Track Reviews (The Black Keys, The Hold Steady, The Gaslight Anthem)

by: David Edscorn

This spring/early summer is going to be a powerhouse season for new music. Among others , The Gaslight Anthem, The Hold Steady, and The Black Keys will all be releasing albums then, and all three debuted singles this past week. Here’s some thoughts on and a link to each:

The Black Keys “Tighten Up” (Brothers, May 18)- This track finds the Akron duo teaming up with Danger Mouse (of Gnarls Barkley) again to do production (he produced all of 2008's Attack and Release, but only this song on Brothers). It’s a strong track, with plenty of Dan Aurbach’s sinewy guitar lines and soulful vocals (the lyrics are typical blues futile-love fare, but good) and Patrick Carney’s relentless drumming. Danger Mouse adds in some whistling at the beginning, soulful organ stings, and his characteristic bright production. The result sounds like it could have belonged on Attack and Release, which I have to say disappoints me slightly. I like that album alright, but I really prefer the stripped down rough edges of the band’s previous works. We’ll see how it fits in with the rest of the album.

Listen at: www.myspace.com/theblackkeys

The Hold Steady “Hurricane J” (Heaven Is Whenever, May 4)- The Midwestern bar-rockers have said that their new album will be “less anathematic,” but it’s hard to see this from the new single, which features an extremely catchy chorus and the most anathematic bridge I’ve heard in a while. There are of course the familiar themes and self-references (“I see the crowd you’re hanging with and those kids don’t seem positive) and a new character, Jesse, that might actually be an old, previously unnamed character (the references to bars and harbors seems to point towards the girl in “Certain Songs” from Almost Killed Me). Besides having definite appeal to longtime fans, this might also be the most accessible THS song yet. Craig Finn manages to sing most of the song (his voice is also a big clearer and his vocal chords seem to be missing a little of their normal whiskey coating), the rhyme scheme actually makes sense, and there’s a recognizable song structure. The best Hold Steady song ever? Maybe not, but it sure is fun to sing along to.

Listen at: www.myspace.com/theholdsteady

The Gaslight Anthem “American Slang” (American Slang, June 15)- These blue-collar Jersey boys have only been together for less than five years, but they’ve already managed to put out two excellent albums and a strong EP, and now their third is on the way. The lead single and title track shows the group embracing a sound that’s a bit more of their own (and a little less tied down to their influences) in a way that’s both familiar and excitingly fresh. There’s another sing-along chorus, and a return of the church bells heard on “’59 Sound.” Also intriguing is the cover art, which features black and white photos of locations around NYC and New Jersey, as well as some vintage recording equipment, a straight razor, a root-beer float, and an image of brass knuckles. It’s all at once nostalgic and a little sinister, and reminds me (along with the “American Slang” lyrics such as “they cut me to ribbons and taught me to drive” and “here’s where the angels and devils meet”) a little of “The Navesink Banks” off Sink or Swim where the singer “carried faith and a switchblade tucked beneath my coat” and “ran with dirty angels.”

Listen at: www.myspace.com/thegaslightanthem