What do you call a guy who hangs out with musicians? A drummer.
Drummer is also the name of Black Keys stickman Patrick Carney's new side project, which is made up entirely of — you guessed it — drummers from other bands.
Joining Carney, who plays bass in Drummer, are Teeth of Hydra's Jamie Stillman on guitar, Beaten Awake's Jon Finley on vocals and guitar, Houseguest's Stephen Clements on keys and Ghostman's Greg Boyd on drums (guess they gotta have one of those).
The group's debut album, Feel Good Together, will be released on September 29 on Carney's Akron-based Audio Eagle label.
We like what we've heard from the band so far. They're lo-fi and messy (not so surprising, considering where these guys come from), but they also pack some serious hooks into their three-minute songs. Ben Vehorn recorded and mixed the album at his Tangerine Sound studio in Akron.
Drummer is also launching a fall tour with labelmates the Royal Bangs on October 8 in New York. It wraps a couple weeks later with a Beachland Ballroom gig on October 24 (Cleveland's Other Girls will also perform at this show).
In other Black Keys news, the band was just named one of the "9 Shows a Man Should See" in the new issue of Esquire.
Pearl Jam, the Roots and Bon Iver also made the list, so the Keys are in good company. They land somewhere between the "Maybe bring some earplugs" and "Something you request might get played" in the mag's Live-Show Hugeness Meter. The Keys are also singled out for being "thunderous" and "heartbreakingly melodic."
Another reason to pick up the August issue of Esquire? Mary-Louise Parker's photo spread. Growl! —Michael Gallucci
