Turn Blue by The Black Keys free essay sample

The Black Keys have always posed an interesting conundrum for critics. On one hand, this is a band made up of two guys who went from riding around in a rust-bucket El Camino and earning dough performing in local country barrooms to churning out hockey stadium anthems and playing on â€Å"SNL.† On the other hand, it has never been clear just how seriously we are supposed to take their music. Most critics have been slightly dismissive of the Black Keys tendency to work within such a limited – and somewhat dated – aesthetic sphere as rock n roll blues. On their eighth studio LP, â€Å"Turn Blue,† drummer Patrick Carney and vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach have one clear message: We are meant to be taken seriously. The opening song, â€Å"Weight of Love,† is an unpredictable seven-minute roller-coaster that jolts us back and forth between searing guitar lines and a spacey, ethereal backdrop. It sounds like modern Pink Floyd. We will write a custom essay sample on Turn Blue by The Black Keys or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page â€Å"Turn Blue,† the title track, is a bluesy, synth-driven night anthem perfect for falling asleep to. It sounds like something the Rolling Stones would have done had they only owned a laptop. And this is just what the album does so well – it unites the future with the past, taking on a new style but paying homage to classic rock greats along the way. The album is not without personal references – the bitter aftertaste of Auerbachs recent divorce conspicuously underscores the 11 tracks. By the grand finale, â€Å"Gotta Get Away,† in which Auerbach sings, â€Å"I went from San Perdue to Kalamazoo / just to get away from you,† the whole thing can start to feel, at least lyrically, like one big hard-boiled kiss-off; some form of revenge was clearly on his mind during the songwriting. This is blues rock, however, and the Black Keys are not a group to expect much from lyrically. The duo prefers to let the music speak for itself. At a time when most big rock reinventions are beginning to feel like clunky diversions into electronics and music without substance, â€Å"Turn Blue† provides a refreshing listen, in large part because no one really expected the Black Keys to deliver such a powerful punch after 2012s immensely popular â€Å"El Camino.† And while it may not be as catchy or radio-friendly as its predecessor, the Danger Mouse-produced treatise nonetheless proves a challenging but rewarding listen.

Free Essays on Christopher Columbus Mariner

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS MARINER by: Samuel Eliot Morison Christopher Columbus was born in the port city of Genoa, Italy in 1451. His father was a wool weaver named Domenico Columbo. As a boy, Christopher had no schooling. He and his younger brother Bartholomew helped their father by carding raw wool. Christopher grew up to be a tall, red-haired, quiet and deeply religious man. He worked for his father until he was 22. He went out with the sardine fishing fleets, as other Genoese boys did and he sailed along the coast to Corsica on business for his father. Genoese traders had their own schooners as did Christopher Columbus’ father. He made at least one trip to the North African coast. On long trips such as these, Christopher learned the elements of seamanship. In 1476, Columbus sailed as a common seaman aboard a Genoese merchant ship that was headed for Lisbon, England and Flanders. Since the Mediterranean nations were at war at the time, the ship Columbus was on was attacked and went down. Luckily, Columbus was able to swim to shore and make his way to Lisbon where he settled. At this time Portugal was the world’s greatest seafaring nation. Many Genoese had become rich and had prospered in Lisbon and Columbus saw his chance to do the same by becoming sea captain under the Portuguese flag. First, however, he had to educate himself. He learned to speak Portuguese and Castilian which was the official language of Spain at the time. He also mastered Latin so that he may be able to read scholarly books on geography. To earn his living, Columbus became a chart maker. He also made voyages as an agent for a Genoese merchant in Lisbon. In 1479 he married Dona Felipa Perestrello, whose father had been one of Prince Henry’s captains. They had one son, Diego. Felipa’s high social rank enabled Columbus to meet important officials. She also gave him her father’s collection of charts and documents. From these Columbus gained more knowledge of Po ... Free Essays on Christopher Columbus Mariner Free Essays on Christopher Columbus Mariner CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS MARINER by: Samuel Eliot Morison Christopher Columbus was born in the port city of Genoa, Italy in 1451. His father was a wool weaver named Domenico Columbo. As a boy, Christopher had no schooling. He and his younger brother Bartholomew helped their father by carding raw wool. Christopher grew up to be a tall, red-haired, quiet and deeply religious man. He worked for his father until he was 22. He went out with the sardine fishing fleets, as other Genoese boys did and he sailed along the coast to Corsica on business for his father. Genoese traders had their own schooners as did Christopher Columbus’ father. He made at least one trip to the North African coast. On long trips such as these, Christopher learned the elements of seamanship. In 1476, Columbus sailed as a common seaman aboard a Genoese merchant ship that was headed for Lisbon, England and Flanders. Since the Mediterranean nations were at war at the time, the ship Columbus was on was attacked and went down. Luckily, Columbus was able to swim to shore and make his way to Lisbon where he settled. At this time Portugal was the world’s greatest seafaring nation. Many Genoese had become rich and had prospered in Lisbon and Columbus saw his chance to do the same by becoming sea captain under the Portuguese flag. First, however, he had to educate himself. He learned to speak Portuguese and Castilian which was the official language of Spain at the time. He also mastered Latin so that he may be able to read scholarly books on geography. To earn his living, Columbus became a chart maker. He also made voyages as an agent for a Genoese merchant in Lisbon. In 1479 he married Dona Felipa Perestrello, whose father had been one of Prince Henry’s captains. They had one son, Diego. Felipa’s high social rank enabled Columbus to meet important officials. She also gave him her father’s collection of charts and documents. From these Columbus gained more knowledge of Po ...