Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Have Love, WIll Travel


In exception to modern drag, and vocoder teeny bopper mania, exists a working act truly in need of much deserved hype. The Black Keys, of Akron, Ohio are one of the best, if not, the front running act in indie music in regards to under appreciation. Since 2001 they have released six studio albums, channeling stevie ray vaughan mud blues, cream-esque gritty guitar licks, and thick, edgy rhythms. The muffled production (courtesy of producer/drummer Patrick Carney) gives off an extra air of throwbacky goodness. At first glance, hearing certain tracks (especially chulahoma era and Thickfreakness era sound) would lead one to take this as just another rock act struggling to preach their pretentious, trite attempts at political asylum in the young audience, but given a deeper look, the sould is there. In full. The emotionally connected and tortured vocals of Dan Auerbach (lead vocals/lead guitar) lace in so gracefully and effortlessly, its nothing short of pure genius when linked together...or pure madness depending on your particular take on them. For avid music lovers, or downloading pirates, they cannot be judged by just one album. As they are a powerfully swift duo, their sound is never stable and careful, it has spanned from backwater gumbo blues, i.e. Thickfreakness, garage jam band, i.e. Rubber Factory, to politically active children of the revolution, i.e. Magic Potion, to edgy roadhouse blues blasting, i.e. Attack & Release.


Hopefully they will continue to gain momentum in the music community, and continue to play bigger and better shows. Speaking from experience, viewing them at Roots Picnic this year was quite the spectacle, they destroyed an entire amp stack on a Strange Girl inspired jam freak out. These fashionable young blokes know just where they come from and what their sound is. If they can hold steady and keep going this will definately be an act to follow these next few years.


Definately Give these cats a listen, but really, shell out the 11$ or so to buy these albums so they can keep em coming;


Thickfreakness:

http://www.mediafire.com/?ypmslomkdxt




Chulahoma:

http://www.mediafire.com/?9bygsjnyzfb




1 comment:

  1. awesome dissection of the sound of each album, this indie-garage-blues project really does deserve more attention. im convinced that dan is an illegitimate product of jim morrisons sexual escapades.

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