The Black Keys' mutant music; Vampire Weekend and the uncertainty of immediate gratification

This should be a Music Monday, but I missed the mark. Better late this week than delaying another week. Next Monday, I can be more on top of Tune Mountain.

I have slowly digesting all of The Black Keys' albums, but I really like them. I can close my eyes and remember all of the reasons, as a high school student just opening up to new genres, why I loved Robert Cray, B.B. King, and Robert Johnson. Maybe these guys have the same experience. Maybe The Black Keys are a mutant lab generation of Kurt Cobain crossed with John Lee Hooker.

Both Spoon and Vampire Weekend released albums this week, and Spoon's went up as streaming free downloads on NPR's site before the official release. Vampire Weekend did the same thing on its MySpace site. Now, I know that Radiohead kind of lead this online free/pre/release rampage with In Rainbows, and I know that streaming something is different from giving it away, but I am still not sure how I feel about. Here are a few quick thoughts.

As a consumer, I feel like I have too much freedom. Yes, I said too much. I know it's strange. I am thinking of the medival-sounding article I put up several months ago from the former Duran Duran member, lamenting the old days when the release of an album or appearance of a band meant something exclusive, something you really had to get stirred up for. Now, bands I have enjoyed in the past release relatively hyped albums, and I just feel . . . eh. I will get to soon. I will listen to that album for free at some point this week  . . . or next . . . if I like it, maybe I will download it. Maybe I will borrow it from someone else.

Now there are still artists for whom I will stand in line to shell out duckets sight unseen for an album or a show (if the duckets exist). The Decemberists, M. Ward, (recently promoted), The Avett Brothers, Thao, the Rural Alberta Advantage, Mos Def . . . um, David, Byrne, Paul Simon, and Tracy Chapman (yes, I am old). But beyond that, the second tier just stays interesting. Like a set of clothes that can just be changed.

Is there less magical mystery to music that is quickly and freely delivered? If so, does that make me the most underground capitalist ever. Yikes!