Day 0987 - Brothers

The Black Keys "Brothers" (2010)

There is a lot more to the Black Keys’ history than I was aware; this is actually their 6th album!

  

The two-piece band had formed when singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach asked his friend drummer Patrick Carney to help him record some demos.  The other musicians Auerbach had asked to take part failed to show up so the two guys started jamming and recording together.

They shopped around their demo and were eventually offered a contract.  They weren't living a life of wealth and fame at first.   They had to mow lawns to raise enough money to go on tour and recorded their first few albums themselves.   As other colour-themed-name duo the White Stripes ascended to fame, the Black Keys were left being accused of imitating them or jumping on the bandwagon (an accusation even levelled by Jack White himself).

The duo teamed up with Danger Mouse to produce their album “Attack and Release” (which is one I do own) after an Ike Turner record DM had contacted them about working on fell through.   Following this Auerbach released a solo album which caused a rift between the duo as nobody had told Patrick Carney this was happening.   They eventually made up and got together to record again, which brings us to “Brothers”.  

The duo moved into a famed studio in Alabama and pursued a more stripped down sound for the album (partly to accommodate the technical limitations of their equipment).   The sound is a kind of blues with a 60s vibe to it, while still feeling really contemporary.   Auerbach's vocal track is often distorted giving the recording that hint of lo-fi.   Elsewhere, fuzzed out single-string guitar lines and wah-wah guitar add to the 60s feel.

Opener "Everlasting Light" has Auerbach crooning in falsetto which Motown-esque backing vocals drift in and out.   Single "Tighten Up" is Danger Mouse's sole production contribution to the album, and the looped drum, perky whistling sound and backing keys definitely give him away.   Danger Mouse does tend to be one of those producers where his records sound like him.  I dig his sound, so I don't see it as an inherently bad thing, but I do feel like producers should be more about bringing out the best in their 'clients' rather than making themselves a member of the band.  

Pretty sure I've heard "Howlin' for You" in a commercial somewhere, it's got an easy stomping electric blues feel.   Psychedelic organ in "The Only One" again ramps up the 60s feel.    I actually feel like their laid-back, stripped-down blues with melodic sensibility and simple but effective drumming often brings to mind parts of the Beatles' "White Album" and Let it Be" albums, especially on a track like "Unknown Brother".

In the past I've felt the 'two-person band' thing was a bit gimmicky, but I've got to admit that the Black Keys have a great sound, and Auerbach's lyrics are kind of simple yet effective, both in their emotional impact and their fit with the music.

Day 0693 - Blood Sugar Sex Magik

This is a lengthy one because... as I say below, this is a favourite. 


Red Hot Chili Peppers "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" (1991) - got it

I’m a big Chili Pepper’s fan, so here’s some band history.   The Chili Peppers formed, and recorded 3 albums of punky, speedy rap-funk characterised by busy slap-pop bass, minimalist guitar and sex-inspired rhymes, but also exploring elements such as RnB, psychedelic rock and metal.

Original guitarist Hillel Slovak died of a heroin overdose and drummer Jack Irons decided to leave music (though he’d later join Pearl Jam for – arguably – their best albums).

Mainstays Anthony Kiedis and Flea recruited drumming behemoth Chad Smith and teen guitar prodigy John Frusciante and together they released the much heavier “Mother’s Milk” album with wall-to-wall distorted guitar on some tracks, and with each of the players showing off their musical chops.   The band parted company with EMI, and signed to a new label.  They joined forces with young producer Rick Rubin, who had co-founded Def Jam records and was making a name producing rap and metal albums (LL Cool J, Run DMC, Slayer etc.).  He suggested that they rent a house to live and record in, and in that laid-back setting, this collection of tracks was created.

For a time this was my favourite album (in general, not just for the Chili Peppers), until I realised that ‘favourites’ with music are somewhat transitory.  There's over an hour of music across 17 tracks, yet to my tastes, it does not sag at any point.  One of those albums where every other song has been my 'favourite' at some point.

The studio polish that defines the Chili Peppers now was barely starting to show then, which is a good thing.   Where their records now feature tight, compressed polished production; the drums on "give it away" sound like they were recorded in someone's bathroom, and it's fantastic.

Whereas they are now serial offenders for COS (Chorus Overuse Syndrome), on BSSM they would play around a lot more with structures and parts, with lengthy jam sections being injected into songs.   There's something like "Power of Equality" which just keeps going with multiple verses before breaking into a slappy bass outro that eventually winds down to scattered applause.  Even a 'hit' song like "Under the Bridge" has that beautiful opening guitar part... that never pops up again in the rest of the song!

Frusciante would later become somewhat overbearing creatively, but here he is balanced by still finding his place, so provides brilliant playing and ideas but more as a facilitator than as a leader.

The album is diverse, yet has a certain internal logic, helped by the band's MO at that point of having the tracks segue into each other, creating the feeling of an "album" as opposed to just a collection of songs.  The sound is mostly slow, minimalist funk with interplaying parts that don't necessarily ape each other.  There is rock in tracks like "Suck my kiss" and "My lovely man".   There's melodic balladry with songs like "Breaking the girl" and "I could have lied", there's the leisurely psychedelic outro of "Sir Psycho Sexy" and the fun coda of Robert Johnson cover "They're Red Hot", recorded outside at night (you can hear cars driving past in places).

This was lightning in a bottle, and even the Peppers themselves while promoting other albums have often acknowledged that it was special album for them.

Day 0585 - So

Peter Gabriel "So" (1986)

Huge success for Peter, helped along by high rotation of the unusual and entertaining video for the funky single "Sledgehammer", not to mention the fact that PG's handsome mug was displayed unadorned on the album cover for once.

While there are some familiar 80s sounds here with synths and stabs of brass and some synthy slap bass, Gabriel manages to add his own touches to the songs.  Whether it's his solid songcraft, including elements of world music (including a guest spot by Youssou N'Dour), elements of experimentation (including a poppy duet with wild-card Kate Bush), or just his own strong and versatile voice.

Thoroughly enjoyed this, and could see why the blurb it the book holds it up as a good starting point for getting into his work.