2010 Highlights...Show # 332

There were a lot of good new music releases in the year 2010. I will outline ten of my favourites. There are many that were played on my radio program today that I also love and encourage you to check out on your own time, but for now lets take a look at the top ten.

1. Young Rival – Young Rival EP

The last release from Hamilton’s Young Rival was their 2008 Young Rival EP, which featured six songs and was self-released. The bands first self titled full length album has been a highly anticipated release, and it does not disappoint. The album picks up where the EP left off adding more of a Pop element, while still retaining their live sound and Garage styled past. This definitely one album you do not want to skip over. 

Favourite tracks:
Got What You Need
The Ocean
Can’t Just Stay Here

2. True Lovers – True Lovers

Put together by Dion Lunadon (previously of New Zealand Garage Rockers The D4), The True Lovers recorded their full length debut in 2009 in New York on analog equipment. The album is a mix of Soul and Blues inspiration for a Rock album with an undeniable groove. The album is still available via the bands website, but unfortunately The True Lovers are no longer together. Dion is currently playing bass in A Place to Bury Strangers. This is an album may not appear on a lot of top album lists of 2010, it seems to have slipped through the cracks, but it is yet another release that deserves your attention.

Favourite tracks:
Obsession
Guilty Pleasure # 9
Bang Bang

3. Harlem – Hippies

This sixteen track album is a gritty album from Austin, Texas band Harlem is the follow up to their 2008 release Free Drugs. The album mixes elements of Lo-Fi Garage Rock, Pop, and Surf Rock for a unique catchy album. Amongst the songs here to offer, (which there are plenty of) the band mixes in their quirky and sometimes strange humour to keep you captivated (“Gay Human Bones”, “Friendly Ghost”, “Faces”).

Favourite tracks:
Friendly Ghost
Gay Human Bones
Pissed

4. The Black Angels – Phosphene Dream

Starting in 2004, The Black Angels are a Psychedelic Rock band from Austin, Texas. Their name originates from the Velvet Underground song “The Black Angel Death Song”. They have had numerous releases (two full length albums, and two EPs), but in 2010 the band released their full length album Phosphene Dream on Blue Horizon Records (making it their third full length, but first full length on Blue Horizon). "Phosphenes" are flashes of light that are induced by sound or movement, therefore if you put "Phosphene" and "Dream" together you can get a good understanding behind the titles meaning. The album mixes elements of Garage Rock and Psychedelic Rock. It went to number 50 on the US Billboard Top 200 Charts.

Favourite tracks:
Bad Vibrations
Yellow Elevator # 2
Telephone 

 5. The Locusts Have No King – Come One, Come All

This is the third release from Windsor, Ontario’s The Locusts Have No King. The album is a five song mix of Country fried Rock and Roll. Capturing the energy of the bands fantastic live shows, Come One, Come All does not disappoint. Recorded in Windsor by guitarist Leigh Wallace, this is an example of some of the great offerings that Windsor has to offer musically.

Favourite tracks:
Come One, Come All
On My Way
Song 6

6. The Mark Inside – False Flag

This EP is a sample of what Toronto’s Mark Inside will offer up on their upcoming full length album, which is set to be released in 2011. The songs were recorded in the UK, and have a Post Punk flavour to them. Songs such as “There is Nothing to Admit”, and “Lime Green Monkeys” display a new direction that this excellent Canadian band is going in. The EP has a lot more to offer musically drawing on some Alternative influences and Punk influences as well.

Favourite tracks:
House of Cards
There is Nothing to Admit
Shots from A Broken Bottle

7. The Black Keys – Brothers

Recorded at the famous Muscle Shoals, Brothers adds more Soul and bass to The Black Keys mix. The album is a step in a new direction in the bands catalogue and features a slicker production style while still retaining the Garage and Blues elements that has made the early Black Keys records so good.

