It’s that time of year, the time when year end lists begin to take over our thoughts and blogs posts. We love year end list season and this year is a special one for lists as we close out the decade of the 2000′s. So, we here at ENS thought it would be fun to do features on some of our favorite Cincinnati albums of the last ten years. Enjoy.

The Greenhornes – Dual Mono – 2002

In a time when bands were putting aside their 1990′s modern rock tendencies and returning to the roots of independent rock n’ roll, The Greenhornes were helping blaze that trail. Bands like The White Stripes, The Vines, The Datsuns and more were beginning to sound more like garage rock bands their fathers listened to than music from the 90′s like radio friendly cock rock. A new era was beginning and when it comes to garage rock, not many do it as well as The Greenhornes.

On their third full length album, the band was touting a new cast of characters to go along with founding members Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler and Craig Fox. Gone from the original lineup was Brian Olive (who left to play with Toledos Soledad Brothers) and keyboardist Jared McKinney, and in was Eric Stien (who currently is in another Cincinnati band, The Griefs). The names changed but the results were very similar for The Greenhornes on Dual Mono however, and maybe turned more heads than the first two releases as well. The signature pulse and sound was best displayed on absolute killer songs like “Satisfy My Mind” which remains my favorite Greenhornes song to date.

And don’t forget that Holly Golightly guests on “There is an End” and “Gonna Get Me Someone,” adding an element not heard on either of the first two Greenhornes albums and satisfying a new group of fans the guys may not have reached otherwise. Dual Mono is tough to compare to the first two Greenhornes records, but for me it stands as the album that defined this band. In addition to adding fans and notoriety in a time when garage rock was making a huge comeback, Dual Mono helped bring some notoriety back to Cincinnati as well, shining the spotlight on the fertile music scene that was prepping a big comeback in the years to follow.

Since Dual Mono, The Greenhornes released only one other long player (Sewed Soles in 2005) and though rumors of the band not recording again after the launching of the careers of Jack Lawrence & Patrick Keeler with Jack White’s Raconteurs, I know fans are holding out hope for another Greenhornes record someday.

About Joe Long

Joe started ENS in 2003 after most people he wanted to talk to about music were worn thin by his ramblings. The outlet this site provided helped out, and somehow is still going 9 years later. After a four year stint as a WOXY DJ, Joe returned to Cincinnati and continues to pioneer ENS. In addition to the overall look and feel of the site, Joe provides regular reviews, and kinda makes sure this whole thing stays afloat.