― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 16 May 2003 10:24 (twenty-one years ago) link
I like them, PP. There are not many on ILM who do.
Read this: Black Keys
Both albums are great, if you like that sort of thing, and I do. Buy The Big Come Up first.
― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 16 May 2003 10:28 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 16 May 2003 10:29 (twenty-one years ago) link
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 16 May 2003 11:20 (twenty-one years ago) link
― nickie (nickie), Friday, 16 May 2003 11:22 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 16 May 2003 11:32 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 16 May 2003 11:35 (twenty-one years ago) link
Here's my review of their album, Thickfreakness:
Thickfreaknessthe Black KeysFat Possum/Epitaph4 stars
Forget the White Stripes. Okay, don’t forget them, but they are in neither the first nor last word in guitar-and-drums-only punked-out blues. But that’s more or less where the similarities end between the high-concept ‘Stripes and the medium-fidelity Black Keys. On their follow-up to last year’s stunning debut The Big Come Up, the Akron, OH duo of Dan Auerbach (guitar, vocals) and Patrick Carney (drums) serve up a no-frills fuzz-fest of chunky licks, hoary moans and whalloping of soul. Thickfreakness gets right to the point and stays there for all 11 songs. There isn’t a single dull moment. Though the Black Keys are very much in the tradition of 60s and 70s blues-rock outfits like Cream or even early ZZ Top, they never waste time on the sort of excessive noodling that mires groups of that era, and continues to ruin a lot of otherwise good blues-rock today. Like Them Wranch’s overlooked garage classic Medium Rare, or even Richard Meltzer’s novel The Night (Alone), Thickfreakness unflinchingly concerns itself with the seemy underbelly of human emotion. Songs like “Set You Free”, “Midnight in Her Eyes” and “Hurt Like Mine” are raw insinuations of chronic heartache, acute loneliness and bad decisions. Even when they’re trafficking in the most clichéd idioms of the blues, the Black Keys sound unfailingly fresh and invigorating.
― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Friday, 16 May 2003 13:44 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 16 May 2003 13:46 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Friday, 16 May 2003 13:46 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Friday, 16 May 2003 13:47 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 16 May 2003 13:54 (twenty-one years ago) link
No I never stop talking about Meltzer. Actually, I had pulled out TN(A) that week. Last week I opened my review of the new New Pornographers with a quote from The Count of Monte Cristo, so the Black Keys got lucky.This week I'm reviewing LiveOnRelease (sub-Avril Lavignes) and am reading Coyote v. Acme so, we'll see where I go with that in about 4 hours.
― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Friday, 16 May 2003 13:57 (twenty-one years ago) link
but best of luck to them.
if a british band did it though they would be roundly slagged for beign way too retro.
― arthur woodlouse (arthur woodlouse), Friday, 16 May 2003 13:58 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Friday, 16 May 2003 13:59 (twenty-one years ago) link
although in blues terms, incest is a pay off gimmick.
― arthur woodlouse (arthur woodlouse), Friday, 16 May 2003 14:13 (twenty-one years ago) link
― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 16 May 2003 14:27 (twenty-one years ago) link
the band makes really horrible sounding records, like the actual recording quality. dude should be banned from producing. he almost ruined a really good jessica lea mayfield record and the shit i've heard off the dr. john thing has those same terrible thin sounds. he's no jack white.
― Jandek at the Disco (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 29 August 2012 16:08 (twelve years ago) link
I saw them appear on a "top 10 worst hipster bands" recently
― Sweet Yin Yang ☯ (Latham Green), Wednesday, 29 August 2012 16:13 (twelve years ago) link
lol @ this band
― write 500 words of song (sleepingbag), Tuesday, 13 May 2014 18:36 (ten years ago) link
watching their shitty drummer struggle to play the most basic rock and roll beat possibly imaginable is one of contemporary rock music's many delights
― write 500 words of song (sleepingbag), Tuesday, 13 May 2014 18:40 (ten years ago) link
these guys are such clowns
― christmas candy bar (al leong), Tuesday, 13 May 2014 18:41 (ten years ago) link
how did they get popular? genuine question
― johnny crunch, Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:02 (ten years ago) link
The "five rock records a year", Rolling Stone subscribing crowd loves the shit out of them.
― djenter the dragon? (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:17 (ten years ago) link
they made a serious leap at some point though, like i saw them in '03 and they were so scuzzy and unfashionable and at some point they just flipped a switch and were like "we're going to play arenas now"
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:21 (ten years ago) link
do not do not do not understand these guys at all. people love them though!
― bouts of remission, hot 'n fresh out tha kitchen (will), Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:22 (ten years ago) link
I'm not sure I can explain the "why", I think they just sorta became the default "real" rock band for the RS crowd that hates folkie stuff and can't stand keyboards.
