DANGER! your band's been hijacked.

I need to rant a little bit about the Black Keys. Not so much about the Black Keys but about Danger Mouse. Ok, maybe both. I was first turned on to the Black Keys after they were three albums deep into their career. To this day Rubber Factory remains my favorite album in their catalogue. I was delighted to find The Big Come Up and thickfreakness and mostly enjoyed Magic Potion but when they were said to be working with Danger Mouse, the highly touted but mostly boring mind behind the epic Jay-Z/Beatles mash-up The Grey Album, I was skeptical. When I listened to their work together on Attack & Release I tried hard to be a believer. Songs like "Oceans and Streams" and "I Got Mine" gave me hope that the band had not abandoned the basement blues sound of their previous albums but over-produced snoozers like "Psychotic Girl" and the lead single "Strange Times" made it obvious that Danger Mouse was having too large an influence over their sound. That being said, it was different than what they had done before and that, coupled with the hiring of a highly popular outside producer in Danger Mouse, seemed to be enough to garner a larger audience. Fine.

I will admit that since Attack & Release I have become one of this people who says things like, "I knew this band before anyone else was listening to them" (an obvious lie to myself since I've already told you my first exposure to them came on their third album). What attracted to the band in the first place was their gritty, rawness. It was not surprising to learn that Attack & Release was the first album the band recorded in a professional studio. I liked that their prior records sounded dirty, or "unprofessional." Then along came Danger Mouse and ruined everything. Now, after releasing their fourth album with Danger Mouse at the helm, I've almost lost all interest in the band. I pick and choose songs from Brothers and  El Camino, which is probably their biggest commercial hit. I've been doing the same with their latest, Turn Blue. And when I heard "Year in Review" I nearly popped a blood vessel in my brain. Where is the damn guitar? This is a band that cites Howlin' Wolf and Robert Johnson as inspirations. And I had to actually try to hear the guitar. It's a catchy enough song but this band used to tear it up! In fact, four tracks earlier on the album opener "Weight of Love" I was practically giddy with guitar ruffage. I could only come to the conclusion that he'd finally done it, that Danger Mouse had completed his evil plan to take control of my beloved grease grinding, steel plowing, dust wielding, guitar bleeding band and turned them into lifeless, soul-less monotone drones like he has with so many other acts.

So folks, if you're U2 fans I suggest that you band together and intervene now because Danger Mouse has his sights set on your favorite band and he won't rest until he's sucked the fun out of them. 

Here's how the Black Keys used to sound:

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okay, three things at a time.

Last week I started a little experiment with the intention of making myself more familiar with the music I have collected. I decided I would choose three albums a week and listen to nothing but those three albums. I decided on Jackson Brown - Jackson Browne, Damien Jurado - Caught in the Trees and Local Natives - Gorilla Manor. Now, I will admit that I did not listen to these albums exclusively. I think that would have turned into punishment rather than enjoyment. So, I allowed myself to take breaks from those three albums and listen to other things, the rule being that the other things had to be albums I already knew inside and out. They ended up being things like Modest Mouse's The Moon and Antarctica, Coldplay's Parachutes, Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest, Mos Def & Talib Kweli's Black Star and Bjork's Homogenic.

I'm happy to report that this went well. I actually found myself wanting to listen to the three albums I had chosen more. The songs would get stuck in my head and I would choose to go back to them. And now I feel like I have a more intimate knowledge of all three albums. Success! So, I'll try it again this week. My selections are below.

I like to try and make these blog posts and my approach to music about more than just the music. As big as music is in my daily life, if I'm being honest I'll admit that this kind of stuff has no ultimate importance. I'd rather not squander all of my free time writing about things of no real meaning, regardless of how fun it might be. And I'd prefer not to waste your time either. But I think the way I have been approaching music this past week is a method that could be applied to several other facets of life.

