The Black Keys are otherwise known as US blues rock duo vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Pat Carney. The band formed in Ohio in 2001 and as of 2011 have sold over 3 million albums. The latest album ‘El Camino’ dropped this Monday so this week’s blog is in honour of the pair...
Big Come Up/ Thickfreakness:
The band released their debut album ‘The Big Come Up’ in early 2002. The album was very successful for a new independent rock band and along with their second album, it was recorded entirely in Pat's basement on an 8-track tape recorder from the early 1980s. The band went on to release their debut album ‘Thickfreakness’ in 2003, again recorded in Carney's basement in 14 hours. The album was favoured by critics and spawning some classics including ‘Midnight in her eyes’, ‘Set You Free’, ‘Hurt Like Mine’ and an absolutely brilliant cover of Richard Berry’s ‘Have Love, Will Travel’, all of which have featured in TV series and movies from I Love you Man to School of Rock.
Rubber Factory:
The band's third album, released in 2004, by now the band gained recognition and popularity, boosting their career. Rubber Factory was recorded in abandoned factory and keep that raw blues sound. The album features singles ‘10AM Automatic’, ‘Til I Get My Way’ and the brilliant ‘Girl is on my mind’...
Magic Potion:
In 2006 their fourth album dropped; the bands first album recorded in a real studio but still keeps that familiar raw energy that won them so much plaudits. Featuring the singles ‘Strange Desire’, ‘Just got to be’ and the truly awesome riffage of ‘Your Touch’ which later featured on to the zom/com classic Zombieland
Attack & Release:
The bands fifth album, produced by the legendry Danger Mouse it was leaked onto the net prior to release but still charted in top 10 upon its 2008 release. The album is still very blues but begins to make the bridge into a more commercial sound and thus a wider audience, but yet still remaining truly brilliant. Stand out tracks from the album ‘Strange Times’, ‘Lies’ and possibly the best song of that year ‘I Got Mine’...
Brothers:
Released in 2010, featured15 track listing was a further push to a wider audience the album got the band nominated for 5 Grammys, including Best Rock Song and Best Alternative Album, winning 2. Featuring the amazing ‘Next Girl’ and ‘Howlin' for You’ which an cool as chuff Rodrigues/ Desperado inspired vid. The track I'm gonna pick though is the truly blissful ‘Tighten Up’ which yet another brilliant video...
El Camino:
The Black Keys began recording for their seventh studio album in March this year, reportedly recorded in Dan's new studio in Nashville, Tennessee. Stand out tracks from the album have got to be the lead single ‘Lonely Boy’ alongside, ‘Little Black Submarines’, 'Run Right Back' and the fantastic ‘Dead and Gone', bringing us full circle. Roll on February next year when me and the mrs get to see them live again and taste that sweet sweet live blues in our ears...
*RANDOM FACT ALERT*
The bands name comes from a schizophrenic artist Alfred McMoore that the pair knew; he would leave incoherent messages on their answering machines referring to their fathers as "black keys" such as "D flat" when he was upset with them.
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