Sara's Music Review

The Black Keys “El Camino”

(Released December 2^nd, 2011)

 Album Review

Enjoying the latest The Black Keys album, “El Camino” didn’t take much effort on my part. They made it easy with their passionate, fast-paced beat and blues-based sounds. It feeds the desire to keep at least one part of your body moving, urging you to tap your feet and fingers or pump some air guitar into the sky.

With songs like the hit “Lonely Boys”, the album takes on a charismatic heat with its smoky-sound of the blues, linked with an Indie/pop rock dance beat. The drum playing in “Dead and Gone” serves the song amazingly with its choppy, yet catchy beat. (Leaving you clapping along with the entire song.)

“Gold on the Ceiling” delivers a chunky country-style rock, infused with a gospel praise-choir sound. I really found this to be a cool affect, continuing your drive to dance and sway along.

With songs like, “Run Right Back, its 80’s funk sound, mixed with a confident light guitar rhythm, and “Mind Eraser” where I feel like I can hear the sweat in his microphone, this album sends out such a raw and artsy reverberation.

“Little Black Submarines” attracted me by starting off with its slow-waved, acoustic-guitar playing, transcending onto what sounded like the steps of “Stairway to Heaven” Led Zeppelin immortalized.

The folksy guitar sound goes so well with the high-energy drum beating. (Beating that wasn’t shy in any songs, to my satisfaction). Also, the vocals on “Stop Stop” and “Nova Baby” are scratchy and wildly compelling which I really dug.

I suppose it’s safe to say these Akron, Ohio natives did it again. After collecting 3 Grammy awards for the album “Brother’s”, sharing the songs “I Got Mine” and “Strange Times”(the ones that stopped us in our tracks to crank up the knob), it shows potential and substance. It’s as hot and pumped as a dance instructor, yet as calming and lovable as a sweet grandfather. When I first listened to it, part of me felt like I was in a coffee shop, snapping my fingers to the sounds of raspy poetry. The other part of me was in my own little world, swaying my whole body along with the music and clapping my hands (in the air!) I give quite a few claps for the songs AND for the album.

This Will Destroy You (review)

At the Granada Theater, Friday November 18^th I saw This Will Destroy You in Dallas. It was the kind of show that had a numbing affect (the good kind), because it pulls you into a zone. I felt like as they were playing I could almost see the energy waves generating outward towards all of us in the crowd. It appeared to me as though everyone also was stuck in a zombie-like state of “sound Zen”. And I loved it!

I was completely enchanted by the smoked-kissed floors on the stage, as well as the colorful lights that flashed during the songs. It made the experience more “magical”, (at the risk of sounding childish.)

The band formed in San Marcos in 2005. They met through mutual friends and played in various bands throughout high school, until they finalized in 2002. When doing research on them I discovered that they used to have vocals in their early work, eventually deciding to write instrumental music instead. Which, I think, is part of their uniqueness.

I’m listening to the album I bought there on my record player as I write this, and I feel instantly teleported back to that night. Although nothing is the same as watching/hearing/seeing it played before your eyes. That kind of experience cannot pull you in the same way through your car speakers, or through antique record player speakers. I really enjoyed the experience of seeing them live and find this instrumental band to be undeniably intriguing. I look forward to seeing these guys play next time they’re in Dallas

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