The Black Keys

Dan Auerbach’s solo debut Keep It Hid is coming out February 10th and Nonesuch Records is streaming a few tracks now. I’m especially loving the acoustic “Trouble Weighs a Ton.”

I bought my tickets for Dan’s upcoming show in San Francisco and it could get weird. My man-crush has progressed into something more. I long to touch his beard.

Dan Auerbach – Trouble Weighs a Ton

Dan Auerbach – I Want Some More

Dan Auerbach – The Prowl

Here are the tour dates:

February 28 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
March 1 – Boston, MA @ Paradise
March 2 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
March 3 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
March 5 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
March 6 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
March 7 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
March 10 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
March 11 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
March 13 – San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo’s
March 14 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre

The best part of doing these year end lists is rediscovering every album we loved in 2008. While we chose Blitzen Trapper as the best album of the year, it may as well be a three-way tie. How do you choose between Blitzen Trapper, Fleet Foxes and The Black Keys?

Hopefully y’all liked our choices. I’m always interested in hearing about what we overlooked.  So, what were your favorite albums of the year that we missed?

1. Blitzen Trapper – Furr (our review)

The cover art is made of wood and that’s what the album gives me. I don’t have enough good things to say. It’s my favorite album of 2008 and “Black River Killer” is my favorite song right now.

Blitzen Trapper – Furr

Blitzen Trapper – Bread for Gold

Video: Blitzen Trapper – Furr (Live on Conan)

2. Black Keys – Attack and Release

After Magic Potion, how do the Akron boys take it to the next level? They let Danger Mouse take over production and add in more instruments like banjos and flutes. The results are wondrous.

Video: The Black Keys – I Got Mine (Live on Letterman)

3. Fleet Foxes – Self Titled (our review)

As stunning a debut as you’ll see in years. Woody saw them at SXSW and said “I thought angels were singing to me.” I called him a pussy at the time, but he’s right. So angelic. To say I am looking forward to their 2nd release is as big of an understatement.

Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal

Fleet Foxes – He Doesn’t Know Why

Video: Fleet Foxes – Tiger Mountain Peasant Song (Live In London)

4. Dr. Dog – Fate

Jeff Tweedy loves Dr. Dog and so do we. Production is getting tighter and the songs are taking on bigger, often biblical themes.  See them live to really appreciate the band.

Dr. Dog – The Ark

Dr. Dog – The Old Days

Video: Dr. Dog – Hang On

5. Justin Townes Earle – The Good Life

Justin Townes Earle is what country music needs right now. If you’ve had enough of the mainstream pop garbage, listen to the music as Hank, Townes, Kris, Willie, Waylon and Johnny intended it to be heard. Justin has a voice and bravado that’s a throwback to country music’s legends.

Exclusive: Justin Townes Earle – Lone Pine Hill (from the HearYa Live Session)

Exclusive: Justin Townes Earle – Who Am I To Say (from the HearYa Live Session)

Hear more from our live session with Justin Townes Earle.

Video: Justin Townes Earle – Lone Pine Hill (Live)

6. Drive-By Truckers – Brighter Than Creations Dark

DBT’s first album without Isbell and, although I miss him dearly, Hood and Cooley show that the show will certainly go on. It’s 19 tracks deep and “Ghost To Most,” “Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife,” and “Daddy Needs a Drink” have all become favorites.  I’m also craving more Shonna Tucker after hearing “I’m Sorry Huston.”

Drive-By Truckers – Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife (Live)

Drive-By Truckers – Opening Act (Live)

Drive-By Truckers – Ghost To Most (Live)

Video: Drive By Truckers – Ghost To Most

7. Calexico – Carried to Dust (our review)

In our review, I compared these guys to the scene in Young Guns when the gang visits the spirit world. Calexico are true musicians that explore new sounds and bend genres. This album comes with some spicy, southwestern flavor.

Calexico – Two Silver Trees

Video: Calexico – Two Silver Trees

8. My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges

Do I even need to write anything about My Morning Jacket? This would have been higher on the list, but there are one or two tracks on Evil Urges that I can’t even listen to – “Highly Suspicious” is one of them. I still respect the constant experimentation and will remain a captive listener with each release.

My Morning Jacket – I’m Amazed

Video: My Morning Jacket – Librarian (Live)

9. Port O’Brien – All We Could Do Was Sing (our review)

Lead singer-songwriter Van Pierszalowski is an Alaska fisherman (think Deadliest Catch) and All I Could Do Was Sing always feels inspired by a bit of cabin fever with soft, sweet, finger-picked tunes like “Fisherman’s Son” offset by extended jams and heavy guitar riffs on “Pigeonhold” and “The Rooftop Song.” Damn good people too.

Port O’Brien – I Woke Up Today

Port O’Brien – Close The Lid

Hear more at our live session with Port O’Brien.

Video: Port O’Brien – I Woke Up Today (recorded exclusively for HearYa.com)

Port OBrien I Woke Up Today for Hearya.com – Port OBrien

10. Langhorne Slim – Self Titled (our review)

I’m not sure what the rebel side of heaven looks like, but I hope when I’m bellied up to the bar at The Big Guy in the Sky’s Bar and Lounge, that Langhorne strolls up in his fedora so I can buy him cocktail.

Langhorne Slim – Rebel Side of Heaven

Exclusive: Langhorne Slim – Collette (from the HearYa Live Session)

Exclusive: Langhorne Slim – Restless (from the HearYa Live Session)

Hear more tracks at our live session with Langhorne Slim and The War Eagles.

