Thursday, March 28, 2019

The Black Keys Pick Up Right Where They Left Off (SNS Weeks of March 10 and 17, 2019)

Well, it had to be done.   Falling behind once again, I am combining the weeks of March 10 and 17, for the first time since early fall of last year.   As you probably know, I've been encountering some health concerns as well as winding down my night audit stint at a local hotel.    But, I am still trying to allow time to listen to some new music.

Such as the case with the new Black Keys single, entitled "Lo/Hi", their first release in five years.  Yes, it's pretty much been that long since the duo of Patrick Carney and Dan Auerbach last put out an album, 2014's Turn Blue.  

The Keys have been a favorite of mine, not only in the blog era, where they've amassed a total of four #1 songs on the SNS 100 (tied for second, behind Fitz & the Tantrums' 11), but well before they became popular.  

The duo's debut album was released in 2002, The Big Come Up, and while it didn't make any appreciable noise, the band was riding a wave of "neo-garage" revival, put in motion by bands such as The White Stripes, The Vines, The Hives, and The Strokes.   But it wasn't until their third  album, 2004's Rubber Factory, that they started making some noise.    I discovered them during their fourth set, 2006's Magic Potion, specifically, the track "Your Touch"; as there was something about that raw, back-to-basics sound that was indeed, magic, a total reversal to the nu-metal mayhem that permeated alternative music around the turn of the millennium.   That continued with 2008's Attack and Release, and the track "I Got Mine".    I started becoming a fan, but still, the band was mostly unnoticed and got very little airplay.  

That all changed in 2010, when their sixth album, Brothers was released.   Not only it was their breakout album and put them on the alt-rock map, but the song "Tighten Up" was another gem, and was one of the reasons that inspired me to start writing this blog.   And sure enough, the song was my first #1 on Scenes 'n' Soundwaves, and held that position for four weeks and would eventually be my #1 song for 2010.   Shortly after that, it would top the Billboard Alternative chart as well as well as peak at #87 on the Hot 100.    Brothers hit #3 on Billboard's album chart as well, and yielded the SNS songs "Next Girl" (#28), and "Howling for You" (#2) during the winter of 2011. 

Later in 2011, the Keys followed up Brothers with El Camino, and continued their success.  "Lonely Boy" and "Gold on the Ceiling" topped the alternative chart, with the "Stairway to Heaven"-esque "Little Black Submarines" going to #2 there.   On my blog, "Lonely Boy" became their second #1 here, while "Gold.." went to #2, and "...Submarines" to #7.    Of course, the didn't make much of a dent in the anti-rock Hot 100, with the first two songs going to #64 and #94.

Next came 2014's Turn Blue.  "Fever" the lead single was rhythmic in nature, probably to court the pop stations (it peaked at #77 on the Hot 100), but it's ending was a little dramatic instrumental which helped spark a third SNS #1, as well as another Alternative chart-topper.  The title cut hit #6 on SNS, the third single "Gotta Get Away" went to #12 (and #8 alternative).   But it was the fourth and final single from that album, "Weight of Love" that hit me hard.  Only going to #16 on the Billboard alternative, the song was featured during a ski weekend to Wilmington Vermont with my friend Anthony Josephs; we had the song on the jukebox at one of the towns bars.   That helped the song to a six-week run at #1 here on my blog, and #9 on my year-end list for 2015.

And that would be it for the Black Keys until now.

In the meantime, however, guitarist Dan Auerbach had released a solo albums, as well as one with his side project The Arcs,.  That band put out Yours Dreamily, in 2015, and featured the haunting "Outta My Mind", which reached #5 on the SNS 100 and #10 on the year-end list (just behind "Weight of Love").    Auerbach's solo set Waiting on a Song, released in 2017, was next, with two big SNS hits:  "Shine on Me" (#2), and "Stand By My Girl", (#15).

