My chief complaint about the Black Keys is that they don't release something new every single day of the week, or go on month-long tours of my immediate neighborhood.
Thankfully, the Keys released a complimentary four-song live EP earlier this week via their Myspace page, free of charge. A small taste but a taste nonetheless.
On this tic-tac of a release is “No Trust,” from their sophomore album, Thickfreakness, a pair from Rubber Factory, “Girl Is On My Mind,” and “10am Automatic,” and a dose of their latest effort and greatest departure, Magic Potion, comes in “Elevator.”
All four songs were recorded and mixed by either Dan Auerbach (guitar) or Patrick Carney (drums) on their tour last fall, and represent a decent cross section of their catalogue, as much as such a small collection could accomplish anyway. I was fortunate enough to catch two shows on this tour, one in Hollywood, and a second in Tempe, AZ. Unfortunately the band has since been either overseas, or at Coachella, which is overseas from my wallet, so I am parched for a live show. It's nice to hear the people screaming behind an Auerbach riff once again.
While the Keys have managed to poke their head through the mainstream ceiling with appearances on Conan O'Brien, and endorsements from the likes of Rolling Stone and Robert Plant (who said he wanted to play bass for the duo), they are a relatively well-kept and treasured secret, especially among those who show up to the live shows, which are host to the unique sort of camaraderie only experienced by a group of people who are all hip to the vibe, so to speak. Why else would I drive to Arizona?
The new EP is the only live taste us OC folk are likely to get for a while, as they are back east and Midwest for at least the next couple of months. Wait patiently, and in the meantime, check it out at www.myspace.com/theblackkeys.