Favourite tracks:
Everlasting Light
Tighten Up
Howlin' For You

8. Wavves - King of the Beach

King of the Beach is the third full length album from the American Noise Pop band Wavves formed by Nathan Williams. This album as opposed to the bands previous efforts features a full rhythm section (members from the late Jay Reatard's touring band) and had more of a cleaner production style. The bands previous full lengths (Wavves and Wavves) had more of a gritty and distorted production based style. This album was released in August 2010 on Fat Possum Records.

Favourite tracks:
King of the Beach
Post-Acid
Linus Spacehead

 9. The Revolvers - Surfin' Apocalypse

The Revolvers who come from Toronto, Ontario independently released their debut album Surfin' Apocalypse in 2009. The album was re-issued on Optical Sounds this year. The albums title originates from the expression "fiddling while Rome burns" and this thrashy Rock and Roll album features a stripped back approach to Rock and Roll with strong harmonies, while at times mixes in other Rock elements. Influences can be compared to the likes of The Velvet Underground, The Beach Boys, Rolling Stones, The Beatles, and T.Rex.

Favourite tracks:
Break it Loose
Shuffle
Rock y Roll

10. Square Root of Maragret - WYSIWYG

This band originates from Chatham, Ontario and has been around for over ten years and has released numerous full length albums. The band recorded and produced WYSIWYG (an acronym for "what you see is what you get") themselves and mixes elements of Psychedelic 60s Rock, featuring many long jam songs, but also several catchy Pop tracks.

Favourite tracks:
WYSIWYG
Hallucinate Your Holidays
Attack of the Giant Problem vs. The Creature from the Planet of the Incredible Shrinking Solution


Best of 2010 Play List:

1. Awesome Color - Transparent (Massa Hypnos, Ecstatic Peace 2010)
2. Johnny West - Intervals (My Hellhound Crooked Heart, Tosteestostas Music 2010)
3. Meligrove Band - Bones Attack!! (Shimmering Lights, Nevado Records 2010)
4. Vaselines - Ruined (Sex with an X, Sub-Pop 2010)
5. Jaill - Everyones Hip (That's How We Burn, Sub-Pop 2010)
6. Surf City - See How The Sun (Kudos, Morr Music 2010)
7. Vampire Weekend - Run (Contra, XL Recordings 2010)
8. Frankie Rose and the Outs - Candy (Frankie Rose and the Outs, Slumberland 2010)
9. Clinic - Lion Tamer (Bubblegum, Domino 2010)
10. Action Makes - Buddies (Action Makes, Optical Sounds 2010)
11. Neil Young - Walk With Me (Le Noise, Reprise 2010)
12. James OL & The Villains - Trainwreck of Thinking (Alive at the Colch!, Self-Released 2010)
13. What Seas What Shores - Islande (Cordyceps EP, Self-Released 2010)
14. Square Root of Maragret - Hallucinate Your Holidays (WYSIWYG, Self-Released 2010)
15. The Revolvers - Rock y Roll (Surfin' Apocalypse, Optical Sounds 2010)
16. Wavves - King of the Beach (King of the Beach, Fat Possum Records 2010)
17. The Black Keys - Sinister Kid (Brothers, Nonesuch 2010)
18. The Mark Inside - House of Cards (False Flag, MapleMusic 2010)
19. The Locusts Have No King - Song 6 (Come One, Come All, Self-Released 2010)
20. The Black Angels - Hauning at 1300 McKinley (Phosphene Dream, Blue Horizon Ventures 2010)
21. Harlem - Cloud Pleaser (Hippies, Matador 2010)
22. The True Lovers - Bang Bang (True Lovers, Altra Records 2010)
23. The True Lovers - Cougar (True Lovers, Altra Records 2010)
24. Young Rival - Break of Dawn (Young Rival, Sonic Unyon 2010)
25. Young Rival - Got What You Need (Young Rival, Sonic Unyon 2010)

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for December 28th. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

