I’ve had this album since mid September but I’ve held out on reviewing it because frankly, I hated it at first. I guess I was really expecting Black Holes and Revelations part 2, and was quite surprised by the bombastic sound present in almost all songs on The Resistance.

That being said, deep down I knew that there was no way Matthew Bellamy and Co had messed up so badly. The greatness had to be there somewhere, so I kept listening and searching for clues. Gradually, the album grew on me, and the final push was when I saw Muse live three weeks ago. Finally I understood the brilliance that is The Resistance!

The strongest song on the album is probably the first single, Uprising. This uptempo anthem is sure to be a Muse live favorite, along with the title track. But what really defines the album for me is the three part symphony that closes The Resistance, Exogenesis. Here we get fantastic string arrangements mixed with Matt’s charismatic voice, as well as classical themes mixed with the heavy rock Muse is known for. It’s a bold move by a rock band to write a symphony, but Muse pulls it off. When I saw Muse live they opened with the first part of Exogenesis, and it was one of my favorite parts of the concert. I wish they would perform the entire symphony live!

So for the people that didn’t get The Resistance yet – go get it, you won’t be disappointed!

Ever since I heard about Jack White’s new band, The Dead Weather, back in March or April I’ve been anxiously awaiting the release of their debut album, Horehound. Aside from White, The Dead Weather consists of Alison Mosshart (The Kills) on vocals, Dean Fertita (Queens of the Stone Age, The Raconteurs) on guitar, and Jack Lawrence (The Raconteurs) on bass. Horehound is a raw blues-rock album. First thing I noticed when browsing through the booklet is that a surprising number of songs are written by Mosshart and/or Fertita. Only I Cut Like a Buffalo is a solo Jack White composition. Most songs are co-written by White and the other band members. The album also features a cover of Bob Dylan’s New Pony.

Horehound opens with 60 Feet Tall. A bluesy number that starts out quietly and builds up to a frenzy. White play drums in The Dead Weather, which also happens to be how he started out in the music business. If you have any doubts about the man’s proficiency, just check out the singles Treat Me Like Your Mother and Hang You From the Heavens. It’s like John Bonham came back from the dead. In Treat Me Like Your Mother Jack also trades some distorted lyrics back and forth with Mosshart, perhaps my favorite part of the album.

One of the best songs on the album is the reggae flavored I Cut Like a Buffalo. From what I’ve read in interviews with the band, Jack White is apparently quite pleased with this song. As I understand it, the lyrics were written sort of stream-of-consiousness.

Even though Jack White barely touches a guitar on the entire album, the sound is quite similar to that of The Raconteurs latest album, Consolers of the Lonely. Dean Fertita does some excellent guitar work. And I would also like to mention the superb bass playing by Jack Lawrence, which is a huge part of The Dead Weather’s sound. Rather than just playing backup to the guitar, Lawrence often create melodies with his bass, adding an extra layer to the music like in the verses of Hang You From the Heavens, or complementing Fertita when he’s playing a Moog synth, like on Treat Me Like Your Mother.

The album ends with an acoustic blues, Will There Be Enough Water? Jack White plays a mean acoustic guitar which evokes the spirit of Robert Johnson. Hopefully White didn’t have to trade his soul for talent at a Mississippi crossroad, as legend has it regarding Robert Johnson. In short, buy Horehound by The Dead Weather if you want a kick-ass blues-rock album, you won’t be disappointed. Now I just hope to see The Dead Weather in concert soon, as I suspect that they will take their songs to a whole different level in a live setting.

Stand out tracks: Hang You From the Heavens, Treat Me Like Your Mother, I Cut Like a Buffalo.

Check out this great five-song studio performance by The Dead Weather: http://www.fromthebasement.tv/