In the post-9/11 era, the mainstream has steadily shed rock 'n roll's influence. The Hives, White Stripes, and Strokes 2000 garage rock era is now about 10 years dead, an eon in popular culture. To aspire to be a hip hop mogul, dance floor diva or earnest sock-headed indie type is where it's at. Jay Z Inc, Katy Perry or Bon Iver. Some collaborative effort among the three would be the defining soundtrack of our age. Indeed, rock 'n roll is primarily relegated for Super Bowl half-time shows and guest judges on American Idol. Even video game publisher Activision has stopped making Guitar Hero because no one cares about that old man's music.
Which is to say, you take your guitar players and real drummers where you can find them. Enter the Black Keys. Guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Jay Carney came on the scene as Junior Kimbrough disciples recording their home made hits in some flyover basement about a million miles from New York or Hollywood. They even recorded an lp of Junior covers called Chulahoma, named after his hometown. Moreover, The Big Come Up, Rubber Factory and Freak Thickness referenced not only delta blues but Sonics-style garage rock. Slowly the Black Keys' reputation grew among the few who still cared about this kind of music.
El Camino is the follow-up to the duo's massive crossover success Brothers. It continues the break from earlier blues-y traditionalist records. In fact, El Camino raises the bar by offering more hits, hooks and melodies than Brothers. It should appeal even more to an audience not inclined to rock. The sound is much fuller with a whole band, multi-track vocals with soaring harmonies and dance-y beats. The Black Keys are a long way from that flyover basement, as hip hop producer "Dangermouse" makes another appearance.
No band can stay static lest they turn into the Ramones, so I understand why they have moved on. And this music sounds good to me in parts. I suppose I'm just that crabby old man who can't help but feel it was better back in the day. And who knows? Maybe the pendulum will swing back rock 'n roll's way.
4 comments:
Is there an English teacher out there with a red pen correcting my spelling and grammar?
editing elves- they come free with
Blogger sign-in.
You've been bemoaning the demise of rock's impact on mainstream culture for a long time now, and I guess I just don't care (about its demise, that is). Great rock music is still being created, so who cares if you don't see them on magazine covers or on television? If you couldn't find any great bands anymore, I would get it. But 2011 has been an excellent year for rock music, and it's coming from a wide variety of angles. I'm grateful the kids are still making the stuff.
Nostalgia can be as soul-killing as the suburbs.
So, see ya at Dino Jr. tonight- ha! Let's shrink our spirits with each trip down J's fretboard.
It'll be heavy, brother.
I beg to differ, sir. Any art form that exists in a parallel world to the rest of the culture risks becoming self absorbed, suffocating and a nerdy boys club. But the larger point is that I like their raw shit better. And I think you probably would too.
I'll check out the The Big Come Up-I like some of the stuff on Rubber Factor and Thick Freakness, and what I've heard of El Camino ain't raw, but then they're going for a smoother, deep soul sound. Two things that came outta the blues-punk thang spawned by the Oblivians and others are that it's hard to do in an interesting, fresh way and that is an extremely limiting form. Ask every Euro who tried.
I get you- ya dig the old stuff better and appreciate their attempt to stretch.
Listened to Most Things Haven't Worked Out this morning- righteous shit still.
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