Ahh time flies when you are having fun. Especially if you are The Black Keys. For a year in which they didn’t release a record, they’ve arguably been busier than ever. 2009 has indeed been packed full of many highlights for Pat Carney and Dan Auerbach.
For The Black Keys Fan Lounge, 2009 couldn’t have started better seeing the band live on 11 January. Even better was meeting Dan and Pat after the show. Hanging around outside a venue until they leave sometimes has its benefits. Thanks to Pat who was knowledgable of this site and did a shout out on video.
Patrick Carney from The Black Keys gives a shout out to The Black Keys Fan Lounge:
[youtube=www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylnTx_DzDAc]
In February Pat did an interview with The Black Keys Fan Lounge. One of the questions posed and answered was:
I’m hoping you’ll also tell me The Black Keys and The RZA are working on a track! Or he’s going to produce the album? I’ve long predicted it.
No RZA tracks in the works. But we would be into it.
Who was to know by mid-year Jim Jones was tweeting about recording with the ‘Keys and it was later revealed RZA was in the mix as well. It seemed all the stars had aligned.
Many fans felt some initial unease when they heard Dan was releasing a solo record, ‘Keep It Hid’, in February. It was a natural reaction but in time these worries were allayed. If anything this creative output has helped everyone. The record was for many one of the best albums of 2009 and his live show was awesome. It also spurred Pat to form his own project with other drummer mates. ‘Drummer’ the band and album are well worth a listen.
Fans had to make do with catching the The Black Keys live at multiple festivals including Coachella and the invite-only Roots Picnic. At first glance The Roots Picnic seemed to feature The Black Keys as a curiosity on an otherwise hip hop driven bill. Then again their inclusion seems to have been ahead of later developments, reflecting the credibility and ability of the band to play to all audiences.
All the while Dan toured his solo record and Pat toured with Drummer between Black Keys gigs and Blakroc recording.
In August Black keys fans woke up to find the long running fan forum on The Black Keys website had been removed without warning. Fans can now participate in a new forum on this website. Come on over and join in and meet other fans in 2010!
Blakroc. Seemingly out of nowhere fans slowly gained insights into this project. The hype for the album was a notable feature building until the album dropped on November 27. Just like ‘Attack and Release’ brought the band a new set of fans, so too Blakroc brought The Black Keys into the orbit of more hip hop-oriented music lovers.
How many artists wish they could turn out an album as good as Blakroc in a matter of weeks and then no more than a month later record a new album of their own in 10 days? The new Black Keys’ album was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio over 10 days and will be released in April 2010.
Word also has it the band has recorded another album’s worth of material for later release. Phew, for a fan there’s almost too much to look forward to.
With all the good news came the sad news that an inspiration to The Black Keys, not just personally but from whom their very band name is derived, Alfred McMoore died in Akron, OH. The band found time to do a benefit gig to support CSS in their hometown of Akron.
Hopefully both Pat and Dan at least take a couple of weeks off before and after Christmas before the fun cranks up again with a final fling New Years Eve show in Chicago.
Bring on 2010!
Related posts:
- 2008: The Black Keys Year In Review
- Review: Dan Auerbach @ The Corner Hotel, Melbourne, 9 April 2009
- Review: The Black Keys @ The Palais, Melbourne, Australia, 11 January 2009
- Review: The Black Keys @ 94.9 Independence Jam 2009 including Set List
- Two Year Anniversary of The Black Keys Fan Lounge
Want to discuss The Black Keys with other fans? Check out The Black Keys Fan Lounge Forum here
Blakroc is one of the best, and from what I’ve seen so far most under-rated, albums of 2009. Although I’ve seen a few very good reviews that really “got” the album, by and large I’ve been disappointed and a bit mystified by the sort of ho-hum reception Blakroc got from some critics, many who seemed to be just listening to tracks (or snippets of tracks) rather than the album as a whole. Do you agree, and if so, do you have any thoughts on why there’s been a lukewarm response from so-called music critics to one of the most creative, spontaneous, and imaginative albums in years? Are they just so used to listening to crap they don’t recognize a good thing when they hear it?