New Music : The Blakes

November 20, 2007 by
Filed under: Uncategorized 

There’s’ a blurb on The Blakes myspace page that describes their sound thusly :

Sounds Like ……..really nice man…..it’s like old but new all at the same time……. dirty, dancey and jangley ..$%@” like if a marshall was cranked to13 in a dirty hotel after midnight with the lights off..

Believe it or not that somewhat cryptic bit is pretty accurate. Garnet and Snow Keim claim Hank Williams and Brian Wilson as their early influences, but a couple listens to this disc seem to reveal an encyclopedic knowledge of all that is rock and roll. They can be raw and ragged like Iggy Pop on the blistering opener Two Times with its staccatto shouted chorus of “just shake shake shake shake shake shake shake”. They can also turn up the guitar jangle and harmonies on songs like Don’t Bother Me or Run. Shades of The Kinks and early Who are just as evident in their influences as The Cure and U2. But they never succumb to mimicry, they forge their influences into a sound all their own, familiar yet new all at the same time. Thirteen short, sweet, shots of song clocking in at around 35 minutes, reviving and redefining the lost art of the three minute pop song.

The band is on a pretty extensive US tour through the end of the year, so there’s plenty of chances to catch them ripping it up live somewhere near you.

The Blakes :
Garnet Keim — guitar, vocals
Snow Keim — bass, vocals
Bob Husak — drums

MP3: The Blakes – Two Times
MP3: The Blakes – Run
Buy The Blakes LP Buy on iTunes with 2 Bonus tracks

Upcoming Tour Dates
Nov 19 2007 5:00P The Sound Garden Baltimore, MD
Nov 19 2007 9:00P The Red & The Black Washington, DC
Nov 20 2007 9:00P The Khyber Philadelphia, PA
Nov 21 2007 8:00P Asbury Lanes Asbury Park, New Jersey
Nov 22 2007 9:00P The Big Easy Portland, ME
Nov 23 2007 8:00P Great Scott Boston, MA
Nov 24 2007 9:00P The Knitting Factory New York, NY
Nov 26 2007 9:00P The Silver Dollar Toronto, ONT
Nov 27 2007 6:00P Luna Music Indianapolis, IN
Nov 28 2007 8:00P The Pageant St. Louis, Missouri
Nov 29 2007 9:00P Darkroom chicago, Illinois
Nov 30 2007 8:00P Vaudeville Mews Des Moines, Iowa
Dec 1 2007 9:00P 7th Street Entry Minneapolis, MN
Dec 2 2007 4:00P Kief’s Lawrence, KS
Dec 2 2007 8:00P Jackpot Lawrence, KS
Dec 4 2007 8:00P The Fox Boulder, Colorado
Dec 5 2007 9:00P The Black Sheep Colorado Springs, CO
Dec 6 2007 8:00P Larimer Lounge Denver, Colorado
Dec 7 2007 10:00P Burt’s Tiki Lounge Salt Lake City, UT
Dec 8 2007 6:00P The Record Exchange Boise, ID
Dec 8 2007 9:00P Neurolux Boise, ID
Dec 9 2007 9:00P Bourbon Street Spokane, WA
Dec 12 2007 9:00P Logan’s Victoria, BC
Dec 13 2007 9:00P Media Club Vancouver, BC
Dec 14 2007 9:00P Crystal Ballroom Portland, OR
Dec 15 2007 8:00P The Old Fire House Redmond, WA
Feb 8 2008 4:00P Bend WinterFest Bend, OR

[MYSPACE]

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