Priced to sell -- Grab the Keys and go!

1994 EL CAMINO: 273,000 mi. 200 cubic-in. 3.3L 95hp V6 engine, 3-speed turbo autom shift, sapphire stylus, some ticks/pops, light surface noise. Working AM/FM radio, tan metalflake/woodie panels, some rust. Black vinyl seats. Priced to sell -- Grab the Keys and go! Contact Pat or Dan at (330) 510-1206

Snapshots from a rock 'n' roll marriage

I don't know whether I'm glad I read this or if I wish I didn't now know any of it, but it's an interesting look inside the real lives and personal relationships of "rock stars".

"Snapshots from a rock 'n' roll marriage: Before the Black Keys won Grammys, before the drunken fights and infidelity -- Patrick and I were very much in love"

The Black Keys Vs. Vampire Weekend

The Black Keys are better than Vampire Weekend at anything, even if it is whoring your music out:

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Black (Keys) Friday

WANT.

Apparently it has something to do with Record Store Day, which I do not understand because Black Friday is not Record Store Day, but whatevs. I also have no idea if it will be available for purchase on the site, or just in record stores like RSD.

Lolla Aftershows Announced Today

The first Lollapalooza aftershow I went to was of Montreal (a band I had barely heard of at the time) @ Schubas in '06. Things have changed quite a bit since then. At the time, aftershows seemed a bit of an after thought, with just a few announced just a few weeks before the festival. This year there are 21 official pre-parties and aftershows with even bigger headliners than before. The Black Keys @ Metro? Phoenix @ House of Blues? You can bet you'll find me there, even if you don't find me at the festival.

Consider This...

I love when I turn on an All Songs Considered podcast and it's a group episode, and this week's Spring Preview is just that. Bob Boilen, Carrie Brownstein, Robin Hilton and Stephen Thompson crack me up when they get together behind the mic. Sometimes I make the greatest discoveries through their show (as with their kick-ass SXSW coverage), while other times I've really gotta question their song selections (I'm lookin at you Robin and Steven*).

This week I was turned on to The Mynabirds' song "Give It Time." That Laura Burhenn could give Miss Cat Power a run for her money any day, add just a dash of Loretta Lynn twang. I don't usually dig too many female vocalists, but there is something downright haunting about Burhenn's vocals that just doesn't let go. Give it a listen here--along with the rest of the songs previewed on this week's All Songs podcast (including a new one from The Black Keys).

*Just kidding guys (well, except for that Valentine's Day podcast).

UPDATE: The Mynabirds will be performing at the Do Division Street Fest in Chicago on June 6.

More Black Keys Pleez!

I was so excited, it took me three times to actually read the content in this article. Bottom line, The Black Keys are releasing a new album. (Picked up from Pitchfork)

Dan Auerbach Releases Album Sans Keys

You may know Dan Auerbach better as the front half of rock power duo The Black Keys, but yesterday Auerbach released his first solo album, Keep It Hid on Nonesuch Records. Self-produced and recorded with a full backing band, Keep It Hid is dripping with the gritty guitar and vocals The Black Keys are known for, especially on tracks like "I Want Some More" and "The Prowl." Yet, the bluegrass twang and weary blues that peeked out on The Keys' Attack & Release take on a life of their own in his solo work. "Trouble Weighs A Ton" and "Whispered Words" are notably turned down and different. There is heavy desperation in "Real Desire" and "When the Night Comes," while "Mean Monsoon" has a heavy 60's psychedelia influence. Lyrically and in mood, the album is has an overall dark tone making it a haunting, yet appealing piece of work.

Auerbach, a self-confessed workaholic "obsessed with making music" recorded songs for Keep It Hid between tours at his home studio in Akron, Ohio. Auerbach's obsession is a family affair, too. His uncle James Quine, who taught him how to sing and play guitar, also plays guitar on the album. Auerbach's dad, besides encouraging his musical aspirations at a young age, also contributed to Hid by writing "Whispered Words."

Dan Auerbach's solo tour makes its stop in Chicago March 6th at Metro with special guests Hacienda as his backing band. You can stream Keep It Hid in its entirety on Auerbach's MySpace page.

(Posted yesterday on Gapers Block: Transmission.)

