Customer Reviews

Sea of Cowards

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

It hasn't been long since Jack White first announced the formation of his new side project, The Dead Weather. In 2009, after an extensive tour with The Raconteurs, Jack White brought the Kills' singer, Alison Mosshart on with "Little Jack" Lawrence on bass from the Raconteurs and Queens of the Stone Age guitarist Dean Fertita for an experimental project that would inevitably succeed thanks to Jack White's golden touch.

That summer, the band's debut album, Horehound, was released to typically stellar reviews. The Dead Weather remained hard at work for the rest of 2009 touring and even finding the time to record additional tracks. In March, the band released a new single, "Die by the Drop," giving fans the confirmation they needed that The Dead Weather would indeed be returning for another run.

A low, distorted rumble opens Sea of Cowards with White's trademark musical force. "Blue Blood Blues" is most closely reminiscent of "I Cut Like a Buffalo" from Horehound, but that is sure to do nothing but delight fans hoping The Dead Weather would continue with what works instead of try to make too many changes. Like The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather's sophomore release is even better than their already solid debut. Jack White has an impeccable ability to take a successful sound and manipulate it just enough to keep it fresh while not taking away from the aspects of the music that made it enjoyable and unique.

"Blue Blood Blues" is followed by "Hustle and Cuss," a track that lays down a great groove before Mosshart is given her first chance to shine on Sea of Cowards. There seems to be even more of a vocal timeshare on this album than their last.

On the vast majority of the song "Hustle and Cuss," White and Mosshart find the perfect blend of their sonically different voices which, when singing in unison, creates an original, simulated harmonization with a twisted, edgy sound.

Aside from The Dead Weather's standard instrumentation, the occasional addition of a haunting organ, especially on "Gasoline," fits perfectly within the mix. It also saves the album from becoming too singular in focus. The distorted, evil rock that makes up Sea of Cowards is concluded with another track that utilizes the keys, both piano and organ, "Old Mary." Although it does not have the same powerful, distorted guitar and bass parts that dominate the album, "Old Mary" perfectly sums up the mood of The Dead Weather's second release. With energy hiding within the dark prayer, I would not be surprised to see them use it as a closer before an encore in concert.

Sea of Cowards is an album for any fan of Jack White's previous projects. Where the White Stripes thrive on simplicity and the Raconteurs dominate blues-based rock, the Dead Weather contorts all standard perceptions of rock into their own distorted art form. Both of their albums are stellar, but if you are still not familiar with this band, Sea of Cowards is the perfect place to start.

Similar Artists: The Kills, The White Stripes

Track Suggestion: "Blue Blood Blues"

The Dead Weather's new CD is just as you'd expect it to be; blistering Blues/Rock songs with squealing/screeching guitars, loads of distortion, and screeched/screamed vocals, all somehow coming together to make great music.

"Blue blood blues" is a perfect example (vaguely similar to "I cut like a buffalo"), it features Jack White on lead vocals. "All the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service" he snarls. "Hustle and cuss" has groovy guitars as well as deep and dirty bass with Alison Mosshart on lead vocals and aggressive call and response with White in part.

More melodic and immediate is "The difference between us" (Mosshart on vocals), while "Die by the drop" is buzzing/blistering with both sparring vocally again. "I can't hear you" is one of the calmer moments, "Jawbreaker" is bouncy fuzzy and Poppy, while The experimental "Old Mary" starts off all Catholic with parts parodying "Hail Mary"; spare repetitious lyrics, organ, baby noises, vast musical expanses, and great guitar licks.

Much heavier and messier than their debut "Horehound" and just as good.

I'll do my best not to repeat what other reviewers have said.

Straight up, Sea of Cowards is chalked full of some good rockin jams. I can't say that the Lyrics are ground breaking in any way, but the attitude and style in which they are delivered demands your full attention and greatly adds to the overall vibe of the record.

I was kind of disappointed that the record is only 35 minutes, it was so good that i didn't want it to end.

Sea of Cowards is an album so full of character that it stands out like no other rock album i've heard in a long time. The band does an excellent job of pooling together all their talents in to a cohesive and refreshing use of their instruments. Its about the song, and not the musician, and every part that is played creates a full bodied jam full of chunky riffs and analog lushness. The groove they lay down on these tracks is undeniable. you can't help but check your lips and the door and shake them hips like battle ships...

