The Jack White/Black Keys Feud In A Nutshell

The White Stripes were way better than the Black Keys. By a lot.

Jack White has recently been doing some impressive stuff in the production world. He has broken records that most folks (myself included) don't really care about. "Lazaretto" broke the record for fastest record release ever (in modern English, that's getting your record from the studio-to-the-shelves really fast). He recorded a live late night show Neil Young performance straight to vinyl. These things are both kinda cool, and I like "Lazaretto" better than anything on his last album. Then you have the Black Keys.
The Black Keys are a good bad who just made their first universally crappy album, Turn Blue. Turn Blue wemt straight to #1 in the US albums chart.
Jack White is a modern icon doing interesting things and he's making no money. The Black Keys are at their musical worst and making lots of money. Jack White had to show his pissed-off-ness somehow.
I've thought the Keys have sounded like the Stripes since 'Brothers' came out. Even the album art was red, white and black. I don't see why people are so shocked at the idea of the Keys "ripping off" the Stripes. I always thought this was obviously underlain knowledge. I myself am shocked that it came from Jack himself. It's unprofessional for this to coming from him. You don't see Paul McCartney and Robert Plant bragging about how much better/more original their music is compared to those that followed them. They sit back and leave it up to you to learn for yourself whose ripping off of who. So despite the truth of what Jack said about the Keys, I'm disappointed in him for doing this.
Let it be known that the Black Keys are not a bad band. I've loved their singles. Their albums aren't too bad. Unlike what Jack claims, they could have definitely existed without the Stripes. Before they sounded like Jack White, they sounded like Jimi Hendrix. Now they sound like 70s coke rock. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. At least it wouldn't be, although "Fever" is a pretty disappointing single for a fan whose waited 3 years for something new. One might say I don't like the new stuff by the Keys.
The White Stripes single-handedly changed the popular world of alternative and garage rock. Looking through their catalog, this may seem ridiculous because all their songs are kinda normal or kinda sound the same. Please just consider that you can distinctly tell Jack White's guitar tone from a mile away. His voice is just as recognizable and Meg's drums were's always indistinguishably playful (and often simple). Strangely dynamic, always fun, classic rock-based riffs, built from the ground-up: The White Stripes.
The Keys are enjoyable, but often try to hard for their own good.
Jack White will be making bank for his new album soon enough, no matter what it sounds like.
Here's a really old picture of Meg White.

A Pet Sounds Blog

I wasn't alive in 1966 and I never heard this album until August of 2006. I was 15 and my music taste was at a crossroads; within a month, I bought this album along with Death Cab for Cutie's Plans, Rush's 2112, an Allman Bros comp, a Bob Dylan comp + Barenaked Ladies Are Me. Me + the fam had only been living in Idaho for 1 month. I was a quiet, skinny kid who was sensitively over-self-conscious. [ex: Pity me. No one understands me. :( ] Anyways, I only got Pet Sounds because I saw Rolling Stone ranked it the second greatest album ever and I was able to get a free copy. I didn't even get it one bit, but I pretended to like it and listened frequently.

I cannot reiterate enough that I didn't understand what made this album good. However, I remember always genuinely liking the singles and "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" and "That's Not Me." I'd put "God Only Knows" aside Death Cab on my pretty/sad songs playlists and consider myself cultured. I'm not sure how old I was when I understood this album, but even now, I'm not always in the mood for Pet Sounds. I am a young single adult; obsessed with modern music enough to not always connect with ancient classics. I give it a listen once every few months and get entranced in it for a week.
Pet Sounds is always ranked among the all-time greats, but for different reasons. Brian Wilson said he wanted to make an album like The Beatles' '65 Rubber Soul. He also said he wanted to make the songs more real, more natural, more personal. George Martin and the boys immediately started working on Sgt. Pepper, as he said, in an attempt make an album even better than Pet Sounds. This album didn't have the same clear-cut production as a George Martin work, but the music itself was more layered and even trickier. It may not always sound "big," but it sounds "dreamy." I'd say the first album to ever have this sound. The goofy surfer boys somehow leaped into Beatles-classic status with this album.

             Meanwhile, some 23 year-old Mormon guitar boy in Logan-UT listens to this album as he lies wide awake in the middle of the night asking the same questions Brian Wilson asked himself nearly 50 years ago. Like many other artistic pop music statements, listening to to individual tracks won't give you the full album effect. Despite its popular songs ("God Only Knows," "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "Sloop John B"), it wasn't about making hits (alright, except for "Sloop John B")... it goes much deeper.