Year End List(s)

Okay, so I didn't get my year-end list in before the end of the year, but since it is a "year-in-review" it shouldn't be evaluated until the year is actually over, right? Anyway... To be honest, I didn't read one year-end list (except Tankboy's, which I really just scanned) and I assume that not many people will read mine, but it's an opportunity for me to look back at the year and appreciate the albums that still hold my attention months later, and that played the soundtrack for significant times in my life.

For Transmission's year-end feature, each writer picked their favorite album and favorite local live show of 2008, so I included my picks here, but it was near impossible to pick just one to represent the whole year, so I've listed my top five for both.


Auf Wiedersehen 2008!




Mich's Favorite Albums of 2008:


The Black Keys - Attack & Release

Attack & Release was produced by Danger Mouse and I'm beginning to think anything he touches turns to gold. I listened to no other album for about a month this spring; at work, at home, on my iPod, on the bus... It has a down home feeling you could just wrap yourself in; raw 70s style rock that makes me feel like it really is sometime in the 70s and there are no cell phones, no email, no google chat--nothing to pull you out of the feeling that you're totally stoned and totally lost in the music. It's almost surprising how much emotion goes into some of those songs, especially "Lies" and "Things Ain't Like They Used To Be." And that's just the slower psychedelic tunes! Then there are the grittier tracks like "Strange Times" and "I Got Mine" (which contains one of my favorite rock lyrics ever: "when I roll, I roll deep"-- is there any other way?) that shine with Dan Auerbach's guitar riffs and gritty vocals. I love the new poppier songs and dance bands of 2008, but sometimes I wish there was a little more stripped down rock and roll (seriously, you can't get much more stripped down than simply drums and guitar...)



Rounding out the top 5:

Girl Talk - Feed the Animals
Party in a box.

Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
Another party in a box.

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Just beautiful.

Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords
Just hilarious.








Mich's Favorite Live Shows of 2008:



Girl Talk @ Congress Theater
11/8/08

(Photo by Tankboy)
I was lucky enough to see Gregg Gillis twice this year, first at Lolla and just last month at Congress. I reviewed the Congress show for Transmission, so you already know how much I loved it, but here I'll tell you why it was the best of the year. You know those party pictures you see where everyone looks like they're having the time of their lives, but you know that it couldn't have been that fun the whole time? Or that one part where that one song played and the energy just blew up? Well, Girl Talk was like that one part, but stretched out for 3 straight hours. I was part of a music video once that was set at a party and everyone told me, "it looks like you're having so much fun!" In reality we were getting sprayed down with water and dancing for three seconds at a time--not even long enough to finish a musical phrase! Girl Talk live is basically the party that that music video would be if it were real.


Battles @ Double Door
8/2/08

Last year, I started to look forward to the Lollapalooza after-shows more than seeing the artists at the fest. Prime example: Battles. I'd been digging their last album, Mirrored, nonstop since stumbling on the end of their set at Pitchfork appearance in 2007. Compare seeing them in the middle of the day on a side stage to being front and center for Tyonadi's keyboards. I danced my face off.


Spiritualized @ Metro
9/8/08

I saw Spiritualized at the Pitchfork Music Festival in July, but it was daylight and I was, well, not sober. So I wasn't sure that the show was actually as amazing as I thought it was. The Metro show was on a Monday, after a weekend of partying, and it was raining; needless to say we were exhausted, but we went anyway. We were stone sober and guess what--it was every bit as incredible and moving as I thought it was.


Wilco @ The Riviera
2/16/08

This was the Saturday night show of Wilco's five-night residency where they played their entire catalog over the duration. It took me some time to fall in love with Wilco, at first I thought "Alt-country" was too country for me. When I finally tested the waters, I jumped into their most recent release, Sky Blue Sky. This night though, I fell in love with their entire back catalog (I was especially struck by the encompassing sound of "Via Chicago" in that room). I went on to spend a significant amount of time with Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and Summerteeth.


Andrew Bird @ The Hideout
12/15/08

I've already blogged about how much I loved this show, and the opportunity to see him play such a small venue.




Mich's Favorite Songs:
Songs I loved or for one reason or another was crazy about in 2008
(I'm sure I'll add to this as I think of more...)

Hey Champ - Cold Dust Girl
Z-Trip - Party For Change
Peter Bjorn & John - Inland Empire
of Montreal - For Our Elegant Caste
Justice - D.A.N.C.E.
The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name
Santogold - L.E.S. Artistes
Miley Cyrus - See You Again
Rachael Yamagata - Accident
Lettuce - Blast Off