|
QuentinMarquez
not diehard enough
Joined: Apr '10
Posts: 19 offline
|
What's everyone think of the album as a whole? I've only listened to it the whole way through once...it needs to grow on me, I think. It's definitely a very avant-garde Keys album. It makes Keep It Hid sound like more of the Black Keys..and Brothers should have been Dan's solo work (in my opinion.)
The production really sounds like they're trying to be DangerMice.
However, I'm happy with the album. They're definitely moving forward as a band. Although I love all the albums from The Big Come Up to Magic Potion, they all sounded the same. Which isn't bad by any means, but you can only do so many albums the same, ya know?
This album will definitely "turn off" many fans. But fuck it, I like it.
"...whiskey floods the table, ah, good friends til the end..." |
|
Lumberjackwhite
drunken admirer
Joined: Apr '10
Posts: 287 offline
|
Its really important to note that all the Black Keys albums are different. I think Brothers is just the bands natural progression.
I see your point about the Dangermouse Factor. Its hit and miss for me. I'm certainly not disappointed by it. It just doesn't strike me as much as the other stuff. I can't, however, relate Brothers as being a Dangermouse sounding record.
Brothers is psychadelic, funky, soulful, eclectic.
Sort of like a mountain...
Hey, my name's Jack. I think Guinness is the most wonderful thing in the world...
...and then the Irish whiskey is poured. *sigh |
|
QuentinMarquez
not diehard enough
Joined: Apr '10
Posts: 19 offline
|
I definitely do agree that all the Black Keys albums are different. I just meant that TBCU to Magic Potion were, for the most part, just vocals, guitar and drums. And not accompanied by a lot of other sounds.
I saw them in Iowa City on April 8th, and their live version of Howlin' For You was great. I was right up front in front of Dan and got a great video:
|
|
Lumberjackwhite
drunken admirer
Joined: Apr '10
Posts: 287 offline
|
Yeah I think the 'drums and guitar' you mention are what most people refer to as 'raw' Black Keys. Its what I prefer, but then if they carry on making soulful music like the second half of Brothers then it could quite easily take the pedestal.
The scary thing is, these lads are in their early 30's, I believe, who kows how many years/albums etc they have in them?!
And so far, they haven't let me down.
|
|
Chris "Hokes" Dorgan
roadie
Joined: Oct '09
Posts: 1,547 offline
|
Ah man, when they play it like that, you can really hear the old them and that bluesier sound just with the little licks etc. Hey Quentin is that your lady friend before they come on? if so well done 
In July i can see them doin howlin for you, tighten up maybe, next girl, ten cent pistol and sinister kid from the new album n then strange times i got mine and same old thing frmo A n R n then the usual tracks from the rest of their previous albums. And after our long discussions in a different thread, i doubt they will have anyone else playing. I noticed he isn't using stacks anymore, was that a fender blues amp?
Anyways the albums immense i was readin a book in the sun and listenin to it all the way through again and it's great. Sometimes i think that the songs don't really roll from one to the other well enough like the ordering is a bit disjointed and it does feel like a selection of seperate tracks and not a whole album, but i think thats due to the subject matter, one minute hes not the one and next minute shes the only one, but then hes lookin for his next girl and then he wants her to tighten up on the reigns lol! still saying all that it blows everything else out this year out the water.
"When the sweats dried in, It smells like Rock n Roll" |
|
Lumberjackwhite
drunken admirer
Joined: Apr '10
Posts: 287 offline
|
Good call, Brookeside.
I reckon they'll open with Thickfreakness. And I hope they do. It'll rattle my 'noobie' mates for sure...
|
|
Chris "Hokes" Dorgan
roadie
Joined: Oct '09
Posts: 1,547 offline
|
haha yes it will, especially if the KoL is all they know of Rock n Roll lol!
|
|
dusty reeds
Black Keys Pimp
Joined: Sep '09
Posts: 817 offline
|
I agree with LumberJackWhite, it's a natural progression. They are musicians, and the music evolves as their lives evolve. How many "Majic Potions" can they make? I liken it to Pink Floyd in a way. They had this really good album you may have heard of "The Wall". Well, after that albums enormous success they made another album called "The Final Cut", which sounded all too much like "The Wall" to many fans. And is one of the reasons for Roger Waters split from the band because that was his baby and the other mates didn't want to keep making the same album over and over. Albums HAVE to evolve, or it gets stagnant and then no more TBK.  Oh, and as for Brothers, LOVE IT!  [b]Sinister Kid is a FILTHY tune, shit rattles my bones! (i would put a rockin avatar with dude head bangin', but we don't have one yet,hint brucini)
|
|
Chris "Hokes" Dorgan
roadie
Joined: Oct '09
Posts: 1,547 offline
|
i still havn't got around to listening to the tunes on a proper stereo system where i can fill the whole room with noise. I cannot wait, the nearest i've got is in the car! but then i'm driving and can't jst chillax ma beans! but yea tune age!
|
|
hyphensprint
drunken admirer
Joined: Apr '10
Posts: 394 offline
|
I agree with the trying to sound "Dangermouse-y" thing. Also, some songs just do nothing for me which is rare for a TBK album.
