Living in Blue [Enhanced]

Living in Blue [Enhanced]

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
The Blackouts formed 5-plus years ago in the tiny Illinois town of Odell (pop. 1,030) when high school classmates Steve and Joe discovered a common love for Billy Childish and The Makers. The two guitarists added Steve's brother "Creech" on drums and began bastardizing Link Ray and The Sonics after cross country practice in Steve's basement. After high school, the group headed south for Champaign-Urbana, Ill. Any attempt to get gigs was hardly worth the effort. "Everyone wanted to see an emo band and you had to know people to be hip," recalls Steve. "We didn't know anybody and we were loud as hell." Tastes evolved over time as the band said goodbye to their teens. They added current drummer Mark and opened up a revolving door for bassists, eventually nabbing Pat. Now in their mid-20s, the band writes "with a garage backbone and goes off from there," says Joe. Pat takes that logic one step further. "Steve comes up with a bad-ass chord progression and Joe backs it up with his fucking hot-ass licks." Indeed. The Blackouts have fused their influences into a distinct sound that reminds cynical elder music critics of rock and roll rebirthed in its rawest, most seductive state. Catch the band in concert as they tour in 2004 in support of their new album, Living in Blue, the follow-up to 2002's debut Everyday Is a Sunday Evening.

Product Description
"There's a good chance that twenty years from now we'll be talking about The Blackouts in the same way we speak of Television or The Modern Lovers today. The Blackouts seem to have all the makings of a great, peerless band that's destined to fail where it counts most as far as the bottom line is concerned: record sales… one of the better rock records you'll hear this year from the most refreshing rock and roll band this side of stardom. There's no mountain of hype preceding The Blackouts' sophomore album as with The Strokes' second offering. Likewise, there are also no expectations for this relatively unknown band from the corn fields of Illinois. And that's precisely why discovering The Blackouts is like a breath of fresh air in a crowded room of rock and roll pretenders all bumping elbows in order to grab a second of face time with the general public.

While other bands are thinking "career", The Blackouts are thinking "beer". And as corny as that sounds, it's because of that relaxed attitude and disregard for "making it big" that these guys have been able to go out and create art on their own terms. Living in Blue is the kind of sincere, ass-kicking record Lester Bangs would have called an indictment of all that's wrong with media-hyped Rock and Roll Lite bands like The Vines and Kings of Leon. You know, "style is originality and fashion is facism" and "grossness is the truest criterion for rock 'n roll". All that shit. Honesty doesn't have a way of winning over the masses… But we… are ready for some good old fashioned authenticity.

And if that means rooting for a band that isn't comprised of Brooklyn-based art school grads living off trust funds and battling depression with prescription drugs, then so be it… This is an album that swaggers with a Cool Hand Luke toughness yet feels as comfortable as your favorite pair of worn-down Levi's. Much of The Blackouts' poised performance on record is indebted to the band's white riot of a live performance. On stage, they're sexy, genuine… and as… dangerous as can be.

Turns out a good bit of the band's live energy manages to transfer into 0s and 1s on disc. For their sophomore effort, The Blackouts hooked up with longtime Champaign producer Adam Schmitt (Velvet Crush, HUM, The Action), took the new songs they spent the summer writing on the road into the studio, and came out on the other end with what I'll calmly call an authentic rock and roll remedy in a record. You want a story to sell to your readers? How about this: rock and roll music is back to make an honest living. The Blackouts are your 100% proof. Drink up." - Doug Hoepker.

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Living in Blue [Enhanced]

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