• The Blacks have found a way to mix indie pop, country, rock, folk, sex and blues into a grounded, heady and altogether charismatic musical blend.

    — The Octopus

  • These are the Blacks, and they are one of the finest rock & roll bands you'll hear this year.

    — Riverfront Times

  • The quartet created a sound and put on a show like nobody else, a cocktail of hillbilly punk, garage rock, red-light-district blues and cabaret, a dash of glam swagger and sensuality, and killer harmonies

    — Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune

  • Incorporating boisterous indie rock, outlandish country/punk, debauched Dixieland, Delta blues, cabaret cool and rockabilly boogie, The Blacks keep the pleasure principle in effect with deceptively simple songwriting and climactic performances.

    — Magnet Magazine
Hometown: 
Chicago, IL

The Blacks burned bright for two albums (1998's Dolly Horrorshow and 2000's Just Like Home), then flamed out under their own volatility. In 2010, after a 10 year hiatus, the band reunited and returned with a digital-only EP, In Sickness and Health. Then they broke up again during the encore of the release show.

So goes rock and roll....

In 10 or 20 years, your kids or your curious nephews will ask "Hey, why weren't the Blacks famous back then? What was wrong with you people that you made the Strokes and Vampire Weekend famous?  This band kicks all their asses."

How you gonna answer?

Compilation Tracks: 
Recommended if You Like: 
Gun Club
The White Stripes
X
Hank Wiiliams
Those Darlins

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