"I know there's an answer!" "Where can I turn?" "What good would living do me?" "We could live forever tonight!" "Every night as I lay there alone, I will dream..." These statements are taken lightly by most artists. Wilson gave them proper, delicate treatment. Lyrics like this aren't too "original," I suppose. In fact- everybody can relate to them. I never use the word "beautiful" when it comes to music. But screw it, that's what Pet Sounds is. Next to this goofy picture of Mr. Wilson and a goat, here are some listed things I've learned from this album.
*Wilson wrote "Caroline, No" while high on marijuana
*"Let's Go Away Awhile" is impossible to hum to
*"I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" is my personal favorite track
*"Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)" still counts as a love song, no matter how super sad it sounds
*Compared to the rest of the album, "Sloop John B" is overrated
*Life is simple yet epic; the small things (pets, familiar places, friends, dreams, stars, love/romance, parents) are big factors
*Love might not be real, but we can always hope and dream that it is

My 10 Favorite Rolling Stones Songs

 I've always considered the Rolling Stones to be overrated. But let's face it, I love these guys.

 (favorite Stones albums: 3-Beggars Banquet 2-Exile On Mainstreet 1-Let It Bleed)

(songs honorable mention: "Ruby Tuesday," "Honky Tonk Woman," "19th Nervous Breakdown")

10--"Can't You Hear Me Knocking" (from Sticky Fingers, 1971) 
Love this riff. Heavier than most. Great extensive psychedelic latin jam to boot.
9--"Jumpin' Jack Flash" (from some random UK greatest hits compilation, 1968)
This is respectively of the greatest riffs of all time. It might be ranked higher if it wasn't oh so overplayed. The organs that sound like bagpipes are pretty tight.
8-- "Miss You" (from Some Girls, 1978)
The Stones try disco and it totally works. Sounds like New York. And of course: "What's the matter witchoo, boy?"
7--"Street Fighting Man" (from Beggars Banquet, 1968)
Yes, this song does have a sitar and a shenhai in it. The topic of violent street protests was a pretty hot by '68, but this song makes it sound like something fun. The guitar part is just so crunchy and sounds so aged/vintage. The piano part is surprisingly pretty. Overall, it's a grungy classic.
6--"Rocks Off" (from Exile On Mainstreet, 1972)
If the only Exile tracks you know are "Happy" and "Tumbling Dice," I highly recommend you listen to the whole album. This song represents the album's raunchiness and raw power.
5--"Paint It, Black" (from Aftermath, 1966)
I'm a guitarist. When you learn to play guitar, you have at least one year before you learn how to play "Paint It, Black." The sitar hook is as memorable as "Norwegian Wood" any day of the week. The revolving rhythms throughout the song is impressive for 1966. And in case you were wondering, Jagger wants his whole world to be black. If that's not dark lyricism for ya, I don't know what is.
4--"Sympathy For The Devil" (from Beggars Banquet, 1968)
The Stones lived the definitive "drugs, sex & rock 'n' roll" lifestlye from day 1. But they were always too cool for cultish/satanic worship. They even dedicated an entire 1967 album to making fun of it. While the Beach Boys were losing band members to the Charles Manson family, the Stones focused on the fact that the devil is "cool." So is rock 'n' roll. At over 6 minutes, covered in latin percussion, lengthy memorable guitar solos, a heavy bass line, "woo-hoos" and explosive lyrics, this song is about 5 or 10 years ahead of its time.
3--"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (from Out Of Our Heads, 1965)
I've been calling this song "overrated" for the last 10 years. People, it's not. This is rock 'n' roll songwriting 101. This could easily be considered the greatest rock song ever made and I would not argue. It has the R&B back-beat. Easily the catchiest vocal hooks ever. The most memorable guitar riff. It's about having bad luck with the ladies. It has commercial references. You know all the words. This is how you write a rock single. It still works. But for the last 50 years, this formula has become comparatively unoriginal. Because these guys did it first.
2--"You Can't Always Get What You Want" (from Let It Bleed, 1969)
On paper, this song structure could turn out terribly wrong: The London Bach Choir. French horn. Congas. A drugged-up rock band. "Sympathy" is the more surprising track, especially for 1968 record players. On a personal level, this track is a singalong song for the ages. If you don't like this song, you're heartless. It's beautiful, it's fun, and somehow, it's by the Rolling Stones.
1--"Gimme Shelter" (from Let It Bleed, 1969)
Don't look at me like that. "Satisfaction" is a hit. In the words of James Murphy: "Well maybe I don't do hits!" This song is a creative achievement on every level. It continuously rocks. The opening whispering guitar part adds mystery. The song's dramatic dynamics bests most any 60s songsmith. There's some southern/blues instrumentation in this song, but that's not the vibe you get from it at all. Hearing gospel singer Merry Clayton scream out "RAPE! MURDER!" at the top of her lungs is as bold as it gets. The harmonica part is far from corny. Rock is supposed to be fun, but when you hear this song, you know the Stones mean business. Time to get scared. From a band dedicated (both musically and life-stylistically) to "drugs, sex & rock 'n' roll," this song was a well produced statement of the ultimate equation: Drugs+ Sex+ Rock 'n' roll= Apocolypse.

