::

I have little to say about this track, it's a cover of Thems, who i've never even heard, but it's really good for Jack White's voice. There's a great, soulful little keyboard solo after a chorus, but the obvious main attraction here is Jack's head driven yelling on "You know! You just can't win, when you are in." A B-side to Treat, this song makes you wish they'd just stop teasing you with covers and give you the album already, for the track doesn't hit me with a hard revelation as much as it's A-side does.

I Cut Like a Buffalo ::

I saw this song first on a video on Youtube, of them playing it live. I have to say, I was mezmorized by Jack's playing on it drum-wise, and glad to see him back on the microphone full time. But I was not amused by the song at all. For some reason, nothing stood out or hit me as another knock-out Dead Weather song. And I had pretty high expectations after Treat Me Like Your Mother.

Then I heard the recorded version.

Why would coughing and choking ever become so cool in a song?

Listen, this song almost KNOCKED down TMLYM as best Dead Weather song just for THAT. We start with a mysterious keyboard bump, the drums kick in, and it's the Jack White show from that point on. No real solos, just him and the soul. He feeds us snippy lines like, "Is that you Chokin'? Or Are you Just Jokin'?" and "You know I Look like a Woman but I, Cut Like a Buffalo." In between verses, there's this scatty sound of 'gakking' (i guess?) and you wonder what the hell is going on. And then, when you here the full out choke acting, you almost stop yourself in shame, for your first thought is "HOLY SHIT, THAT IS SO FUCKING AWESOME!" and not, "HOLY SHIT, IS JACK WHITE DYING?"

This is the close runner up to TMLYM, though everyday that I listen to it, it gets that much closer to beating it down for #1. Find these songs today, and don't miss the album's release July 14th, under the name "Horehound."