― djenter the dragon? (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:23 (ten years ago) link
i never understood these dudes and their terrible music until i read this: http://www.thelmagazine.com/TheMeasure/archives/2011/03/07/the-black-keys-dan-auerbach-allegedly-loves-dave-matthews-calls-indie-pop-gay
― adam, Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:24 (ten years ago) link
I actually don't think their music is "terrible" (with the possible exception of Danger Mouse's shitty production job), I just think it's even worse because they manage to make ostensibly garage rock completely bland and lifeless.
― djenter the dragon? (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:25 (ten years ago) link
i think they were able to ride the strokes, hives, vines, white stripes, etc. movement of "real rock music", and then found success w/ the first few danger mouse collaboration albums. also licensing the shit out of their music might have helped too.
― marcos, Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:26 (ten years ago) link
yeah but the hives & stokes & white stripes are all pretty good! and put out some good-to-great records imo. i saw black keys play one incredibly packed club back in '06 or so. ditched my party after less than an hour so i could go catch Jack Oblivian. the talent/fame contrast between the two shows was kind of striking.
― bouts of remission, hot 'n fresh out tha kitchen (will), Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:29 (ten years ago) link
they're cut from the same cloth and appeal to the same people in some ways as kings of leon or some other bullshit. they're so boring and so dumb. i mean the drummer is engaged in an ongoing twitter beef with justin bieber, which is just the most pathetic thing.
― christmas candy bar (al leong), Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:30 (ten years ago) link
these guys fuckin suck
I like the album cover with the reservation that cool op-art covers are in vogue with the most loathsome bands right now
― smhphony orchestra (crüt), Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:34 (ten years ago) link
yeah but the hives & stokes & white stripes are all pretty good!
fuck all these bands imo, ESPECIALLY the hives. vines were the shittiest though
― marcos, Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:36 (ten years ago) link
tmz follows them around. it's crazy
― i also enjoy in line skateing (spazzmatazz), Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:38 (ten years ago) link
i liked rubber factory in 2005 but have no idea why they still play music
― purposely lend impetus to my HOOS (BIG HOOS aka the steendriver), Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:39 (ten years ago) link
$$$
― famous instagram God (waterface), Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:41 (ten years ago) link
i feel such a loyalty though to the black keys even though i don't really listen to them. we're all from northeast ohio - i'm from cleveland, they're from akron, and it's such a underdog of a region that i'm happy that they are so huge, i can't help but root for them. i remember when my brother-in-law went to their first show in cleveland like 12 years ago or something.
though i'd rather a cleveland band like mr. gnome get world famous instead:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dm_N27v38_Y
― marcos, Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:43 (ten years ago) link
i don't think i'm forceful enough to really make my point in the midst of a bunch of hate but this band was important to my life when i was much more musically naive and opened my eyes to a lot of cool stuff, and i still have a soft spot for the Big Come Up and Rubber Factory. alright thanks everybody
― global tetrahedron, Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:43 (ten years ago) link
yea i have no animosity towards them.
― marcos, Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:45 (ten years ago) link
just blew 20 minutes reading about the drummer's divorce, yeesh
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:50 (ten years ago) link
xp tbf re: auerbach "loving" dave matthews, that quote is about auerbach in high school. 99% of my friends fucking loved dave matthews in high school. i won't bedrudge anyone for their high school tastes.
― marcos, Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:51 (ten years ago) link
my old band played a show w/mr. gnome once! they were really good & seemed nice
― dollar rave club (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:53 (ten years ago) link
rad! i've heard they are good folks.
― marcos, Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:55 (ten years ago) link
i can't quite place "fever" but every time they've played it on the radio today i've gotten some deja entendu. any idea what it might be reminding me of?
― Mordy, Tuesday, 13 May 2014 19:58 (ten years ago) link
i think it's some arctic monkeys song. they sound like, exactly the same.
― global tetrahedron, Tuesday, 13 May 2014 20:00 (ten years ago) link
Basically, "Tighten Up" became a big hit due to it's ctachy whistling and being used in a bunch of commercials. This was also around the time that Jack White announced that The White Stripes had broken up, and were thus they were able to pick up a fanbase of people still craving bluesy modern rock.
Or at least, that's what I gathered.
― MarkoP, Tuesday, 13 May 2014 20:00 (ten years ago) link
yeah that's kind of otm - i think they basically became what people wanted the white stripes to be.
― tylerw, Tuesday, 13 May 2014 20:04 (ten years ago) link
lol otm
― The Reverend, Thursday, 15 May 2014 20:32 (ten years ago) link
yeah, that's basically where i'm at with this solo record experiment as well. but i do think that white reserves a certain writing and production voice for white stripes songs. so it might be an unfair if still pretty funny point.