Attack & Release ... The Story of the Black Keys .. Show # 313

The Black Keys are a Blues and Rock based duo that formed in Akron, Ohio in 2001. The bands name was inspired by an Akron, Ohio artist who used the phrase "Black Keys" as an insult. Being very much a fixture in the underground music scene The Black Keys (which consisted of Dan Auerbach on guitar/vocals and Patrick Carney on drums) mixed elements of Blues, and Rock and Roll. The bands first album, The Big Come Up was released in 2002 on Alive Records. The album was recorded in the drummer (Patrick Carney's) basement on an old 1980s eight track tape recorder. Amongst the thirteen songs featured on the album there are elements of raunchy Blues, Garage Rock, Folk, Soul, and Funk. Two singles were released from this album "Leaving Trunk", which is a cover a traditional Blues song and "She Said, She Said" a Psychedelic song done originally by The Beatles. The album was well received and resulted in the band signing to Fat Possum at the end of 2002.

The bands next album was recorded in the very same fashion as The Big Come Up, on an old 1980s eight track tape recorder in Patrick Carney's basement. Thickfreakness, was recorded in one fourteen hour recording session and was released in April of 2003. The album title was inspired by a saying in Japan which means "Inazuma Rockin' Blues", the world "Inazuma" means "Flash of lightning". The album cover depicts two fingers removing a large amount of thick, yellowish cream from a red tin labeled "Thickfreakness". The music on the album continued the tradition that was started on the bands debut album The Big Come Up, mixing elements of Blues, and Garage Rock. One of the songs on this album "Midnight In Her Eyes" featured bass, which is not usually found on Black Keys songs, since they are a duo. The bass was recorded through a guitar amplifier by Dan Auerbach on a Guild SG styled bass. The band had three singles released from this album "Set You Free", "Hard Row", and a cover of the song "Have Love Will Travel". The song "Set You Free" was featured on the soundtrack to the 2003 film School of Rock, which garnered them some mainstream attention. Critics in the mainstream made constant comparisons in similarities found between The Black Keys sound and The White Stripes sound. This common misconception is an overgeneralization of the band. The two bands are duos and have Blues elements in their music, but do not sound identical. A split EP was released in September of 2003. The Six Parts Seven/The Black Keys EP featured three songs from the band Six Parts Seven, and three songs from The Black Keys.

In 2004, The Black Keys recorded their third full length album in an abandoned factory in Akron, Ohio. Like the first two albums, Rubber Factory was produced by drummer Patrick Carney. This album picked up on the momentum that started following the release of the bands second album, Thickfreakness. Songs from the album were featured on commercials for American Express, Victoria Secret, and in the movie Live Free or Die, The Go Getter, and Black Snake Moan A music video for the song "10 AM Automatic" featured comedian David Cross. The three singles released from this album "10 AM Automatic", "Till I Get My Way", and "Girl On My Mind". The music on this album had more a production based nature, but in a good way. The songs are exciting and are crafted in a way that makes this album a strong effort on the bands part. A Live DVD was release in 2005, entitled Live, and an EP was released titled Chulahoma: The Songs of Junior Kimbrough. The EP featured all cover songs of Blues songs originally done by Fat Possum artist Junior Kimbrough, who passed away in 1998. In 2006, The Black Keys released their first album for Nonesuch Records. Magic Potion was the first album by the band to feature all original compositions, previously on the bands albums there were always some cover songs. Magic Potion added some depth to the bands sound incorporating more moody and melodic elements. Of the three singles released for the album ("You're The One", "Your Touch", "Just Got To Be"), "Your Touch" would eventually be featured in the 2009 movie Zombieland, and the HBO TV series Eastbound and Down.

The bands next album Attack & Release was produced by Danger Mouse and was released in April of 2008. Initially the sessions for the album began as part of a collaboration with Ike Turner, but in 2007 he passed away before the album could be completed. According to Carney, some of the songs they recorded sounded similar to Screamin' Jay Hawkins. The band pushed forward with Danger Mouse producing and released an album that at the time was their most successful to date. Debuting at # 14 on the Billboard 200 album charts, this album produced three singles, "I Got Mine", "The Same Old Thing", and "Strange Times". Songs from this album reflected a deeper sound for the band, highlighting more moodier elements while still encompassing the same sound that the bands early records had. Several of the songs for the album were used in TV shows (The Vampire Diaries, One Tree Hill, Lie To Me, Big Love) and video games (Grand Theft Auto IV, NASCAR 09). A live DVD followed in 2008 (Live at the Crystal Ballroom), and in 2009 the two members of The Black Keys pursued side projects. Auerbach released a solo album in February of 2009 entitled Keep It Hid, and Patrick Carney released an album called Feel Good Together with a side project he formed called Drummer. Carney played bass in the band. The Black Keys also collaborated with Hip Hop artist Damon Dash and released a Rap-Rock record entitled Blackroc at the end of 2009.

