'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

Joan of Arc - 'On a Bedsheet in the Breeze on the Roof'

Well, the madness is finally over. My girl's best friend has thus been married off to a Las Vegas police officer (not as mean as he sounds) and is gone for a time. The whole situation of being involved in DJing the reception and the like made me quite contemplative, which is cool, just exhausting. School is hard, but that's fine too. But that's not why you're here.

In the midst of everything, my life has begun to feel a bit like a Joan of Arc song. I think that it always does, but it depends on which record. The last week has felt like 'Live in Chicago, 1999' and it has since evened out to something a little more manageable like something from 'So Much Staying Alive and Lovelessness'. Life in the Northwest is always a bit chaotic for me seeing as this is not my natural dwelling place, but at times it coalesces into something easier to listen to for the trained ear. It never evens out to the point where it feels like an Owen song, but that's probably why I listen to those records so much: because it's out of longing for something a little more lush. Maybe not lush, but more calculated.

Either way, I've been listening to 'So Much Staying Alive...' which came out on Jade Tree in 2003. Since then, mastermind Tim Kinsella has released a rarities collection ('The Intelligent Design of Joan of Arc') and a new record for Record Label ('Eventually, All at Once') but I can't say that he's topped the album with anything that I've heard him do. The thing is a controlled chaotic world unto itself illustrated by some of the best clean electric guitar tone I've ever heard in my life. Today I'm treating you to 'On a Bedsheet in the Breeze on the Roof' from that record, which I hated the first ten times I heard it but I honestly can't get enough of this guy. Don't believe the hype: Joan of Arc is actually really really good.

On a Bedsheet in the Breeze on the Roof by Joan of Arc

Matt Sweeney & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - 'Bed Is For Sleeping'

To you, O faithful reader, wherever you may be: I apologize. It's been a hectic week complete with hospital visits, new releases, an unhealthy obsession with Joan of Arc (band, not historical figure) and the first full week of school. It is about to become even more complicated with the most recent incarnation of my favorite show, Nip/Tuck. Who knew something so trashy could be such an unending source of joy?

Either way, on a completely unrelated note, everything is most certainly for something. I am prompted to think that much of life is figuring out what certain things are actually for (what their function is) and treating them appropriately. I've heard similar conceptual truths manifested in other ways and in other words, but the simplification is satisfying. That is proposition one.

Proposition two is about music rather than life experience. There is a lot of great music out there that is not great simply because of its melodic element but also for its arrangement/instrumentation (while the truly great song can gauge the adequate amounts of each to create a truly expressive piece). There is also great music out there that is great because of its simplicity. While I have tried (quickly) to simplify what comprises much of our daily lives (what function did that statement serve? why am I here? what good is it to listen to this/read this/watch this?), Matt Sweeney and Will Oldham have created a completely beautiful piece of music with nothing but guitar, bass and vocals. Within, the lyrical content explores simple concepts which in turn build on themselves in order to comprise what we perceive to be our lives. Their medium? A very simple three minutes of music. 'Bed Is For Sleeping' is a wonderful song that can be found on the critically acclaimed and fan adored 'Superwolf' album, which I would highly recommend. With that, I leave you. Nip/Tuck on FX at 10pm if you're interested. Who will be the love of Christian Troy's life? Surely it cannot be himself!

Bed Is For Sleeping by Matt Sweeney and Bonnie 'Prince' Billy