Those factors make it probably my least favorite TBK albums so far. (at least at this moment)
Don't get me wrong, I like it quite a bit and I love having new TBK to listen to. I'd much rather be listening to this right now than old TBK just because it is new and I don't want to wear myself out on the old.
I still contend that they can naturally progress and evolve without all the extra bells and whistles. I'm not trying to say they "sold out" but I bet most bands that get accused of selling out don't see it that way. They probably think they are just progressing or whatever. Just something to think about.
Relating it back to the ZZ Top thread, I like ZZ Top's old stuff better, but I still like ZZ Top. The later stuff they did just seemed like a natural progression for them and I see it as very similar to what TBK is doing now... but many would say ZZ Top "sold out"... hmmm...
I have tickets to see them in Denver this summer. Seeing them live changes everything. It pretty much eliminated any doubts I had about A&R.
You just got yourself an apple strawberry sea breeze wine cooler. |
|
thelengths
drunken admirer
Joined: Sep '09
Posts: 888 offline
|
hyphen,
you better hit me up while your in Denver. Pre show partyin'
|
|
Mirby 2.0
tour bus driver
Joined: Apr '10
Posts: 3,572 offline
|
Here's the thing about them progressing without the bells and whistles...
Try it.
Not to be a jerk, but man, a buddy and I tried for a year to make some good music - he was on drums and me on guitar. It's not as easy as TBK make it seem. There is very little 2 guys can do with just drums and guitar - especially after 5 albums of it.
Did you dig Dan's solo album? I sure did. I'm really glad that Dan/Pat seem to be going down a Keep It Hid road, only TOGETHER this time. What's right is right - and this is right. What's done is done - and their old albums have already been done.
To solidify my statement - which do you like better, side A, or side B of Brothers?
The first 4 songs are my least favorites on Brothers. And coincidentally, those seem to be the most stripped down (traditional Keys style). Don't get me wrong, I like those 4 songs too, but they are my least favorite on the album. The rest of Brothers is more complex, and I prefer that direction at this point in their career.
Of course, it could just be that I listened to the first 4 tracks TOO many times before the album was leaked and wore myself out on them. All I had was tracks 1-4 and I played them nonstop.
"When the power of Love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." -Jimi Hendrix |
|
Lumberjackwhite
drunken admirer
Joined: Apr '10
Posts: 287 offline
|
Next Girl makes me feel like I have a massive knob.
|
|
Mirby 2.0
tour bus driver
Joined: Apr '10
Posts: 3,572 offline
|
She's Long Gone, Black Mud, 10 Cent Pistol, Sinister Kid, Too Afraid To Love You, I'm Not The One, The Go Getter, Never Give You Up, These Days, Unknown Brother
Those are all tied for my favorite right now. Black Mud is actually not in the running for favorite, but more of a close 2nd - but only because it has no vocals, it's still a strong track.
So yeah, basically the whole album is tied for my #1 favorite, except for the 1st 4 tracks which are very good but not quite as breath-takingly awesome as the aforementioned list.
|
|
hyphensprint
drunken admirer
Joined: Apr '10
Posts: 394 offline
|
@thelengths: yeah, I will have to hit you up while I'm down there!
@Mirby: I did/do like Keep it Hid. However, it seems to me to be quite different than the last two keys albums with the exception of Dan's blossoming songwriting.
I understand the desire for the "fancy bells and whistles" and I'm not 100% against it but I feel it is overdone. Also, you are right, it isn't easy to be that awesome as just a two man band... but that is why they are so amazing, because they can be THAT good at being just a rockin two piece.
I agree with you in a way about the songs released as singles. I think I'm anti-single-releasing now.
However, I will disagree (yet again) that they would start sounding the same if they didn't have all the "extra-ness". I don't believe it. But this is something I can deal with and it will grow on me i'm sure. The couple songs I find boring is a major part of ranking this album low on my TBK scale. I'm not used to "boring" songs from TBK. Hopefully, these will grow on me as well.
|