The Black Keys

[Keepcoolbutcare]

this is shaping up to be quite a year for my fave two member blues band (sorry Meg).

opening up for Radiohead on 6 dates, signing to Nonesuch, which will drop their 4th full length, Magic Potion on September 12th, along with their blazing last recordings for the seminal blues label studly Possum having just been released as a 6 (well, 7, but the last track is a voice message) song EP titled Chulahoma - The Songs of Junior Kimbrough, the Black Keys may just blow the fuck up this year, and you can pull out your hipster card by saying you knew them FIRST!

Yes, Chulahoma are covers of the nearly ignored Mississippi blues genius (sorry 'bout the shitty link, best I could do!), covers that not only do justice to the originals, but also serve as a good barometer to just how seriously these two crackers from Akron take the blues.

Since I get the impression you cats dig the free stuff...

Junior Kimbrough's All Night Long

JK's You Better Run

JK's I Feel Allright

All off of his album All Night Long, which (and this is no ringing endorsement, but a fun fact) was named best blues album of the decade by Rolling Stone.

Oodles of free stuff at that studly Possum site, check out some of the other bands while you're there...

but wait, MORE FREE STUFF! This time from the band this thread is supposedly about!

Meet Me in the City, one of the Kimbrough covers. Notice the proper respect, yet also subtle tweaking of the original material.

since we're all such whores for freebies (legal freebies, it should be noted) here's some more exemplary recordings from my fave rock band in the world (at this very moment, at any rate).

Hard Row

Set You Free

and another cover (hey, they're a blues band!), this time of the James Murphy namechecked The Sonics, Have Love Will Travel. If you know the original (and you damn well better should!), notice not only the reverence to, but (sacrilege to say) improvement on the source material.

and since I'm putting off shit I gotta do today...MORE!

!0am Automatic

Here's their Myspunk page for some streaming stuff.

I've caught the Keys three times.

First time, they had just released their debut, The Big Come Up, and they were opening for the ladies with great taste (seriously, the White Stripes, The Gossip) in opening acts, Sleater-Kinney. Good show, bought a cheap ass $10 tee shirt I still have to this day. You could tell they had much room for improvement, but they were a band I put on my watch list. Plus, they didn't embarass themselves before the onslaugh of rrrriot-girl power that's a Sleater-Kinney live show, which I took to be a sign of good things to come.

Next caught 'em at the Fillmore in SF, and they flat out brought it. The kinks were worked out, and man, they were fuckin' tight. Carney's percussion had improved by leaps and bounds; he was finally able to keep up with the technically superior Auerbach, and the show was a revelation. Not that you asked, but no, I didn't wear the t-shirt I had bought already, 'cuz wearing a tee with the name of the band your going to see is fucking Dumbledore.

Third show was even better than the last...couple of new tracks, couple of covers I haven't heard 'em do before.

Do yourselves a favor and get your ass to one of their shows (not the Radiohead ones...tickets for the show in Berkeley cost upwards of $100...I love Radiohead, but would rather see 6 or 7 less known acts in smaller venues than pay that much for one band). They should be touring to support the new album come September...

[Flumm]

Nevermind mod debates, we need to start discussing wages.

Or at least a complimentary golden dink embossed tie rack, or something.

Pay teh man some dues..

Can't deny sleep beckons me, but then again, with good music in your ears, fuelling the furnace of the mindhole (so to speak), that's no bad thing.

Nice post, appreciate the effort, KC.

[Coldfire24]

I love the black keys.

[magicmonkey]

Cheers KC, now listening to Chulahoma. It seems with this and Primal Screams "Riot city blues", i'm nicely sorted for awhile.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

Cheers KC, now listening to Chulahoma. It seems with this and Primal Screams "Riot city blues", i'm nicely sorted for awhile.

so I take it they've gone back to the more southern rock / blues boogie style of Give Out But Don't Give Up?

No Kevin Shields or Robert Young either, huh?

Love to read a review about this if you have the time...

[magicmonkey]

Cheers KC, now listening to Chulahoma. It seems with this and Primal Screams "Riot city blues", i'm nicely sorted for awhile.

so I take it they've gone back to the more southern rock / blues boogie style of Give Out But Don't Give Up?

No Kevin Shields or Robert Young either, huh?

Love to read a review about this if you have the time...

No problem dude, the production on Xtrmntr (wow, what an album) and Evil Heat is gone, but in its place is... well, you better check my review, I'll start a thread.

[tapehead]

According to Pitchfork, the Black Keys' first album produced in a studio is called Attack and Release, was supposed to feature Ike Turner, and will be produced by Danger Mouse.

I'm hesitant to be excited. I like the grit of basement-Black-Keys. But this will be interesting, none the less.

I have no hesitation being excited, perhaps for the producer involved as much as the artist...

[stereosforgeeks]

According to Pitchfork, the Black Keys' first album produced in a studio is called Attack and Release, was supposed to feature Ike Turner, and will be produced by Danger Mouse.

I'm hesitant to be excited. I like the grit of basement-Black-Keys. But this will be interesting, none the less.

I have no hesitation being excited, perhaps for the producer involved as much as the artist...

Why wouldnt someone be excited? This could push them into new sonice territory while retaining their signature sound.

[Eunuch Provocateur]

Thanks for moving my post for me. I guess I should've searched before I posted. Rookie mistake.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

first single from Attack & Release, "Strange Times", available while the getting's good, here.

Not much of a noticeable difference upon a cursory listen, but on repeat, the fleshed out production, a quicker tempo, and multi-instrumentation begin to stand out.

I don't adore the track, but it's not too shabby.

enjoy!

[tapehead]

I like it - the sharper production gives the whole proceedings focus and a sinister edge. I hope DM really goes to work elsewhere on the album...

[Eunuch Provocateur]

Attack and Release was Attacked and Released today.

I can't say I like the new feel Black Keys. I miss the loud, blues juggernaut Keys music. This is all so polished and.... weird.

But Dan Auerbach's beard is the shit, I will say that.

[tapehead]

listening...

[Keepcoolbutcare]

yeah, I wasn't all too impressed either. I figure they feel they have to push forward and expand their sound a bit, but, please fellas, not at the expense of the romping stomping.

too err is human, but don't err on the side of mellow.

had it's moments, for sure, but this isn't why I fell in love with them in the first place. Am curious to see how the new tunes play live - but not the $26.50 per ticket, before all the extra fees from Live Nation. Seen 'em live 3x's already, and they do kick ass, but I wouldn't pay over $20 for a two man blues rock act (yeah, that goes for Jack and Meg as well - and they absolutely rip it up live).