― the glimmer man (Sufjan Grafton), Thursday, 15 May 2014 20:33 (ten years ago) link
the white stripes are super pretentious and the black keys are not and that's why the white stripes are way better
yup
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 15 May 2014 21:14 (ten years ago) link
auerbach is like nu-clapton
― christmas candy bar (al leong), Thursday, 15 May 2014 21:17 (ten years ago) link
basing that entirely on the beard and the dead eyes
― christmas candy bar (al leong), Thursday, 15 May 2014 21:18 (ten years ago) link
not looking forward to his "Tears In Heaven"...
― Damnit Janet Weiss & The Riot Grrriel (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 15 May 2014 21:18 (ten years ago) link
...after he murders Jack White's child
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 15 May 2014 21:28 (ten years ago) link
johnny winter and eric clapton vs jack white and dan auerbach
― the glimmer man (Sufjan Grafton), Thursday, 15 May 2014 21:42 (ten years ago) link
mostly i feel relief that the whole "guitar hero" meme doesn't have nearly as much currency these days than it used to.
― espring (amateurist), Thursday, 15 May 2014 21:49 (ten years ago) link
think it has more currency than ever. there just aren't many new guitar gyros.
― the glimmer man (Sufjan Grafton), Thursday, 15 May 2014 21:53 (ten years ago) link
really? on what basis would you say that?
― espring (amateurist), Thursday, 15 May 2014 21:56 (ten years ago) link
When a crowd hears a good solo, they cheer?
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 15 May 2014 21:58 (ten years ago) link
Brad Paisley a current guitar hero. St Vincent too.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 15 May 2014 21:59 (ten years ago) link
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, May 15, 2014 4:58 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
now that's just uncivilized
― espring (amateurist), Thursday, 15 May 2014 22:00 (ten years ago) link
probably smash hit video game Guitar Hero
― the glimmer man (Sufjan Grafton), Thursday, 15 May 2014 22:04 (ten years ago) link
bloodthirsty hordes always cheer when a good solo is executed
― christmas candy bar (al leong), Thursday, 15 May 2014 22:05 (ten years ago) link
they hang out at guitar center every weekend, sipping their vitamin spiked mondos while arguing the superiority of the phrygian and mixolydian modes
― the glimmer man (Sufjan Grafton), Thursday, 15 May 2014 22:12 (ten years ago) link
richard bishop is kind of a marginal gtr hero
― espring (amateurist), Thursday, 15 May 2014 22:16 (ten years ago) link
The mags are trying to make Gary Clark Jr. happen, although bets are hedged on his album by emphasizing him as a neo soul/lite hip hop dude as much as being a guitar god.
― Damnit Janet Weiss & The Riot Grrriel (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 15 May 2014 22:26 (ten years ago) link
this stuff works retroactively. If a band with guitars gets popular and embraces any part of the identifiable canonical rock gtr lineage, then they get the "guitar god" treatment. Cases in point: neither Cobain nor White were not particularly showy about their chops on their career-defining stuff, but as they became gargantuan and their connections to previous hard rock stuff became more apparent, then they were in.
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 15 May 2014 22:30 (ten years ago) link
someone like Greenwood, however, is always going to be less idolized cuz his stylistic reference points are largely outside the canon of Hendrix/Page/Van Halen whatever
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 15 May 2014 22:31 (ten years ago) link
and anyway who cares what Guitar Player and their readers think, really
i have a Guitar Player-like Gods of Guitar book and Jonny Greenwood is in it along with tom verlaine and andy summers
― the glimmer man (Sufjan Grafton), Thursday, 15 May 2014 22:37 (ten years ago) link
kurt cobain is not
is rivers cuomo a guitar god?
― the glimmer man (Sufjan Grafton), Thursday, 15 May 2014 22:39 (ten years ago) link
god i fucking hope not
― djenter the dragon? (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 15 May 2014 22:42 (ten years ago) link
http://thumbs4.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mKK44eS2faDav6Q9ia6fZ1A.jpg
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 15 May 2014 22:43 (ten years ago) link
holding that guitar don't make you eddie
― dollar rave club (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 15 May 2014 23:33 (ten years ago) link
Really? Dude just sounds like Robin Trower to me.
― Slumdog Baseballionaire (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Thursday, 15 May 2014 23:37 (ten years ago) link
i guess the "guitar hero" concept has taken a different direction since i last checked in, since kurt cobain is far, far from a "guitar hero" in the steve vai/jimmy page/eric clapton/etc. sense
― display name changed. (amateurist), Thursday, 15 May 2014 23:43 (ten years ago) link
Marnie Stern is a guitar hero.
