People We Like: The Black Keys
Written by Méli // June 17, 2010 // Features // 3 Comments
Ohio is not known for its ground-breaking music scene. In fact, Ohio isn't really known for anything particularly cool or interesting. It is a state that produces a lot of presidents (used to, anyways), a lot of astronauts, and a lot of people that move to other states in search of Bigger Better Things. Ohio is also where The Black Keys, one of my favorite bands, formed and got their start.
Saying that I like The Black Keys is a bit of an understatement. I really really like them. It's entirely possible that I actually love them. And not just because they're from Ohio. The duo, composed of Dan Auerbach (guitar) and Patrick Carney (drums), makes music that walks the line between funk-tinged blues and garage rock and gets stuck in my head for days on end. Their new album, Brothers, is their best in a long time; the whistling on "Tighten Up" and Auerbach's surprisingly natural falsetto on "Everlasting Light" add a new depth to their sound, a bit of whimsy in just the right places.
If you want to check them out, and I highly suggest you do, you can listen to a few songs on their myspace or catch them at one of the stops on their rather extensive tour, going on right now. You can also get a free mp3 download of their formerly-7"-exclusive song "Ohio" by signing up at theblackkeys.com.
Photo by James Carney.
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3 Comments on "People We Like: The Black Keys"
Oh Lord, I love the Black Keys. I saw them at the Fillmore in Denver on June 3rd and my brain practically exploded because I was less than 10 feet from Patrick Carney (who, for the record, looks like he is possessed when he’s playing live. And it’s awesome.)
They’ll be in Columbus later this summer and I’m keeping an eye on my bank account… as soon as I’ve got the money, I’m buying a ticket.
Yea man, these guys are great. I love the vibe, and the sound they get in the studio is incredible. I like the stripped down nature of bands like these guys and The Cold Stares in Nashville. Our duo Spider Poets has a more acoustic sound but we love The Black Keys and aspire to record a project of that quality and energy.