The Guitar work on this album is very reminiscent of the greatest Leppelin and white stripes tracks with a more rhythmic approach. The Bass lines hold down a hearty power groove that's as mean and seductive as any thing claiming to be rock music. The heavy use of analog synth/organs on this album really sets it apart (in a good way) from any other rock album i've heard. It really is one of the highlights of this album's texture for sure. And the Drums... well, the drums are so well crafted that they rock steady and never step on any toes. I don't think i'm alone in saying that there are too many drummers out there that step on every beat of every song and kind of drown out any finesse that attempts to reach your ears. Jack does an excellent job of supporting the song and not his ego. Every instrument on this album is there and completely complements each other.

This album is a must have for anyone who remotely likes rock music. This album embodies what makes rock music so enjoyable.

You will not be disappointed.

The songs here are topnotch. Make no doubt about it. However, this CD is close to being unlistenable due to its horrible sound quality. The clipping is at times too much to bear and can lead to a headache. If you want to hear this album in a good way pick up the vinyl record. But again, as far as the songs go they are typical Jack White amazingness. Perhaps not as strong as Horehound (highly recommended), but good nevertheless.

For some reasone, when I put this album in, I always listen to it the whole way through. I think that's a good thing, right?

..........................................Dead Weather - Sea of Cowards (2010)

straight to the point...

This is basically HOREHOUND part II. The same kind of thing but with diminishing returns. There's some pretty good stuff here but...get HOREHOUND first if you haven't already. If you really love it and crave more, go ahead and get SEA OF COWARDS. Just don't expect it to be quite as good.

No one does dirty guitar rock these days better than Jack White. His second album with his latest band, Dead Weather, picks up right where the last one let off. "Sea Of Cowards" brings back the sludge-like jamming sound introduced on "Horehound," adds creepy effects and makes Jack White's voice almost interchangeable with lead singer Alison Mosshart. The seventies they want to emulate is more Blue Cheer than Led Zep, even if the guitars still borrow relentlessly (and loudly) from the Jimmy Page playbook.

If that kind of heavy blues-rock from White's Nashville garage sounds like heaven to you, then by all means pick this up. Little bits will stick you, like White and Mosshart barking "I'm Mad Hah Hah!" at each other, or the anger at an ex Mosshart drills into "Die By The Drop." There's also little moments of playfulness, like the video game bleeps that open "The Difference Between Us."

The spookiest moment comes at the end, where White delivers "Old Mary."

"Old Mary, full of grease,
Your heart stops within you,
Scary are the fruits of your tomb
and harsh are the terms of your sins."

It's blasphemous, creepy and goofy all at the same time. All but perfect for Halloween parties, and brings "Sea Of Cowards" to a haunting close.

I have never been a 70's music fan per se. I love cult bands like Pink Floyd or even the poppy Blondie but that is it. However, I have always known bands like Led Zeppelin or Janis Joplin and Patti Smith (which I love by the way thanks to R.E.M.) and the sound these people worked with it was always familiar to me. Well, this is exacvtly what I heard on this record... a true 70's sound of pure rock that was faithful to the love of making music beyond the money business.

Their first record was very good and I really enjoyed listening to it all. But this one sounds more focused, harder and improved all the possible flaws (if there were any) from their first record. Some of the songs that caught my attention right away were "Blue blood blues" and "Hustle and Cuss" not only for their similarity but because of the way the band matched them together to make a solid tune. "The difference between us" is by far the best track of the record if you ask me... the sound on this one is weird at first but then you get what it's about as soon as it goes in the chorus. Pretty solid too. "I can't hear you" and "Gasoline" have these awesome riffs that make you go back to that era I was talking about. On the other hand, "Old Mary" kind of dissapointed me. At first it sounds like it's going to be a classic tune from the band with the piano coming and going and a guitar appearing out of nowhere but as soon as the band starts singing it seems that loses all its charm. Maybe is the way it is sung... I don't know for sure.

To sum up, this is a great record to listen to if you love the 70's rock and roll. Next time I listen to it I'm going to smoke some cigarrettes and drink a couple of beers at a garage with some friends. That would make the perfect scene for this record.

It's hard to imagine another album's worth of material as good as their first, but the Dead Weather have done it again. Virtually every song is a keeper--you know an album is great when you play it again and again without getting bored. Heavy, dark, maybe a little scary, Jack White and company have put together another fine disc. If you liked their first album you'll love this one too. Highly recommended.

Loved this CD. It's got a good running time, places like an old 70's rock album, with a good flow from song to song. I put it this way with Jack White too, White Stripes are his artistic band, Raconteurs are his song writing band, Dead Weather is his pure rock band.