Ohio rock duo The Black Keys’ sixth album proves “the Keys” are here to stay.
The album released in May fittingly titled “Brothers showcases best friends and band mates vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney’s funky, eclectic sound and their ever-present love of 50s blues music— and shows they can play it just as well, too.
Formed in 2001 in Akron Ohio The Black Keys formed as a last effort for Auerback and Carney who were old high school band mates to do something with their lives. Thus The Black Keys were born. Their debut album “The Big Come Up which dropped in 2002, did surprisingly well for a indie-rock band, and also began their gradual climb up the industry’s ladder.
Five albums and separate side projects later (singer/guitarist Auerbach released a solo album and drummer Carney released an album with a side band) The Black Keys’ last effort is finally paying off. “Brothers” is a culmination of all things Keys which subsequently has given them another great throw-back album to the days where rhythm and blues weren’t all about bling and cool dance moves and rock was a little less pop.
A 15-track album featuring Auerbach’s captivatingly gritty croon surrounded by Carney’s hypnotizing percussion beat and the steady guitar is reminiscent of the great blues legends such as Willie Dixon Jimmy Reed and Muddy Waters. “Brothers” is a little bit Fleetwood Mac a little bit blues legends and all The Black Keys. “Tighten Up the album’s single, still encompasses the Black Keys’ bluesy tune but takes it more in the direction of music innovators like Gnarls Barkley and Thom Yorke.
Its upbeat tune solidifies The Black Keys as a versatile band. Another song off their album “Never Gonna Give You Up is all rhythm and blues and channels the melancholy tune for which 50s blues music is known. Every song on this album is worth listening to— The Black Keys can do no wrong.
Somehow The Black Keys have been flying under the public radar but they have still managed to garner a big set of loyal fans that have steadily grown over their nine-year existence. And with the bands “it’ll happen when it happens” attitude they can only move upward from here.
With famous fans like the Followill brothers from Kings of Leon Thom Yorke Kristen Stewart Damon Dash and Robert Plant it’s a surprise they’ve been able to stay out of fame’s blinding spotlight. It might be a little quieter over in the Keys camp but don’t doubt they haven’t left their marks all over the entertainment industry.
You might have heard them on a movie soundtrack called the “Twilight Saga: Eclipse or heard their theme song on the HBO series Hung.” They’ve been featured in commercials countless bigbudget films and hit television series for years.
They’ve toured and opened for Pearl Jam Radiohead Beck and are currently opening for the Kings of Leon. And if their famous following cannot attest for their talent and great sound a music intervention is in desperate need for the masses.
The Black Keys are a solid rock duo that knows what they like and what they are good at. They are not in it to sell out although they aren’t shunning success and the monetary wealth that comes with it but like all good rock bands they aren’t afraid to talk back.
They are reinventing rock music by bringing it back to the days where rock and roll and blues were synonymous with each other. And “Brothers” definitely does that.
