Dodge And Burn
Dodge And Burn finds The Dead Weather playing with considerable force and little restraint. Guitars are sharp, drums assertive and Alison Mosshart sounds ready to challenge every part around her. The band retain their dark blues foundation but give the tracks enough direct shape to become more than a full, threatening sound. Their energy has clear songs to work through.
I Feel Love (Every Million Miles) makes a strong entrance. The riff has room to move, and the singing uses that space well. Mosshart can become forceful without losing the melody entirely. Buzzkill(er) maintains the attack, with a guitar part that quickly stays with you and drums that add considerable weight. The opening leaves little doubt about the chosen approach.
Open Up is among the strongest tracks. Its guitar playing has a sharper edge and the chorus provides a clear point to return to. Rough Detective draws tension from simplicity another way. Jack White and Mosshart exchange lines above a repeated beat and guitars that repeatedly stop. Their interaction gains a challenging quality, making a few straightforward parts do substantial work together.
Three Dollar Hat departs from the pattern with White's rhythmic delivery and a stranger structure. The parts do not all connect smoothly, but the record benefits from an interruption. Impossible Winner makes a much larger change at the end. Piano and Mosshart's more flexible singing show that the band can convince without their usual hard attack.
Between those clear highlights, the familiar formula returns too often. Some songs have less individual character, and the persistent force makes the overall sound one-sided. The best riffs and vocal performances remain strong enough to regain attention. Dodge And Burn works particularly well when the band connect their power to a clearly defined song.
