The Black Keys: Grey Area

The Black Keys are a unique group with a sound the evoques memories of artists from decades past. . The lead singer's raspy voice can be compared to Paul McCartney's during The Beatles' early years. His delivery borders on a howl. The band only has two members, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney. Auerbach is the guitar player and vocalist. Carney is the drummer. The name was inspired by an off-kilter artist who called them and left weird messages on their answering machine about their fathers being black keys.

Although the band is so small, their sound still captures the essence of a larger rock group. The guitar is often loud and strong. Their songs have been used in several national television advertisements. The band has release six studio albums, all of which have been popular and featured on hit television shows and in popular movies.

The Black Keys were nominated for four Grammys this year after the release of their latest album, Brothers. Brothers was named No. 2 on Rolling Stone's 2010 list of the top albums. They were selected as Artist of the Year by Spin Magazine. The band also recently released a short musical film called "Howlin For You". Their uniqueness seems to be helping them make it to the top.

Kings of Leon: Reigning Over Rock

Before Kings of Leon became MTV darlings, they were four young men from the deep south trying to make it big. Three brothers and their cousin came together with a passion for music. Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill were raised by Evangelist parents who traveled all over the southern states spreading their message. The band is actually named after their father. Their cousin, Nathan, became part of the band after Caleb and Nathan were signed to a record label.

The group's first album was released in 2003. Although they remained unknown by the masses, their song "Molly's Chambers" was used in a Volkswagon commercial. I came across them after their second album, Youth and Young Manhood, was released. The band received rave reviews from Rolling Stone. Their sound was raw and their lyrics were raunchy. Kings of Leon began cultivating a cult following. It wasn't until their fourth album, Only by the Night, that the group became popular in the United States. The two most popular songs off the album were "Sex on Fire" and "Use Somebody". It was Kings of Leon's first platinum-selling album in the U.S. The group's latest album already has a hit, "Radioactive".

The band has been touring internationally at a nearly constant rate due to their quick output of albums. I was lucky to see them at Lupo's in Providence, RI, after the release of their third album, Because of the Times. They filled the small venue with so much energy. Another great aspect was that they sounded exactly like they did on the album. Sometimes it can be disappointing to go to a concert and the band sounds horrendous. It was hands down one of the best concerts I've ever been to. I have no doubt that Kings of Leon will continue to provide its listening audience with innovative, interesting songs.