I’m pretty new to the world of Jay Reatard, which appears to be a twisted and sometimes bloody mess. When I told a friend I was on the fence about going to see him open for the Black Keys this Friday at Marquee Theatre, his response/promise won me over: “It’s the best 18 minutes of your life.”
The only other time I’d really heard Jay Reatard’s name was from a friend who plays in the band Tokyo Electron, which toured with Reatard (or do I say “Jay”?) in 2007.
Pitchfork has the scoop on a series of 7-inches being released by Matador, Reatard’s new label. I can’t even keep track. Apparently, he’s prolific and stuff.
One of the tunes I’ve been enjoying in preparation for the Best 18 Minutes of My Life is Nightmares, from the 2006 record Blood Visions. Like most of his tracks, Nightmares starts and stops before you realize it (2 minutes, 15 seconds), but it pulls you in with a surprisingly catchy chorus/hook.
Also, Reatard is sharing a new song, Tiny Little Home, on his blog.
Jay Reatard | Nightmares
Jay Reatard was loud and crazy and the Black Keys were amazing. I knew nothing of Jay Reatard and very little of the Black Keys, but damn what an energetic show.
check out the band he was in prior to his solo work, the lost sounds. very good stuff indeed.