We are consumers. We take and take and take, many times without knowing exactly what it is we're taking. Someone tells us that it's good, we believe them and we keep taking. We eat up albums, movies, books, news, gadgets, work and school assignments and often treat them as nothing more than tasks. I love me some technology. The Internet is brilliant. But let's not allow all of this accessibility to overtake us. Let's slow down. Enjoy a quiet evening or afternoon and make something ours, our own. Let's own things, make them a part of who we are (only if they fit, of course). Let's understand them. I grow a bit tired of feeling overwhelmed by all of the things being thrown at me and then I realize that a lot of the time, I'm reaching out to receive them instead of controlling how fast and furious I take things in. I've been reading Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird (yes, I'm still reading it). Her advice for aspiring authors is to practice observation skills. Practice noticing the small details of the people and things around you, then use those details in your stories. That seems like good life advice too. Get to know ourselves and our surroundings a bit better.

Here are this coming week's three albums of choice: Neil Young's self-titled solo debut from 1968 (the remasterd version, of course), The Black Keys/Damon Dash rock/rap mash up project from last year, Blakroc, and the new album from Danger Mouse and James Mercer of The Shins, Broken Bells.

I've Loved Her So Long - Neil ...

On The Vista Feat. Mos Def - B...

The Mall & Misery - Broken Bel...

best of the '00s, pt. 2

In response to a Paste magazine article, I've been listing what I feel to be the best 50 albums of the past decade, in no particular order. Here are 45 through 41.




45. Battles - Mirrored (2007)

Have you ever wondered what it might sound like if the Chipmunks were robots from outer space sent to earth to free computers from doing our bidding so that they might pursue their true passion of performing music? Then the Chipmunks form a band with the newly emancipated computers, giving us a strange combination of live instruments, machine blips and pulses and those famous tiny vocals? Well, look no further.

Mirrored is just plain madness. It's easily one of my favorite records of the decade and it's hard to describe exactly what it is. Essentially, I suppose, it is loops. It's one endless loop after another after another, piled high until a machine is formed that dances, sings and flexes. It's layers of drums, guitar sounds, synth sounds and over processed vocals that are highly calculated and assembled like a clock. Some call it "math" rock. Others call it "nerd" rock. I call it brilliant. If I could make or perform music, this is the kind of band I would want to be in.

I think it's safe to say that there is not another record on the planet that sounds like this. This day in age, that's truly an accomplishment. Many name "Atlas" as the album's best composition. It is a microcosm of the bands sound. One listen to "Atlas" and you know what they're working with. It's a bit bizarre so, it might take a couple of listens to truly appreciate it, but it weaves those layers into a bouncing rhythm. It sounds like the kind of rock music the Umpa Lumpas would have worked to. Much later in the album, "Trij" does the same, if not better job, of starting with nothing and adding one thing after another to create the tapestry of Battles best.

The drums on Mirrored are simply jaw dropping. Everything this band does with instruments is run through a computer or processor of some sort, except for the drums. John Stainer (formerly of Helmet) might as well be a machine though. The precision with which he drums is amazing. I saw the band perform at Johnny Brenda's here in Philly last year and was awestruck at his powers. Check out his control on "Tonto" or his pace on "Rainbow". It's flawless.

Also check out the video for "Tonto". Pretty great stuff.






44. The Black Keys - Rubber Factory (2004)

Yeah, you'd heard of the White Stripes. You'd heard their version of the blues and classic rock, and you may have thought that the Black Keys were just some copy cat band attempting to ride the success of the Whites. At least, that's what I thought, until I really listened to Rubber Factory. While Jack White injects his own experimental tendencies into the way-back-when sounds of the Stripes, the Black Keys are a bit more pure in their tribute to classic blues acts of the past. Their two albums prior, Thickfreakness and The Big Come Up are straight up blues records with a vintage sound. Rubber Factory keeps that vintage sound as the core and expands the duo's sound at the same time.

There is no departure here. The change in their sound is subtle. Dan Auerbach is still shredding and Patrick Carney is still pounding, but they seem to have developed more control which adds to the landscape of their sound. They incorporate additional instruments, more so than previous releases. "The Lengths" features an acoustic guitar, in addition to Auerbach's slid and is distinctly different from the blazing records they've laid down in the past. "When the Lights Go Out" has more atmosphere then we'd hear from them before, painting a mental image of the woods at dusk. "Act Nice and Gentle" is so very friendly, sounding more southern than I recall them being before.

