2 DVD Reviews

The Black Keys Live (Fat Possum)

It comes as no surprise when Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney mentions in an interview on their Live DVD that he grew up listening to Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and Cream. For even the most casual listener to their stripped-down bluesy rock will hear the blues obsessions of those 'classic rock' bands shining through plain as day. The guitar solos are eternal, the lyrics variations on universal themes (observe the song titles: "Girl Is On My Mind", "Busted", "The Desperate Man"). But for just one singer/guitarist and one drummer, they conjure up a massive, powerful stormcloud of the electric blues. The Black Keys Live DVD captures one 17-song performance in Sydney, Australia, March of 2005, with them tackling not just their own songs but also a fistful of covers, including a soulful version of Junior Kimsbrough's "Everywhere I Go" followed by the Stooges' "No Fun". Their stage presence is a no b.s., down-to-business one, so the performance stands as a pure distillation of their style that'll be a real joy for fans. There was a certain magic to the pre-DVD time when music fans were left to taping the rare live footage that made its way to TV, or trading bootleg videos…yet it doesn't compare to the everything's-out-there era we're in now, where even Black Keys fans who live nowhere near a city they play in can watch such a lovingly put-together, crisp and clear DVD of one solid rock show, start to finish. – dave heaton

No Parachute, Volume 1: A Compilation of Indie Music Videos (Happy Happy Birthday to Me)

Your first reaction to the music video collection No Parachute might be much like mine: "Architecture in Helsinki made a video? Boyracer made a video? The Cannanes made a video? New Estate, Entre Rios, and the Maybellines, even?" No Parachute collects 26 videos, are chances are very good that you've never seen them before, even if you're a fan of the bands. What is the forum for music videos of indie-label bands these days? Well, there isn't one. No Parachute harkens back to the days of 120 Minutes then, but even indie-er. It captures the feeling of watching that sort of show, though, where you might catch a glimpse of a video by one of your favorite little bands, and will likely come across many bands you've never heard before…and where all the videos are super low-budget. There's a charm in setting music to images, even if you're using low-grade animation techniques or filming what could be confused as a home movie, as many of these do. No Parachute is a fun little adventure, from its first video (Snoozer's "Labor Day") to its last (Overlord's "Landlubber". There's videos by bands you're more likely to have heard of (Of Montreal, The Clientele, Kimya Dawson) and bands you're less likely to (The Lil' Hospital, VHS and the Babies). But they're all good – all interesting visuals set to great pop songs of various stripes, everything from melancholy electronic ballads to loveably rough rock numbers. All in all a great time, one with endless potential as a series (I'm hoping the 'Volume 1' listing on the cover isn't just high hopes). – dave heaton