The Black Keys' new single, "Lo/Hi" which comes on the list at a lofty #35 this week, is pretty much a mash-up of all the cool sounds that have come from them as well as others.  It has a late-60's acid rock type beat, even resembling the rhythm line of "Spirit in the City", but has the Akron, Ohio duo's patented stamp on it.   The band is definitely picking up where they left off, performing bare bones, back to earth rock that's solely needed in 2019

The band will be touring with Modest Mouse this summer.  They will also be appearing at "Woodstock 50", on August 17, which will be held at Watkins Glen.   More on that festival in an upcoming blog.

CHART ACTION:  The top of the SNS 100 this week remains quiet, with no bullets among the top 5 and the only change was between numbers 3 and 4 with The Cranberries' 'All Over Now" and Tennis' "I Miss That Feelin'".   "Change" by The Revivalists, remains at the top for a fourth week. The ever-resilient "High Hopes" by Panic at the Disco remains at #5.  The big mover is The Kooks' "Chicken Bone", moving up 18 to 6.

Aside from the Black Keys' high debut, other new entries come from Dreamers' with "Die Happy", an up-tempo poppish romp from a forthcoming album; "The Great New Depression", which is, pretty much...depressing, from their Ruthless set;  The Struts' featuring Kesha's "Body Talks", a contemporary pop songs with a Motown-ish beat and a fun time;  long-awaited Guster, "Overexcited", which seems to be an 1980's-type synth-pop romp and even evoking the band Madness of "Our House" fame; and finally Lukas Graham's "Love Someone", sort of a soul-pop outing from the Danish band (no, Lukas Graham is not one person, although the lead singer's name is Lukas Forchhammer).

GET WELL SOON:  My thoughts go out to Hegazy member Omnia Hegazy for a third surgery for AERD, which is a rare, inflammatory chronic combination of severe asthma. recurrent nasal polyps, and a reaction to aspirin.  The situation can be life-threatening.    The Staten Island-based band, which also includes Omnia's twin-sister Leila (who are both nieces to my Roselle Park friend Diane Tarantino Hegazy) has taken a hiatus but promises to be back soon.   In the meantime, Scenes 'n' Soundwaves sends love, prayers and thoughts for a speedy recovery to Omnia.





Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100

March 10 and 17, 2019



This Week Last Week ARTIST-Title Weeks on List
1 1
NUMBER ONE: 



Album: Take Good Care
(4 weeks at #1)
7
2 2 Elle King - Baby Outlaw 8
3 4 The Cranberries - All Over Now 7
4 3 Tennis-  I Miss That Feelin' 8
5 5 Panic at the Disco - High Hopes 20
6 18
MOVER OF THE WEEK: 


Album: Let's Go Sunshine
5
7 7 San Cisco - When I Dream 7
8 10 Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats - Hey Mama 8
9 12 The Big Takeover - Girlie Girlie 9
10 13 STRFKR - In the End 6
11 14 Cage the Elephant - Ready to Let Go 5
12 6 The Revivalists - You and I 13
13 20 Kungs f Ritual - You Remain 5
14 15 Greta Van Fleet - You're the One 8
15 8 Dennis Lloyd - Nevermind 18
16 9 Kitten - Pink Champagne 16
17 11 Foster the People - Worst Nights 10
18 16 Houses - Fast Talk 9
19 17 Marshmello & Bastille - Happier 17
20 22
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK: 



Album: Black Holes
16


21 27 Mark Ronson f. Miley Cyrus - Nothing Breaks Like A Heart 6
22 19 Leon Bridges - If It Feels Good 12
23 26 Lauren Daigle - You Say 6
24 28 Death Cab for Cutie - Northern Lights 8
25 21 Bebe Rexha - I'm A Mess 11
26 25 Spinn- Bless His Heart 8
27 36 Sharon Van Etten - Seventeen 4
28 23 Trapdoor Social - Hold Me Down 17
29 38 Brandi Carlile - The Joke 5
30 24 Sharon Van Etten - Comeback Kid 15
31 35 Foals - Exits 7
32 32 King Princess - Talia 8
33 43 The Decemberists - Traveling On 4
34 30 Molly Burch- Torn To Pieces 19
35  ---
TOP DEBUT: 


