Just like their throw-back sound, The Black Keys have been churning out albums in throw-back style. With the upcoming release of Brothers in mid-May, the Akron blues duo will have 6 studio efforts in almost exactly 8 years. I wouldn't call myself an original fan of this rapidly-growing band, nor would I call myself a band wagon jumper. I will say emphatically that I grabbed onto these guys for dear life after hearing a few tracks off of their disc Magic Potion in late 2006. You can bet your sweet hiney that I am not letting go, either.
I originally corralled the advance release of the single "Tighten Up" courtesy of my go-to for much of my new music leads: Eric Hansen. Then, just last week found myself access to the upcoming release of Brothers. There really is nothing like getting your hands on a disc that you're really excited about before you are supposed to. I equate the feeling with flying up to the North Pole and hijacking Santa's workshop for presents the week before Christmas. I can't decide if it's more like a ninja attack, or just flying into Santa's crib with guns-a-blazing. I will leave that up to your imagination.
"Tighten Up" was the obvious choice on this disc for the single. It grabs you. The tune starts with a little whistling line that has serious "get stuck in your head" potential. Dan Auerbach's vocals are exactly what you want on this song and Patrick Carney shows off his unusual drum rhythms that truly drive a song. I have heard similar types of beats from Carney in the past and just can't get enough (i.e. "Back Door" and "Just Got To Be" from the aforementioned Magic Potion, or "Have Mercy on Me" from their EP Chulahoma). My favorite part of "Tighten Up" is the switch at around 2 and a half minutes. You think it could be ending and sadness begins to set in, but then sure enough, JOY!!! The song goes on and just gets funkier. LOOK OUT FOR THAT FUNK, KID!
When I first had the chance to listen to Brothers in its entirety, I listened to it out of order (The shuffle feature is both a blessing and a curse and could be a blog post on its own). I feel as though I should slap myself in the face for this music fan miscue. Bands invest buckets of time into selecting the order of their art and I disgraced it. Shame on me. It could even be the reason why I was underwhelmed after my first listen of the disc. However, I have given it a good 5-6 spins now and am completely digging it. Dan and Patrick have really found ways to keep their sound dirty as shit, yet refined and unique. When I first listened to these guys, I would introduce their music to friends as "Dirty Garage-Blues. Leave the Girls at Home." Now, when I listen to songs like "Sinister Kid" and "Next Girl," I still hear those dirty undertones that I love, that I need. Yet they definitely have placed a different twist on their music since they created Attack & Release, something the Keys can call their own. From the opening track "Everlasting Light" to the closing track "Unknown Brothers," the Black Keys deliver exactly that: Dirty, Yet Refined Garage Blues (patent-pending).
If I had to place a bet on the maturation of their sound, I would gamble big on their work with Danger Mouse for the Attack & Release album in 2008. Danger Mouse makes an appearance in the production credits on the new disc for the single "Tighten Up," but his influence has clearly been strong on the boys from Akron. I would not have been the least bit surprised if his name were tied to every track of Brothers. While his influence on the band is definitely good, I would be lying if I told you that I never yearned for a little less production and a little more of that original Black Keys' raw sound. If you are like me and love that side of the band, feel free to quiet that addiction at your local The Black Keys concert, coming this summer.
If you buy music (whichever format) and like rock, get onboard with Brothers. There really isn't a reason not to. We need to support bands like the Black Keys in an era of unoriginal rock and American Idols. These guys deliver what we want and what we deserve and I thank them for that. I raise my glass and say "Here's to growing and being unique...but...if you ditch that dirty-as-shit-garage-blues sound, so help me god I will freak out." Although, after seeing them live a few times, I am confident that a freak out will be unnecessary.
Highlights --
- The Jack White "Aggravated Assault" Tracks (that grab you right away): Tighten Up, Everlasting Light
- The Al Green "Feel Good" Track (that slows it down): Unknown Brother
- The Grammy Award Speech One-Liner: "That's me...the boy with the broken halo"
Dedicated to Loris and GK for helping me find the Black Keys
