The Black Keys “Thickfreakness” 2003. Fat Possum Records. I just dropped a huge chunk of change to get Black Keys concert tickets (we almost never go to big arena concerts anymore but we didn’t get a chance to see the Black Keys back when they were still relatively unknown) so I’m spinning their second LP as a reminder why I like them so much and to soothe my guilt over my sticker shock and my ire over the bullshit fees. Thickfreakness, like their first album The Big Come Up, is super-lo fi garage blues that Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney recorded in Carney’s basement on an 8-track recorder (they spent their advance from Fat Possum on rent instead of better equipment). They released three singles from Thickfreakness: “Set You Free” (which was included on the soundtrack for the movie School of Rock), “Hard Row” (one of my favorites) and “Have Love Will Travel” (also one of my favorites, it’s a cover of the song originally by Richard Berry – of “Louie Louie” fame – in 1959). Another great cover on Thickfreakness is their rendition of Junior Kimbrough’s “Everywhere I Go.” Kimbrough’s spirit can be felt through most of The Black Keys early sound so it’s not surprising they pay respect to him here.