― Elvis Telecom, Thursday, 15 May 2014 23:50 (ten years ago) link
adrian belew is a guitar hero
― the glimmer man (Sufjan Grafton), Thursday, 15 May 2014 23:57 (ten years ago) link
is there a thread for ppl that only readers of guitar magazines like? like a place where we can talk about joe satriani?
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 15 May 2014 23:59 (ten years ago) link
please make one! would love to talk some Silver Surfer!
― the glimmer man (Sufjan Grafton), Friday, 16 May 2014 00:09 (ten years ago) link
is there a thread for ppl that only readers of guitar magazines like? like a place where we can talk about joe satriani?― call all destroyer, Thursday, May 15, 2014 6:59 PM (11 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― call all destroyer, Thursday, May 15, 2014 6:59 PM (11 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
http://stores.guitarcenter.com/
― display name changed. (amateurist), Friday, 16 May 2014 00:12 (ten years ago) link
be sure to pick up some of these on the way
― the glimmer man (Sufjan Grafton), Friday, 16 May 2014 00:18 (ten years ago) link
thread for discussion of guitarists i have only heard of because i read guitar magazines in the late 90s
― call all destroyer, Friday, 16 May 2014 00:22 (ten years ago) link
hahahaha. fantastic title and premise.
― the glimmer man (Sufjan Grafton), Friday, 16 May 2014 00:23 (ten years ago) link
Enjoy: http://noisey.vice.com/guitar-moves/dan-auerbach
― jaywbabcock, Saturday, 17 May 2014 19:22 (ten years ago) link
One of the weird things about these guys is that the guy who founded Earthquaker Devices used to be their tour manager, but they don't have any Earthquaker on their pedalboards.
Like, I respect Boss pedals. Plenty of people have made great music with them. But if you were connected to a guy who makes distinctive, acclaimed effects pedals, I don't see why you'd use a Boss Tremolo instead of an Earthquaker Hummingbird.
http://www.effectsbay.com/2012/04/rig-rundown-the-black-keys-dan-auerbach/
― how's life, Saturday, 17 May 2014 19:33 (ten years ago) link
maybe they hate that guy
― the glimmer man (Sufjan Grafton), Saturday, 17 May 2014 20:04 (ten years ago) link
Or vice versa
― Elvis Telecom, Saturday, 17 May 2014 20:19 (ten years ago) link
http://youtu.be/Ss9Znucx4GM
― jaywbabcock, Friday, 30 May 2014 02:40 (ten years ago) link
Anyone have a feeling on the new one out today?
I lived in Columbus, hung out with Michael Carney, Patrick's brother who also did much of their artwork, at Magnolia Thunderpussy when I worked there, and saw the Black Keys play Little Brothers way before they were playing arenas. So I feel a little differently about them compared to most. I obligatorily like the earlier stuff better(TM) but I don't get the hate many have for them but I am incredibly biased.
Anyway, the new record is fine to these ears.
― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Friday, 14 May 2021 21:12 (three years ago) link
Because of they would...
https://www.stereogum.com/2284545/the-black-keys-announce-america-loves-crypto-concert/news/
As Brooklyn Vegan points out, the band announced on Instagram that next Friday, Oct. 25, they’ll play an America Loves Crypto event in their hometown of Akron at the Akron Civic Theatre. It appears to be an event geared around getting out the vote for cryptocurrency-friendly candidates? (UPDATE: I’m told the crypto movement is putting in work to unseat Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown, a crypto critic, so this event might actually help deliver the Senate to the Republicans?) According to the page where you can RSVP to attend, “There will be complimentary food and drink for attendees. Doors open at 5PM and this event is on a first come first serve basis.” Comments are turned off on the band’s Instagram post announcing this gig.
― Charlie Hair (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 18 October 2024 23:55 (two weeks ago) link
Perennial bar music favorites the black keys
― calstars, Friday, 18 October 2024 23:59 (two weeks ago) link
It looks like this is really backfiring on them, even their still-extant fanbase seems to be turning on them over this. The band's sub-reddit is filled with people RSVPing to claim a spot and then not show up.
― Maxmillion D. Boosted (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 22 October 2024 19:48 (one week ago) link
the other acts who are also "standing with crypto"
Black PumasChainsmokersJessie MurphBig SeanLauv070 Shake
― omar little, Tuesday, 22 October 2024 20:02 (one week ago) link
their endorsed candidates are an absolute mercenary and unprincipled hodgepodge
https://www.standwithcrypto.org/races/
― omar little, Tuesday, 22 October 2024 20:04 (one week ago) link
https://www.stereogum.com/2285565/the-black-keys-crypto-concert-was-even-sillier-than-expected/news/
― Charlie Hair (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 27 October 2024 23:36 (six days ago) link