Curse Those Haunted Hounds

I seem to rarely post without mentioning buds, so, in keeping with that trend, I give you what appears to be the first Intellectual Prop in weeks. Yikes.

Today is dedicated to the riff, or possibly the hook. I don't think I know the difference. Only that the hook is just a shortened riff. I'm sticking with riff. If I'm wrong, I'm sure I'll hear about it.

Going back to last year's output, this post features two Black bands: The Black Keys and Black Mountain.

If you listen to The Black Keys, good for you (and good for me). You know they're a good band. If you're my cousin Tommy, or friendly Jay Sutton, you may disagree, believing they're one of the most amazing bands on the planet. And that's fine. They're definitely one of the best bands out of Ohio. For two guys, especially, they do write some damn fine rockin' blues. Last year's album, Attack & Release, saw some production beefing courtesy of Danger Mouse, and some extra instrumentation by The Keys, as well as DM and other friends. While those additions sound splendid and add character to the songs, they don't exactly make the live transition with only a two-man band. Which is also fine, they don't need a bass player, or keys onstage. It's an image aesthetic. I get it. And their sound is evolving, as it should. I think, perhaps, they should consider adding those elements live. I know I'd pay more attention.

But enough with the critiquing. One song that stood out immensely on Attack & Buns was, not at all shockingly, the first single, "Strange Times." It does feature some synth, which adds a cool haunting element, but it's Dan Auerbach's fuzzy riff that makes this song one of the catchiest songs of last year. And to see it live, you forget all about that synth as you're head nods quickly along.

03 Strange Times.mp3

And then there's Black Mountain's "Stormy High." Your hair's immediately grown longer from listening to it, making those head nods a bit of a mess, but you love it. The organ fills in the holes between guitar chugs and your fist is pumping along as the riff ascends into to the sonic onslaught climax. Then we're all but eased back down to the hook-filled end.

I heard a promo of In The Future, the album "Stormy High" kicks off, while visiting Good Records early last year. I was there when good clerk Mark put it on, and I was transfixed by that riffage. Mark seemed unimpressed, but that's his usual demeanor. Either he really isn't that impressed by much these days, which is entirely possible, or he's just "too busy." As Jim Gaffigan would say, "that's sad." What's not sad is how much "Stormy High" rules. That guitar work rocked their homeland, Canada, so much, those fine Canadians voted said song the winner of CBC Radio 3's Bucky Award for Best Hook of 2008. I certainly agree.

01 Stormy High.mp3