For The Black Keys sixth album, they headed to Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama. The studio has been famous for having music recorded there from Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Staple Singers, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and more. The band produced the album themselves, incorporating elements of their Hard Blue Rock sound with Soul and the musical stylings found on Attack and Release, the album was mixed by Tchad Blakd and recorded with engineer Mark Neil. The first song released from the album, which was titled Brothers was "Tighten Up". The song was the last one recorded for the record, it was also the only track produced by Danger Mouse. The song mixes Funk and Blues with Soul for a catchy song that moves alongside Auerbach's voice that rises to a falsetto at different points in the song. The album was also recorded entirely in analogue and it debuted at # 3 on the Billboard 200 album charts, their highest to date. The album art done for Brothers is a homage to an album originally done by Chess recording artist Howlin' Wolf (This is Howlin' Wolf's New Album). "Howlin' For You" the B-Side to the single "Tighten Up", is a raucous Blues song, while there are other elements on this album such as "The Only One', which features Organ that encircles the listener, "Unknown Brother" has 60's Soul influences, while "Never Gonna Give You Up" is a cover of a song originally done by Jerry Butler. The CD version of Brothers has a thermal CD surface that changes colours depending on the temperature surrounding the disc. The fifteen track album also has two outtakes, "Ohio" and "Chop and Change", which were released on versions of the album featuring bonus material.

This Week's Play List:

1. 63 Monroe - Media Junkie

2. Slander - Petticoat Junction

3. The Count Five - Double Decker Bus

4. Prehistoric Cave Strokers - Johnny Degree

5. Revolver - Leave Me Alone

6. Kevin Walker - Storm We Cannot Run From

7. Bob Dylan - Down the Highway

8. Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Oliver's Army

9. Minotaurs - Caught in the Light

10. The Specials - Concrete Jungle

11. Public Image Limited - Annalisa

12. Television - Elevation

13. The Diodes - Red Rubber Ball

14. The Cinch - Get Up & Get Out

15. Pearl Jam - Grievance

16. The Exploding Hearts - Still Crazy

17. The Police - Peanuts

18. Lost Patrol - Overlook Hotel

19. Hater - Blistered

20. The Black Keys - Heavy Soul

21. The Black Keys - Same Old Thing

22. The Black Keys - Everlasting Light

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for August 17th. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

Show 301...The Easybeats, Iggy Pop and The Black Keys

Play List:

1. The Action - Waiting For the Man
2. Joy Division - Sister Ray
3. Smashing Pumpkins - Venus in Furs
4. The Velvet Underground - Pale Blue Eyes
5. Locust Have No King - Song 6
6. Prehistoric Cave Strokers - Stereotypical Blues Tune
7. Thee Manipulators - (It's Gonna Be) alright
8. Starlites - I Can See You
9. Canadian VIPs - I Know
10. Ex-Girl Friends Club - Your Prescription
11. Harlem - Faces
12. The Gruesomes - You Were Not Using Your Head
13. The Easybeats - She's So fine
14. Okmoniks - What I Want
15. Mint Chicks - Screens
16. The Futureheads - Struck Dumb
17. The Vores - Heartbeat
18. Radio Birdman - Zeno Beach
19. Iggy Pop - Five Foot One
20. Wire - Sand in My Joints
21. New Strychnines - Shot Down
22. Generation X - Cathy Comes Home
23. Black Keys - Howlin' For You
24. Undertones - Here Comes the Summer

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for May 25. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.