'Just a Little Heat' by The Black Keys

Now is the time of year that we start thinking about what happened to this one and what we're going to do come January. As for me and my house, it'll be back to school much like my current situation. Before I start thinking about anything like that, I need to start thinking about what the best records of this year happened to be. I know currently what will be included if I needed to finish the list now, but there's still plenty of time left for good new ones.

If I had to call it a year right now, you'd better believe the new Black Keys record would make the cut. Believe the hype, don't be a jerk, the Black Keys are better than just about every one of these 'stripped down' outfits that made such a splash a few years ago. The White Stripes are arguably the worst band in popular music grinding out nominal bluesy banality on a semi-annual basis, refusing to spare me from their endless wellspring of outrageously annoying songs void of any soul or meaningful lyrical content. And all this under the reign of some of the most tedious percussion out there. The Black Keys are like bizarro White Stripes doing everything the Stripes do well better and everythign the Stripes do poorly exceedingly well. The speakers ooze with soulful blues licks drenched in the finest guitar tones I've come across all year long. The rhythm section? Superb. The songwriting? Even better. Why settle for less with the cutesy, gimicky garbage presented the listener by the White Stripes?

Out yesterday, the Keys dropped their first record for Nonesuch entitled 'Magic Potion.' Blistering electric guitar, pounding drums and amazing vocals comprise the Keys grittiest, most soulful, coolest, most fun and all around best record to date. Nothing but the hits. Check out 'Just a Little Heat' below.

Just a Little Heat by The Black Keys