Thoughts On The Michael Sam (+Jason Collins) Media Coverage

When NBA center Jason Collins came out of the closet, the media was respectively all over it. Here we have the first openly gay player in the NBA. Sure, he may not exactly be the one of best players out there, but for a minute there, he deserved a big bear hug. Coming out is hard to do. With the most recent NFL draft, Michael Sam became the first openly gay player in the NFL. This has made some headlines as well. Being "the first" is always a big deal in sports. Don't hate.
With both news-making stories, I saw complaints about how the media has been making "too big a deal" about these stories. Perhaps they even add that Tim Tebow's on-the-field evident Christianity has been gypped of deserving media coverage. This is particularly funny because Tim Tebow gets plenty of media coverage. You wanna know who gets too much media coverage? LeBron James. But why isn't anyone complaining about that?
Yes, Michael Sam and Jason Collins have gotten a lot of media love. But to all the haters out there: What do you want? Do you want the media to stop portraying these men as heroes? Sure, I believe in a future world where it's shocking to come across a homophobe, but this is not the case in 2014. I think that there will eventually be a 2nd, 3rd, et cetera  number of homosexuals in the sports world and with each one, it will be a less and less of a newsworthy story. This is because players like Michael Sam and Jason Collins started the ball rolling. They have helped the future of security for homosexual pro-level athletes. Because they spoke out, now other players can.
The fact that they are gay men is not a big deal. I have gay friends. They don't make the news. However, a 10-year old stat from the Suicide Prevention Resource Center said 30-40% of LGBT youth have attempted suicide at least once. I bet that number's smaller these days, since the world is becoming a place where people aren't afraid of what others think about their sexual identity. Men like Jason Collins and Michael Sam are helping continually lower that number. They do this with their exemplifying lifestyle that contradicts their gender/sexuality stereotypes.
THIS is the BIG NEWS they offer: Anything can happen. You shouldn't have to be afraid of being yourself, no matter what environment you're in.
Pro sports leagues ought to be inviting to homosexual players, but until 2014, this was just a belief and not a proven fact. Everyone complaining about the media "glorifying" these guys should actually just soak in the history while it lasts. Although... part of me hopes it doesn't last too long...
In an attempt to find personal peace and comfort by coming out, Michael Sam ironically might get caught in the camera-eye, feeling anxious under the media microscope following every single thing he does. When he gets his first touchdown, we're all gonna hear about it. But I don't think he wants the excess attention. He wants to be treated like everybody else on the field. He doesn't wanna be called "faggot" by his teammates. So perhaps the media could tone down the Michael Sam coverage and accept him as an ordinary guy in the NFL, although I'm glad they recognized he made history this week. I hope everything from here-on-out is just football as usual.

HEY MOM

I like when you make food for people who've been trying to avoid you all day
I like when you're overly concerned about my paycheck and my mental health
 Actually, that second line was a joke
  I'm sorry that I'v been a total jerk to you over the phone lately
  I'm sorry to hear about your knee
   You're the only other one in the family who knows what it's like to be single at 23
   You're the only other one who gets bad vibes from people and politicians when I do
I like the stuff you told me about God when I was little
I like the stuff you say about God now
 Actually, we need to talk about that more
  I'm sorry that I never visit home much
  I'm sorry that I complained my guitar not having a strap
   You're the only one who I think would like the live Mo-Tab album with James Taylor
   You're the only one that I'd want to be my mom
I like that you don't treat your kids like trophies
I like that you're a realist
 Actually, that explains why I'm a realist, myself
  I'm sorry that my inner-punk wants me to hitch-hike across the country
  I'm sorry that your job stinks sometimes
   Sometimes I think about you
   I usually don't
   Somehow, I never forget you

Memory Maker

I see the sun outside and before you know it I'm gone

I'm bikin', if you can keep up, then you can come along

I used to ride on your street just so I could pass your lawn

You'd smile and wave and I'd act like I don't know what's going on

(oh...)