With this album the band elevated their indie following while continuing to pay homage to the classic rock and blues legends of the past. It was a record that drew more attention to the band who have earned a following from a variety of folks like Danger Mouse (who later produced the bands 5th album Attack & Release), Robert Plant and now, Damon Dash, with whom they've released a hip hop record under the name Blakroc featuring guest vocals from the likes of Mos Def, RZA, Raekwon, Q-Tip, Ludacris and the late Ol Dirty Bastard. Now that's branching out.




43. Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights (2002)

Forget the Joy Division comparisons for a moment. There are some bands who create an underground movement. There are others who attempt to take advantage of a trend. Then there are bands who so clearly define what the trend is about that it's impossible for others to have greater success. Here we have the album that is the peak of the post-punk revival. You can forget about trying to top it. If you were in a post-punk band in New York not named the Strokes, you probably felt your hopes crushed under the dark, menacing steam roller of Bright Lights.

Paul Banks voice was made for this band, this sound. If you don't believe me, take a listen to his solo effort, Julian Plenti is...Skyscraper. It's Interpol without the atmosphere. Banks' detached, unemotional vocals and Interpol's dark rumbling, their waterfall of epic guitar drone, are the perfect combination. It's no surprise that folks want to call them the new British invasion. It's understandable to want to make Paul Banks the new Ian Curtis (without the tragedy, we hope). What's different, however, is the feeling behind the music. Turn on the Bright Lights is the soundtrack to a love story, one born in the shadows to someone wholly unequipped of taking the pain out of the joy. Listen to "Obstacle 2" and tell me I'm wrong. Where Joy Division is minimal, where they are absent, Interpol is overflowing with both sound and feeling.

It's yet to be seen exactly how far Interpol can develop the sound started here, but I don't think it can be argued that this was an important record.




42. Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006)

No laughing. Regardless of how you feel about Mr. Timberlake and his career thus far, you've danced to a song from this album. And if you haven't yet, you will. It's infectious. But, while Timberlake has a decent set of pipes, it's Timbaland's production that really make this one shine.

I've always felt like Timbaland's beats are from the future, but for the most part have been wasted on lack luster talent like Magoo, Petey Pablo and Bubba Sparxxx. I've never quite understood that. Why can't one of the premier beat makers of our time get folks who can actually rhyme to sign with him? Fortunately for us, Timbo seems to have the right chemistry with Justin (whose also given production credits). Maybe it was Justin's input or a new freedom was given with this album, but Timbaland's work is slick and shiny and sounds like it's from the year 2016. Up until this point his work has always had a certain distinguishable quality to it. The hum of his own monotone voice usually serves as a part of the rhythm, which you can still find here and there on FutureSex/LoveSounds in tracks like "Losing My Way". If it's not his voice, Timbaland will typically find another to sample into the beat, like the baby coos on "My Love" or the yeahs thrown into "Sexyback". Historically, he also uses a distinct synth sound in just about every one of his productions. That's true for this album too, but it's all streamlined, ready to travel through time and dazzle like a hyperactive disco ball.

When I first heard this album I thought it would change hip-hop, r&b and pop music to come with the way it stuffs all three together to near perfection. I'm still waiting to find out if I'm right and keeping my fingers crossed that the Timbs are not done mixing things up.

As a side note, I think this is the first and only record my little sister and I both have in our collections.




41. Norah Jones - Come Away With Me (2002)


Of all the albums Paste left off their list, this one surprises me the most. They seem to prefer singer/songwriters who make warm, heartfelt music the whole family can appreciate. Norah Jones certainly fits that mold. She has the voice of an older performer and the skills of a seasoned jazz musician, even here on her first album. What I liked most about Come Away With Me, however, is that it rescued us from the countless other talentless solo pop acts taking over music at the time and showed us that simple, well written songs by a singer who can actually play and perform music still sells.

This album was a tremendous commercial success, earning Jones six Grammy Awards and at the time I felt a victory had been won for music everywhere. Take that Britney! Jones' talent is clear in this blend of jazz, country and pop. I'm not really sure what else to say. It's just good old fashioned song writing. It's soft and tender and honest and quite pretty. The title track makes me want to curl up next to the fire. "The Nearness of You" is just Norah and her piano and it causes me to still, to close my eyes. It's a solid disc that saved us, temporarily, from being taken over by another lip syncing embarrassment.