Album of the year: Brothers by The Black Keys

At a recent Pearl Jam concert at the Madison Sq. Garden we met a couple who had taken a bus from Boston to watch only the opening act by a band called The Black Keys. They left right after the Jam concert began. I thought they were just being crazy. To travel from Boston by a bus just for nondescript band seemed foolish.

After about six months from then I still think they were foolish however I can completely understand why. Simply put: The Black Keys are amazing. They've been around some years but Brothers is just so simply brilliant. Best described as laid-back rock, their music is mostly blues-rock with some Motown and even soul influences. Their lyrics are dark, brooding and very southern in temperament. They are from Akron, Ohio and seem to represent an old world sensibility or their state's industrial grittiness. They take time with their music almost letting each note linger just about enough.

At the core though this is pure classic rock in the Zeppelin pedigree. The Keys along with Jack White's bands among some others are certainly snatching back rock from the clutches of emo and alternate movement that seems to have lately become mainstream. ITues classifies The Black Keys as Alternate but I think that is just way off.

I've mostly purchased singles lately and Brothers happens to be one of very few full albums I've bought recently. Another one that I did? Yes, Backspacer by Pearl Jam!

Noteworthy songs:

• Sinister Kid
• Everlasting Light
• The Only One
• Ten Cent Pistol
• The Go Getter
• I'm not the one
• Never Gonna Give you up
• Howlin' for you

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