Attack & Release
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The Big Come Up
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Brothers
I understand the understated aesthetic on
this newest cover, but this taking it a bit too far. Unlike
the cover, the duo has actually expanded their sound (and I
understand has officially doubled their lineup to become a quartet)
in ways that moves them beyond just a rad Ohio blues band and/or
Danger Mouse's latest
pet project. They are now a full-fledged indie rock powerhouse.
They've clearly learned some tips and tricks from DM and have
put them to use in much more subtle ways than on Attack
& Release, which sounded forced and uncomfortable at times.
They're still a blues band at heart, but on the intro, "Everlasting
Light," for instance, our buddy Dan Auerbach sings in a lovely
falsetto and adds some sweet backing vocals that evoke like
Motown put through a gnarly rock blender. The production is
tight and the songs swing with 60s and 70s flourishes throughout.
The whole thing gives it a timeless flavor that deserves to
be cranked at full volume either at night in a smoky poolhall
or in a car on a summer day with all the windows rolled down,
sunroof open and the smell of beer and suntan lotion in the
air. Definitely the coolest album of 2010 so far. |
El Camino
As much as I long for The Black Keys' rougher sound, it's hard to deny that the newer, smoother, fleshed out Keys are infinitely more stylized and consistent in their sound. Even with the shellac quality of Danger Mouse's usual production style, they manage to get some of those rough edges to show through on occasion and overcome his chimney, throw-backy gloss effect. Granted, he takes a much lighter hand on this one than on Attack & Release. The result is a more varied sound that is still very blues-based and vintage sounding, but has some hipster elements with the group choruses and those ubiquitous handclaps that folks just love so much. Ultimately these are pop rock songs -- a kind of less esoteric Odelay for the new age -- plunged into the bluesy fun machine. I've actually enjoyed this album more and more every time I listen to it, and makes for an actual great "album" listen -- listening to track 1-11 in a row with no outside intrusion. A very solid and pretty darn good album from front to back. A serious rarity these days. |
Thickfreakness
Jesus, this stuff is heavy. Like a non-hipster
version of The White Stripes
and a heroin-addled Eric Clapton, The Black Keys slug through
the blues swamp with only a guitar, drums and lead singer Dan
Auerbach's voice to accompany them. If he doesn't drink Jack
Daniels for breakfast, then I can't imagine what the hell is
going on. He sounds like an old, cracked blues man but, as it
turns out, is just a young, white guy with a bad beard. The
stuff just rocks, plain and simple. I have this fantasy of walking
into some roadside honky-tonk one night and these guys are playing
and I can die a happy man (because I probably would if I walked
into a honky-tonk anywhere). |
Rubber Factory |
Musical Connections:
Blakroc
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