"A Friend Writes" Edition
1. "Sunshinin,'" The Vines
2. "Let's Not Shit Ourselves (To Love and to Be Loved)," Bright Eyes
3. "Love Affair With Everyday Living," The Woodentops
4. "Keep Your Hands off Her," The Black Keys
5. "You Never Phone," Loudon Wainwright III and Martha Wainwright
6. "Naked, if I Want To," Moby Grape
7. "Grass," XTC
8. "Positive Tensions," Bloc Party
9. "Break it Down Baby," Robinella
10. "London's Burning," The Clash
Based on a reader's comments, I went out a got a copy of The Black Keys' new disc Chulahoma. It's a 6-Song tribute to bluesman Junion Kimbrough. No, I hadn't heard of him either.
First off, if you are a duet calling yourselves The Black Keys, you should at least consider renaming yourselves Flatt and Sharpe.
But seriously, they play an extremely dense, bottom-heavy blooze rock. Mountain thinks they need to lighten up. As such, it took a few listenings to get into it and I'm still working on it. Bottom line so far: like it but don't love it. No doubt, these guys are talented and have a deep reverence for their material. But it's missing . . . something. Something to make it a little less like slogging through a difficult passage in a history book and a little more fun.
Dare I say it -- a little cowbell?
RIP, JOHN OLESKY
5 months ago
3 comments:
Pho, I haven't heard that EP yet, though from what I've read it doesn't seem to me like the best place to start if you haven't heard the 'Keys yet.
You really ought to hear "Rubber Factory"--their last album. "10AM Automatic" is one of the greatest rock tunes of the last 5 years! There's also some mellower Stones-influenced stuff on there as well. Don't give up on the only decent thing to come out of Akron in the last 20 years!
want boozy rock? check out the latest eagles of death metal album. makes ya wanna drive too fast, play it too loose, and act a little too young. good times.
What 54cermak said.
Thickfreakness (album released before Rubber Factory) and The Big Come Up (debut album) also are terrif.
Think you can listen to a clip of 10AM Automatic on Amazon.
You'll appreciate this - the boys are Akron boys, still livin' here, still enjoying Akron, promote Akron wherever they go, buy from local shops (they've been spotted many times at indy retailers), wear Akron gear, not cynical. The chamber of commerce should have 'em on a retainer.
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