I may have posted about this before; if so, then apologies, but it's worth revisiting.

By "roots rockers", I mean those bands and artists who carry their influences on their sleeves for everyone to see and pay their loving respect...as well as some who add a few twists to make things interesting.  

And I don't mean clones, but those who draw inspiration from older music: blues, early rock n' roll, jazz, r&b, etc.  Often, they stick to their guns regardless of trends, because, if it ain't broken, then why fix it?

Some notable examples:

J. Geils Band (r&b, soul)

Black Crowes (blues, r&b, soul)

Los Lobos (americana, tex-mex, early r&r)

Grateful Dead (early r&r, bluegrass, folk)

Little Feat (new orleans, r&b, blues)

Traveling Wilburys (country, heartland)

Blues Traveler (blues, americana)

 

And some more recent, though excellent, examples:

Wilco (americana, folk, country, heartland)

Deer Tick (early r&r, folk, country)

Calexico (tex-mex, americana)

Bright Eyes (folk, country)

Ben Harper (folk, blues, gospel)

Patty Griffin (folk, gospel, americana)

 

P.S.  In terms of newer music, with a few exceptions, this generally the stuff I go for: mature sensibilities with respect for traditions but a willingness to shake things up and maybe add a little psychedelia, hard rock, or jazz elements to keep it lively and make it fresh.  

Dave Edmunds. One of the great Rockabilly artists ever. But, he was from a different era. Along with his band Rockpile , he helped inspire 80's bands like The Stray Cats to give Rockabilly a revival of sorts.

And how can we forget Eric Clapton? He became a guitar god with Cream...then after a brilliant solo career known mainly as a Rocker , he embraced the Blues and more or less has become more Blues than Rock'n'Roll in his later years.

Eilen Jewell is an under the radar performer who I think is excellent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YaxnveOUdQ

Grant Lee Phillips ..?

In response to ZILLAGOD's comment:

Good call on Rockpile.  Exactly the kind of group I'm talking about.  Edmunds makes no bones about who his heroes are.

Clapton is a great candidate, too.  Just personally, I think he was out in the weeds at various times during his solo career until he went back to his original inspiration, as you noted.

To that end, I'll also add Paul Weller - just a brilliant songwriter and a real student of soul and r&b.  His neo-mod stuff was great, but his later work showed where his heart really was.

 

 

In response to yogafriend's comment:

Definitely.  Especially the later stuff.  

Grant Lee Buffalo is another one of those lost 90s gems that's kept its sparkle.

 

 

Social Distortion is a bit rockabilly bit punk at times

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Heartless Bastards

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um1auB6nbmI

In response to polar123's comment:

Brilliant.  Their album "Arrow" made my 2012 best-of list.  Great songs, plenty of grit and soul.  Outstanding live band, too.  

Definitely worth checking out....

The Black Keys

Add: 

The Flying Burrito Brothers

 

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In response to MattyScornD's comment:

 

In response to polar123's comment:

 

Heartless Bastards

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um1auB6nbmI

 

Brilliant.  Their album "Arrow" made my 2012 best-of list.  Great songs, plenty of grit and soul.  Outstanding live band, too.  

 

Definitely worth checking out....

 

Erica Wennerstrom is talented, kind of a mix between Grace Slick and Lucinda Williams...... Saw them live last Spring and they just tore it it up.

 

In response to RockScully's comment:

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In my opinion....

In response to polar123's comment:

Nice.  We won tix to see them at the Royale last fall.  Killer show.  Fresh yet familiar, like an old leather jacket that still fits.  Wennerstrom is indeed a good writer, and I'm slowly getting into her previous work.  They have the songs that AB Shakes aspire to, IMO.

Forum: check out "Got To Have Rock & Roll" for a sample (clip posted blind):

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JwaDbxPUDc

 

 

 

In response to RogerTaylor's comment:

 

In response to RockScully's comment:

 

In response to RogerTaylor's comment:

 

The Black Keys

 

In what way?

