Attack & Release

The Black Keys - All You Ever Wanted
The Black Keys - Psychotic Girl
The Black Keys - She Said, She Said (live)
The Black Keys - I'm Your Man (live)

A few times recently I've heard something coming out of the radio that has seeped through my concentration, awoken my consciousness and made me question, in a good way, who is that? And almost to my surprise it's been Akron, Ohio's The Black Keys, who have just released an album produced by the versatile Danger Mouse.

Shortly after their first record came out I was turned on to The Black Keys by Dr Kev Lobotomi, who presented the radio show after mine on Friday afternoons way back when. He spun 'Garage Punk' and I favoured 'Blues with Flavour' and so The Black Keys made for smooth segues. Being a two-piece bassplayerless blues-rock group with a monochrome colour in their handle, the comparisons were blindingly obvious but I was impressed by their spirit, their sound, and that they covered Junior Kimborough. I was even more impressed when they became his labelmates on Fat Possum records.

In 2003 news reached me that they were to tour Australia and their local distributor wanted them to come in on my programme. Now having already interviewed the drummer by phone shortly after their second album came out, I didn't have many more questions up my sleeve so I set about devising a cunning plan to have them record a live set. Frustratingly I couldn't get their "people" to commit the time in their schedule for this to happen officially or commit to them being allowed to perform or commit to anything other than a 30 minute window. I wasn't dissuaded. I solicited some of my "people" to bring a guitar, an amp and a stunning vintage drum kit into the studio and have it all set up and ready to roll. So when Dan and Patrick walked in for the allocated spot I sprung it upon them to play instead of chat, to rock out rather than talk crap. Thankfully they were into the idea.

For today's post I bring you a couple of beautifully crafted tracks from The Black Keys latest album together with two lo-fi off-the-cuff monsters, roughly mixed and 100% exclusive.

The Black Keys Unofficial Site