BEST OF 2010 - #7 - THE BLACK KEYS "BROTHERS"

I wrote about The Black Keys' Brothers back in May, and I haven't gotten over the album yet.  The other day, my wife and I listened to it in the car, I couldn't believe how badass and funky it was. I've been getting into the band this year thanks to a friend who works on SIRIUS XMU (SiriusXM's indie rock station) and another friend, a very young fan of blues music.

The Black Keys were compared to The White Stripes at first (probably because they are both guitarist/singer + drummer blues rock duos) but I think the Keys have their own thing going on.  That's like saying you don't need The Who because The Kinks were there first.  At any rate, these guys write amazing songs and are funky as hell.

I'm not sure these guys will ever sell tons of records (although you never know) but they have been on lots of tv shows, movie soundtracks and commercials because they are so cool. What puzzles me is why the indie rock kids like them so much, they don't seem to fit in with most of that music (and in a recent Rolling Stone interview, they try to listen to Band of Horses and turn it off after about ten seconds!). But if people are listening to them, then great. If you don't buy albums by post 1990 bands and you want to try one, this is one you might dig, they really bring a new energy to the intersection of blues and rock and not many other bands can make that claim these days.