 

 

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In my opinion....

 

 

The Black Keys are Roots Rockers, in that is they have their roots in the blues, r&b, bluegrass, country, and rock. Their earlier albums showed their strong blues roots, and the band has been growing and exploring since. Their newest album, El Camino may be a bit of a departure for some fans (me), and more pop infused, but it is still a fun album, upbeat, good ole rock and roll.

The Keys are another in a line of garage bands similar to the White Stripes, Heartless Bastards, White Denim, Sonics, Strokes etc..  Guitar and drum heavy. These bands are putting out some of the best and most innovative music today. 

 

In response to MattyScornD's comment:

Nice song, about as stripped down as you can get. They are really growing on me.

For me just about any "band" today - guitar, drums, bass & sometimes keyboards - compared to the auto tuned/pro tools "produced" B.S. (Brittney boy bands, other crap) - is a roots band. The Darkness was a throwback to the 70's style of rock & roll not some "produced" sound via technology that allows anyone to put out an album. But again, that's just my opinion.

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In response to RockScully's comment:

 

In response to RogerTaylor's comment:

 

For me just about any "band" today - guitar, drums, bass & sometimes keyboards - compared to the auto tuned/pro tools "produced" B.S. (Brittney boy bands, other crap) - is a roots band. The Darkness was a throwback to the 70's style of rock & roll not some "produced" sound via technology that allows anyone to put out an album. But again, that's just my opinion.

 

The Darkness?  Are you serious?

I don't think it's a roots band for those reasons.  A roots band is something that is doing someting completely organic.  I think you're missing what the point of "roots" means.

 

The Black Keys, no offense, are one of these trendy, overrated bands. There is nothing revolutionary or unique about them and they don't do anything at all that taps into Americana (folk, blues, jazz, real country, funk, zydeco, or any other REAL American music).

 

 Nonsense, Have you even listened to any of their music other than what is played on the radio?  I've seen them live a few times, and believe me they are plenty organic, and improvising. Yeah, they have caught a wave, but its not becasue they are overrated, rather it is becasue they have a unique sound in a sea of drek.

 

 

 

 

 

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In response to RockScully's comment:

 

In response to polar123's comment:

 

In response to RockScully's comment:

 

In response to RogerTaylor's comment:

 

For me just about any "band" today - guitar, drums, bass & sometimes keyboards - compared to the auto tuned/pro tools "produced" B.S. (Brittney boy bands, other crap) - is a roots band. The Darkness was a throwback to the 70's style of rock & roll not some "produced" sound via technology that allows anyone to put out an album. But again, that's just my opinion.

 

The Darkness?  Are you serious?

I don't think it's a roots band for those reasons.  A roots band is something that is doing someting completely organic.  I think you're missing what the point of "roots" means.

 

The Black Keys, no offense, are one of these trendy, overrated bands. There is nothing revolutionary or unique about them and they don't do anything at all that taps into Americana (folk, blues, jazz, real country, funk, zydeco, or any other REAL American music).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who is the protagonist and what is your rebuttal?

 

The fact you don't counter speaks volumes. I am glad some like this chic music or new bands who use gimmicks and pop music to manufacture a boring formula, but that doesn't mean the Black Keys are roots rockers.

Preposterous. I'd suggest getting out and seeing other music.

The fact is, the pop music scene today, especially in the rock and country areas, is AWFUL. Absolutely awful.

Wake me when these "roots rocker" bands actually put out a complete record and/or do something original. There's a reason why the fade or can't do anything interesting.

 

 

 

Please, I see plenty of live music, and I am not going to debate you on what roots music is. That topic has been covered pretty well in this thread. All I will say is that we differ here on the Black Keys, to lump them in with a lot of today's pop is wrong. Just because a band is not straight up American, as you put it, does not mean they don't have their roots in blues, etc.. Do some research on the band, then we will talk.