After a long weekend in White Stripes frontman Jack White's Third Man recording studio, a private performance and an unhealthy amount of buzz in the blogosphere, The Dead Weather has released its debut album, Horehound.

Jack White teamed up with fellow Raconteurs Jack Lawrence and Dean Fertita alongside Allison Mosshart, front woman for The Kills. Mosshart and White's collaboration has fueled speculation that the White Stripes have called it quits and that The Dead Weather has risen from the ashes of Meg's breakdown in late 2007.

Although The Dead Weather might not be worthy of being called a "supergroup," their debut exhibits White's growing abilities as a producer and songwriter. The album's 11 tracks perfectly balance the piercing guitar riffs of the White Stripes with the eclectic instrumentation of The Raconteurs. Mosshart and White sound like ex-lovers as they trade lyrics in call-and-response on "Treat Me Like Your Mother" and a cover of Bob Dylan's "New Pony."

Whether The Dead Weather is just another side project for Jack White or a replacement during the White Stripes hibernation, Horehound is sure to glean the kind of self-indulgent attention White's come to expect, and like all things Jack White, it's with good reason.

Horehound is in stores this week.