We'd eat each other's mic's backstage and hold our laughter in

I was so plastered but was too dumb to say anythin'

I couldn't help but get so excited when I'd see ya grin

I know I know the memories and today, we begin

(Oh, oh, oh-oh-oh//Oh, oh, oh-oh-oh//Oh, oh, oh-oh-oh...)

Last year...I cried...Over...Everything

Last night... I flew...Over...Everyone

I shook...hands with...my own memories

And I flew...over...everything I'd done

And you were always there

(Oh, oh, oh-oh-oh//Oh, oh, oh-oh-oh//Oh, oh, oh-oh-oh...)

And you, for me...Got to be...All I need

And you, for me...Got to be...All I need

All I need...

Haunted by. Your favorite brother

People pass. They're all so covered
Years roll by. And where's your lover now?

Sun looks red. On Timpanogas
So high, so. Completely bogus
Wind blows by. The life you've known has passed

My Own Suburb

One day...I won't run
I'll be glued to the ground
They say...Good things come
But they don't stick around
Stuck in a space (stuck in a space)
Wishing I had my own suburb
Wouldn't you know? (wouldn't you know)
This is kinda what I've always wanted

And God pours down all the rain
From His giant aeroplane
And the whole world just complains
Like we've earned some fat parade
We're all waiting for a show
Doesn't mean we have to go

One day...I won't speak
I'll run out of words
Maybe...I could speak
But nothing you aint heard (before)
Stuck in a space (stuck in a space)
I can't see, I'm grounded here
Wouldn't you know? (wouldn't you know)
I can't even act, cuz I can't react

And God pours down all the rain
From His giant aeroplane
On the people that He made
Just to watch 'em make the grade
We're all waiting for a show
Doesn't mean we have to go

Now we stare out at the rain
We can see our future wane
I don't know what was happening
But it was happening to me

There's a place I know I've been
Where I end and I begin
In my own suburb, I'll be free
Free to be who I could be

Shoulda Tried To Hold Your Hand

I been bored dreamin' bout my life
Spend way too long trynna react right
When I should just be reactin'
I know what to say, but I don't know when
Sometimes I believe/Sometimes I believe
There is nothing here to see...

Aw! I shoulda tried to hold your hand! Aw! I shoulda tried to hold your hand!

At the party where you turned 18
I was just a dreamer and you were my dream
Movies playin' in your eyes that night
I was out for blood, but it felt alright
Sometimes I believe/Sometimes I believe
I'm always just reaching...

Aw! You gotta keep the summer alive! Aw! I shoulda tried to hold your hand!
Aw! You gotta keep the summer alive! Aw! I shoulda tried to hold your hand!

On the beach in 2000-10
Lost my humor and I lost some friends
Of all the recordings I play again
I'm always playing "it might have been."

Aw! I shoulda tried to hold your hand! Aw! I shoulda tried to hold your hand!
Aw! I shoulda tried to hold your hand! Aw! I should tried to hold your hand!

(features direct quotes from John Greenleaf Whittier and Ian Cohen)

Conveyor Belt Satan

People live and people die
But they still don't know how to do both at the same time

People live until they die
Then they die until they live again
Then they live forever and always feel the same
Kinda like your life now, but with a different name.
You'll still feel crappy every time it rains
And think about sex and work for pain.

People live and people die
But they still don't know how to do both at the same time
They think they're so smart with their bodies and souls
But there are so many things they've never felt and don't know
I know what these things are, but I won't tell you what they are
I've already gone too far
How much emotion and information can you cram into that tiny body of yours?

People live until they die
But that don't mean that they don't try
To act like they're made of immortal stuff!
And resurrect the ideas that have only brought them down!
And grieve over shit that doesn't even really matter!
And be codependent on attractive people!
And fight what's real with their self-centered dreams!
We will all live forever and always feel the same!
The glowing robots of eternity

I don't wanna be a robot forever!
I don't wanna be a robot forever!
I don't wanna be a robot forever!
I don't wanna be robot forever!