Tri-State Rock - Latest Updates

Don't you just love it when you discover an album that instantly becomes your go-to "tension-diffuser playlist" against a cruddy day?  If you answered, "YES!", then you're already predisposed to an affinity for Alabama Shakes' debut album Boys & Girls.  Think about it -- no hassle to pluck songs from every crevice of your computer or mobile device, no arranging (then rearranging) tracks to make a perfect mix -- just a ready-made album where all you have to do is press the little triangle "play" symbol.  AHH.  Let the healing begin.

Alabama Shakes bring something special to the table with this album.  If you were fortunate enough to catch the album's first track, "Hold On", as iTunes' free single not too long ago, then you're ahead of the game.  You had somewhat early exposure to the Alabama quartet's soothing "roots rock" sound.  The other tracks on Boys & Girls are no different in quality.  They're all gripping.  It's no wonder Alabama Shakes have caused a media stir since they released their self-titled, four-song EP in September 2011.  It's like they took a swig of Janis Joplin's smashing vocals, a dash of The Black Keys' chops, & a tinge of My Morning Jacket's eccentric Americana, boiled them in a cauldron, & harvested the awesome sound heard in Boys & Girls.

While you might've thought that all of the big summer tours had already broke their silence and unleashed their line-ups on the hordes of concert-goers - there has been one pretty BIG holdout (other than 'Uproar'): Lollapalooza.  

On Thursday night, Arctic Monkeys opened for The Black Keys’ second sold out show at the world famous Madison Square Garden.  Unfortunately, the term “sold out” is no indication of an audience’s influx during the start of an opener’s set.  Arctic Monkeys were greeted by a sparse crowd whose demeanor was, well, tepid at best.  This came as no surprise to the indie rock quartet from the UK.  In interviews, when asked about the band’s role in The Black Keys’ arena tour, frontman Alex Turner often referred to Arctic Monkeys as the “warm-up act”, an ambiguous expression rumored to have been of either humility or resentment.  You decide.

As fans trickled into MSG, Arctic Monkeys delivered energizing tracks from albums Favourite Worst Nightmare (“Brianstorm”, “This House Is A Circus”) & Suck It and See (“Library Pictures”, “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair”).  After a lively performance of “I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor” (from Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, 2006), Turner pointed to the growing crowd, saying, “Hey, it’s fillin’ up now.  Look at that.”

Following the release of their seventh studio album, El Camino, The Black Keys embarked on a whirlwind tour with Arctic Monkeys, playing to swarms of fans, including two sold out shows at New York City’s prestigious Madison Square Garden.    Flashback to Thursday night – Grammy winners Dan Auerbach & Patrick Carney entered the stage.  A roaring sea of fans ignited.   The Black Keys filled MSG with their explosive sound, & it was clear: the audience’s hunger for a night of blues rock revelry would be swiftly satiated.

The Black Keys opened with cult favorite “Howlin’ for You” (from Brothers, 2010) to fans’ palpable excitement.   A riveting energy radiated throughout MSG as Auerbach & Carney pummeled through an ambitious setlist with the grace of polished rock gods.  They played an exhilarating assortment of new & old tracks, at times accompanied by bassist Gus Seyffert & keyboardist John Wood.  The crowd violently applauded monster tracks from The Black Keys’ most recent albums, Brothers (“Next Girl”, “Tighten Up”) & El Camino (“Run Right Back”, “Dead And Gone”, “Gold On The Ceiling”, “Money Maker”, “Nova Baby”, “Lonely Boy”).  Auerbach’s passionate guitar riffing  & soulful, bluesy vocals combined with Carney’s fierce percussion to command absolute attention from the sold out audience – an audience whose condition was nothing but obediently & frantically entranced.  The crowd was very involved, singing along to the dynamic movements of “Little Black Submarine” (from El Camino, 2011) & the heartfelt sentiment  of “I’ll Be Your Man” (from The Big Come Up, 2002), among other songs.  Taken aback by the crowd’s insanely loud applause to “Tighten Up”, Auerbach remarked, “I feel like we’ve got the whole city in here tonight.”

A hallmark of a truly transcendent blues rock album is the absurd ease with which it hijacks the limbic system of the brain, an enterprise triumphantly undertaken in the album, El Camino, by The Black Keys.  Co-produced by Danger Mouse, one-half of the duo Gnarls Barkley, El Camino boasts 11 robust tracks, each capable of declaring temporary dominion over your emotions, and eventually, your soul.  In this album, you’ll champion the cause of a jilted lover while under the spell of what may well be considered one of the most badass soundtracks of all time for the ruefully broken-hearted.

 
It’s important to note the seemingly purposeful orchestration in the order of these songs.  Yes, the tracks are still captivating when played in shuffle mode, but are doubly effective when the album is played from start to finish.  The songs seem to work in succession to unravel the tale of a hellish romance.  While this theme is not uncommon in the realm of blues, The Black Keys exert their distinct lyrical & musical prowess to make each track unforgettable.  “Lonely Boy” & “Dead and Gone” are adrenaline-pumping openers whose emotional electric guitar & energetic percussion support agony-ridden vocals in depicting a lover experiencing an inner battle between defiance & unconditional surrender to his abusive counterpart.  In “Hell of a Season”, reflective lyrics illustrate the once helpless lover growing empowered to challenge his aggressor.  This heralds an optimism audible in the musical progression of succeeding tracks.  The change in mood is executed so subtly in the music & lyrics that it’s a pleasant surprise when illuminated into consciousness.