Video: Langhorne Slim – Restless (Live on Letterman)

As if finding out that Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys will be touring next year with Hacienda as his backup band wasn’t good enough, apparently their opening act is also pretty kick ass as well. I’d never heard of Those Darlins until seeing the announcement that they would be touring with Auerbach in support of his solo effort.

Seeing as how we’re more or less gay for anything Dan Auerbach does, I clicked on Those Darlins MySpace page and was immediately taken with their unique perspective on country music. Their sound channels the traditional country sound you’d expect to hear at The Grand Ole Opry, but as dig you into the lyrics you’ll feel a punk attitude to go along with it.

Here’s an early taste of a band that’s going to be making some noise in ‘09.

Website | MySpace

Those Darlins – Wild One

Those Darlins – Drivin’ Nails In My Coffin

Dan Auerbach, best known as the singer/songwriter/guitarist of The Black Keys, will be releasing a solo album called Keep It Hid on February 10, 2009 via Nonesuch Records. I guess he was cheating on his most recent album, Attack & Release; also writing songs that would become Keep It Hid. We can now add adulterer to the list of adjectives describing Dan Auerbach.

The backing band on the album is Hacienda (we showed them lots of love) and Auerback describes the sound as a mixture of music he listens to – psychedelia, soul music, country harmonies. Sounds like a recipe for greatness to me.

In February Auerbach will begin a national tour with performances in New York City, Boston, and Washington, DC. Opening acts for the tour will include Those Darlins and Hacienda.

Here’s some more background on the upcoming release:

Keep It Hid was produced and engineered by Auerbach at his studio, Akron Analog, and features him playing a variety of instruments, including drums, guitar, percussion, and keyboards. Many of Auerbach’s friends and family play on the album, including his uncle James Quine, who contributes vocal harmony and electric guitar on the track “Street Walkin.” Other musicians include fellow Ohioans Jessica Lea Mayfield, who sings on the track “When the Night Comes,” and Bob Cesare, who plays drums on “Whispered Words,” a song originally written by Auerbach’s father. Of the recording process Auerbach states, “I wanted a live, organic sound. Nothing was too plotted or planned, just a lot of spontaneity.” The record was mixed by Auerbach’s good friend Mark Neill at Neill’s Soil of the South studio.

We’ve been all over Dan’s jock lately, but have shown no love for Keys drummer, Patrick Carney. Here’s an entertaining backstage interview from Lolla 2008. The interviewer asks several questions about working with Danger Mouse, who produced the band’s last album, Attack and Release.

The best exchange:

Interviewer: What’s it like working with him? What does he bring to a recording session that kind of blew you guys away?

Patrick: Chick-fil-A. That’s what he brought.

The second best exchange:

Interviewer: I thought the crowd at the show last night was just electric. They were so into it. I had the pleasure of introducing you and it was thundering.

Patrick: Right after you introduced us, we put some PCP in the fog machine. Seriously. Just a couple drops. Driblets. People flip out on that stuff. They love it.

Thanks to everyone that responded. Our inbox filled up real quickly, but there could be only two winners.  Chris and J#@$%* (name withheld to protect a Christmas surprise), enjoy your autographed copies of Attack and Release.

The rest of us can enjoy this video of The Black Keys performing “Your Touch” at Grimey’s Record Store in Nashville:

The Black Keys are no stranger to the covers. They’ve covered legendary bluesman, Junior Kimbrough on their debut album The Big Come Up with the song “Do The Rump” and on their follow up album, Thickfreakness with “Everywhere I Go.”

Junior Kimbrough’s Mississippi blues sound is an obvious influence on The Black Keys. Auerbach’s howling vocals seem to channel blues ghosts long since gone from the banks of the Delta. On their final album on the Fat Possum record label before joining Nonesuch, the Keys released a Junior Kimbrough tribute album entitled Chulahoma. It was named after Junior’s Place, the legendary juke joint owned by Kimbrough in Chulahoma, Mississippi.

The place has since burned down, but the album serves as an artifact of Kimbrough’s place in today’s music world and his steadfast influence in new artists that are busy keeping the blues sound alive. “Work Me” is the song included below, but the full work of Chulahoma (and Kimbrough’s full discography) is something to truly enjoy.

The Black Keys – Work Me

As far as I know, there has never been a Dan Auerbach appreciation week outside of his house, but that’s about to change. Today is the beginning of Dan Auerback week at HearYa.com. Why you may ask? Well, I was going through our pending posts that are begging to be published and noticed that Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys produced at least three of them. I figured why not just make it officially unofficial and dedicate the whole week to the fellow-Ohio native?

If you don’t like The Black Keys, then we’re not friends. Not only do they consistently put out amazing records, but they go above and beyond to help other emerging artists get their music recorded and distributed. Pat Carney started Audio Eagle Records with the fantastic tag line, “Going Out of Business Since 2005.” Meanwhile, Dan has worked with several Alive Records bands and a select Ohio songstress to produce albums and even provide some backup on guitar and vocals.

Stay tuned for some great music certified with Dan’s seal of approval and, in the meantime, enjoy a few live tracks from The Black Keys Live EP.

The Black Keys – Girl Is On My Mind (Live)

The Black Keys – 10am Automatic (Live)

The Black Keys – Elevator (Live)