Don’t ask me why I obsessively look to rock ’n’ roll bands for some kind of model for a better society. I guess it’s just that I glimpsed something beautiful in a flashbulb moment once, and perhaps mistaking it for prophecy have been seeking its fulfillment ever since.
- Lester Bangs
I just sort of stumbled across this killer version of the Black Keys covering the Captain Beefheart classic and I had to pass it along. It's on an upcoming Warner Bros compilation entitled 'Covered: A Revolution In Sound.'
I don't have enough superlatives for Dan Auerbach's first solo record.
Living here in Columbus,Ohio I have been lucky enough to see the Black Keys close to ten times(the boys are from Akron - aboout an hour and a half Northeast) and it makes me so happy to see them blow up. I remember the first time I saw them. There were probably 50 people in a bar called Little Brothers. The show was six or seven years ago and I think we were all blown away by hearing these two skinny white kids from Ohio churn out one killer song after another of their blues infused rock. Fast forward to 2009 and they are near the top of the bill at Coachella. God bless them.
And as if the Keys records weren't great enough, Dan Auerbach released an amazing solo album this week - 'Keep It Hid.' It's been playing on a constant loop here for days. Same powerful, soulful voice of Dan's, but this time fleshed out with an entire backing band - as opposed to JUST one powerful drummer and his thrashing lead guitar. The results are stunning. A must have.
Below is a video of my favorite track on the album, 'Trouble Weighs A Ton'...that is Dan's uncle James Quine sitting in with him. James is the man who taught Dan to play guitar. I have four nephews, and after watching this I feel like getting in my car and driving as fast as I can to the nearest pawn shop to buy a guitar to teach them how to play...then I remember that i don't know how to play. Ah...the amazing power of rock n' roll :-)
I think it is official. I have been OVER fixating on the impending release of the 2009 Coachella lineup. I was totally scooped by my friend Jameson on a solo album from Dan Auerbach, lead man for one of Ohio's finest rock bands, The Black Keys.
'Keep It Hid' is more of the same gut-wrenching blues infused rock that the Keys play so well with a more fleshed out full band sound. At times it veers off into the realm of almost classic cork. Really good classic rock. I am digging it.
"Review" really isn't the right world for this, since I only made it about half way through. Horrendous.
I've been conflicted about this movie since it's theatrical release...I hate musicals, but I love the Beatles. My compromise was to wait til it came out on cable. And I am glad I didn't waste a Netflix rental on it. I can't even say anymore....it was mind numbingly bad to me...entrenching me even more rigidly in my 'all musicals suck' state of mind!
I don't even want to hear a Beatles song for the next 72 hours...but I will post a couple of my favorite Beatles covers.
...or my email is anyway! Hey, it's me Blair...the Certain Songs staff of one. I just do this for the love of the music and am in no way trying to rip anybody off, so if you are an artist or a record label and you are not happy that I am promoting your music, or you want me to take a song down, just shoot me an email and I will most definitely oblige.
And please support the artists I post here in whatever way you can if you do download a song...go to a show, buy some merch, buy an album...these songs are the soundtrack to my life and I just love to share them. But I can only do that if the insanely talented artist responsible for said songs are able to eat.
I also love hearing new stuff...so any submissions can also be sent to my email, I will try my bestest to listen to everything and get back to you all...peace,love,rock n' roll.
csmusicblog@gmail.com
Monthly Mix Tape
Mission Statement
I guess you're old enough to know. Kids out on the east coast. Roughly twenty years old. Got coaxed out by a certain perfect ratio. Of warm beer to the summer smoke. And the meat loaf to the billy joel. Certain songs they get so scratched into our souls.
She goes low on the seats when she gets high in her car. She looks shallow but shes neck deep in the steamy dreams of the guys along the harbor bars. She's pulling out her shirttails and jacking up her socks. Stern and stoned and confident, coming up towards the jukebox. Born into the only songs that everybody finally sings along. B-1 is for the good girls. It's only the good die young. C-9 is for the making eyes. It's paradise by the dashboard light. D4 is for the lovers. B12 is for the speeders. And the hard drugs are for the bartenders and the kitchen workers and the bartender's friends. And they're playing it again. Ellen Foley gives us hope. Certain songs they get scratched into our souls.
I guess you're old enough to know. Kids out on the west coast are taking off their clothes. Screwing in the surf and going out to shows. They get high and ride around in gtos. I guess you're old enough to know. CERTAIN SONGS THEY GET SCRATCHED INTO OUR SOULS. - The Hold Steady
