The Black Keys - Thickfreakness
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Free Music Notes for Thickfreakness
Free Music Review: Raw blues with a Black Sabbath sound
Hit: 4 Stars
Don't laugh.Listen to the guitar sound.That's Tony Iommy on "Volume 4" baby ! Go for it. Free Music Review: A slow burn instead blazing bonfire
Hit: 4 Stars
It would definitely be going to far to say that The Black Keys missed their stride with this album, but there is something about it that is just not as catchy as their debut "The Big Come Up", or their third album, "Rubber Factory". I think the album works if viewed as a slow burn rather than the blazing bonfires of their other material.
Guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney kick this one off with the heavy and ultra-fuzzy "Thickfreakness", the go to "Hard Row", a solid blues-rock number that again has echoes of Cream-era Eric Clapton.
Things don't really pick up until the fourth track, "Midnight", with its catchy guitar riff and smoky vocals. Next up is "Have Love Will Travel", another great old school blues number with a passionate chorus by Auerbach backed up with Carney's rapid-fire drumming. That's followed up by "Hurt Like Mine", which rounds out this triple-shot of hard-core blues numbers.
Next up is "Everywhere I Go", which, at 5:43, is easily the Keys' longest number. It's basically a nice, extended blues jam. It sounds like a bootleg of a performance in some hazy juke joint, and is testament to the ability of this pair to go beyond their usual bite-sized numbers. "No Trust", the next song, carries on with the juke joint feel, and its smooth stuttering riff and smartly-placed wah-wah would make it a sweet driving song.
"Hold Me In Your Arms" is likely the best track on the album. It starts off with a slow, measured blues riff, and then gathers speed as Auerbach kicks in with anguished vocals, adding some sweet slide along the way. Awesome song, easily one of their best.
The album ends with "I Cry Alone" pulling the listener back to that juke joint with an ultra-minimalist number marked by spartan cat burglar guitar plucking backed up by light cymbal-tapping and the occassional drum beat.
I briefly considered giving this album only three stars since I didn't feel it is as good as "The Big Come Up", which got four stars from me. But it's really an excellent album, just one with a different feel than their debut, which had several toe-tapping tracks that would not be out of place as radio singles. This is more of a mellow-out album that bears repeated listenings to fully appreciate.
Free Music Review: Thickfreakness, Thickgreatness...
Hit: 5 Stars
The Black Keys are not your average blues band. They are made up of two white guys from Akron, Ohio. Do not let that fool you though. These guys got soul. Guitar and drums are the only instruments, and with the sound they have, they do not need anything more. The music is pure, gritty, energy. The album sounds like it was recorded in a garage. It is a thirty-eight minute assault on the ears, in a good way.
The twenty-two-year-old singer has the voice of a forty-year-old straight out of Mississippi. He has the moan of a man that has seen nothing but heartbreak and hard liquor. The drumming is genius in its simplicity and the guitar sounds broken down and grungy. It is the essence of the blues genre. It is good to see a band like this bringing back the blues. The blues seems to be a forgotten genre in music today and the Keys are definitely opening some eyes.
The Black Keys have been compared to The White Stripes, but they have a completely different sound, and in my opinion, a better sound. The only similarity that The Black Keys have with The White Stripes is that they are both two piece bands, and that they have colors in their names.
If you are looking to branch out from the popular bands like the White Stripes and you like the sound of guitar and drums, I suggest The Black Keys. If you want to start listening to blues music but do not know where to start, I suggest The Black Keys. They are like a gateway drug into the world of the blues.
The album is made up of songs you would expect to hear in a dive bar. Smoke-filled, packed with drunks, and Thickfreakness on the jukebox. That is where you picture yourself when listening to this CD. It features a great remake of the blues classic "Have Love, Will Travel" that will blow some minds. If you doubt their blues ability, this one song will change your view on its own. Also, the title track is a great way to open the disc. It explodes right away and oozes with the blues-rock feel that is present throughout the album. It makes you want to continue listening to see what these guys are all about. It has great guitar work and a solid drum beat along with lyrics that are so slurred they do not sound like words at all, but it all adds to the vibe and the greatness that is The Black Keys.
So if you are looking for a new band that does not sound new, look into The Black Keys. If you are looking for an album to listen to at a party, listen to Thickfreakness. If you are looking for an album to listen to by yourself and just relax to, Thickfreakness is good for that too. It is a great album all around for any mood. The Black Keys are an original band without being in your face with their originality. They brought back a genre that has faded away from the music scene today and I commend them for that. This may be the beginning of a "Blues Revolution", so check The Keys out before the explosion begins.
Free Music Review: Their spontaneousness doesn't always serve the music
Hit: 3 Stars
Some of the songs are strong enough to convince and be exciting, but their spontaneousness doesn't always serve the music and sometimes seems to be a cover-up for their shortcomings.
The basic line-up can have its charme and often adds to the roughness of this uncompromising Bluesrock, but in some cases I surely missed the presence of some extra instruments, like in Have Love, Will Travel which remains too much of a promise this way.
Free Music Review: Doughead says "I don't think so!"
Hit: 1 Stars
These lame-oid nerds are totally bogus. They live right above me and bang on their dime store guitars all night. They are turning my life into a gut-bucket shotgun shark. Please advise!