Jack White’s New Band!

One side effect of Jack White forming the Raconteurs was that bandmate Brendan Benson, an under-loved rocker in his own right, can now afford private school for his kids. Soon, the Kills’ Alison Mosshart — fronting White’s new side project, the Dead Weather — may be carpooling with Benson to PTA conferences. The new unit premiered last night at a tiny Nashville gig, which doubled as the grand unveiling of White’s Third Man Records’ headquarters; the band also features Queens of the Stone Age’s Dean Fertita on guitar and the Raconteurs’ Jack Lawrence on bass. Where’s Jack, you ask? Behind the drum set! Still, the loose blues the Dead Weather zap out on “Hang You From the Heavens,� the first original cut they’ve released, is a natural extension of the burgeoning Jack White rock-and-roll empire. Mosshart, who actually filled in on vocal duties for an ill White during the Raconteurs-Kills tour last year, does a stellar job of channeling his playful, foreboding vibe. Lyrics like “I wanna drag you by the hair / and sell you off to the devil� don’t hurt.