(Single Only)
1
36 33 Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats f. Lucius - Coolin' Out 17
37 40 Hozier - Movement 7
38 31 Mumford and Sons - Guiding Light 18
39 48 Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper - Shallow 13
40 34 The Revivalists - All My Friends 22
41 47 Slothrust - Rotten Pumpkin 3
42 46 Welles - Seventeen 7
43 37 Kurt Vile - Loading Zones 20
44 29 Andrew McMahon In the Wilderness - Ohio 14
45 42 Greeting Committee - 17 20
46 39 KT Tunstall - The River 12
47 41 Jade Bird - Uh Huh 15
48 44 Maggie Rogers - Light On 10
49 58 Vampire Weekend - Harmony Hall 3
50 54 Michael Buble - Love You Anymore 6
51 45 The Essex Green - Smith & 9th 19
52 60 Walk the Moon - Timebomb 5
53 65 Jenny Lewis - Red Bull & Hennessy 2
54 66 St. Paul and the Broken Bones - GotItBad 2
55 62 Broken Bells - Shelter 4
56 63 Pink - A Million Dreams 6
57 53 King Princess - 1950 29
58 49 The Raconteurs - Now That You're Gone 7
59 71 The Strumbellas - Salvation 2
60 51 Real Estate - Time 22
61 61 Ed Sheeran - Perfect 36
62 69 Kurt Vile - Bassackwards 2
63  --- Dreamers - Die Happy 1
64 57 Donna Missal - Keep Lying 27
65 50 Caroline Rose - Jeannie Becomes a Mom 18
66 55 Curtis Harding - It's Not Over 22
67 74 David Gray - A Tight Ship 2
68 52 Parquet Courts - Before the Water Gets Too High 9
69 68 Avril Lavigne - Head Above Water 5
70  --- The Moth and the Flame - The Great New Depression 1
71  --- The Struts f. Kesha - Body Talks 1
72 72 Twenty-One Pilots - Chlorine 3
73 73 Imagine Dragons - Bad Liar 3
74  --- Guster - Overexcited 1
75  --- Lukas Graham- Love Someone 1
76 56 Amy Shark - I Said Hi 15
77 64 Liily - Toro 6
78 70 Nick Waterhouse f. Leon Bridges- Katchi 23
79 67 Elle King - Shame 26
80 81 Gary Clark Jr - This Land 4
81 59 Cayucas - Jessica WJ 17
82 76 Imagine Dragons - Natural 21
83 77 Dirty Beaches - Elizabeth's Theme 40
84 75 Lake Street Dive - Shame Shame Shame 7
85 80 Winnetka Bowling League  -On the 5 21
86 83 Arkells- Relentless 16
87 78 Weezer - Can't Knock the Hustle 16
88 79 Lovelytheband - Maybe, I'm Afraid 6
89 82 Kungs f. Jamie N Commons - Don't You Know 20
90 84 The Kooks - Four Leaf Clover 26
91 85 Max Frost -  Good Morning 7
92 86 Flora Cash - You're Somebody Else 18
93 87 Kelly Clarkson - Heat 5
94 88 James Hunter Six - I Don't Wanna Be Without You 25
95 89 Shannon Marsyada - Oceans 14
96 90 Alice Merton - Funny Business 8
97 91 Florence + the Machine - Patricia 20
98 92 Ellie Goulding - Close to Me 8
99 93 Metric - Now or Never Now 15
100 94 The Palms - Human Condition 17





Songs with the greatest increase in favorite points over the prior week.

    Songs with 25 or more plays on my iPod.

     Songs with 50 or more plays on my iPod.   
 

The “Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100” is a list of current and recent song playlist which I am listening to.




































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