I had hoped to have a less predictable choice for Album Of The Month, but it’s really got to be The Black Keys’ Magic Potion. I admit I wasn’t sure about it at first, it didn’t knock my socks off on the first listen the way that Rubber Factory did. But its greatness is subtle and after a few listens, I knew it had to be my pick for September. It’s a shame, too, because there were some pretty interesting releases in September (Larrikin Love’s The Freedom Spark and The Rapture’s Pieces Of The People We Love, for example), but it’s not even a fair fight. Tam already wrote a really great post about The Black Keys and I can’t add much to it, except to say that we were lucky enough to see them live again this week and it was the best night I’ve had in a very long time. Their albums are great but, as a live band, they blow your ass away.
As for the Single Of The Month, I had no idea what to pick until earlier today. Actually, I haven’t heard most of the singles released in the last month but this is so good that it doesn’t even matter what else came out. It may even be up there at the top on the Singles Of The Year list. (You know, if we actually do one.)
The Blood Arm – Suspicious Character
It’s so awesome I don’t even know what to say. It’s danceable like Franz Ferdinand, but sleazier. If this doesn’t get the indie kids on the dancefloor then there’s no hope left in the world. I don’t know how they do it, but every single The Blood Arm releases is even better than the last one, so I’m anxiously awaiting their debut (label-released) album, Lie Lover Lie (out in the UK on October 16th). Maybe it’ll end up being the Album Of Next Month.
Filed under: Album Of The Month, Music, Single Of The Month Tagged: | Blues, Indie, Pop, The Black Keys, The Blood Arm
