The Black Keys - Attack And Release
(V2/Co-operative)
http://www.theblackkeys.com
For their fifth album, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney have finally moved out the of their dank DYI basement recording studio and into the full-scale production room of Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley, Gorillaz and The Grey Album). Some fans may be uneasy about the move. After all, the Keys’ signature lo-fi guitar-drums sound is why Thom Yorke demanded they open for Radiohead’s last tour, but even with the intervention of a seasoned record producer, Attack And Release somehow maintains that same crunchy riff basement-blues style as the last, Magic Potion. This new mix is worth more than just a sip.
'Mature' doesn’t feel like the right word to use with The Black Keys, but their sound has certainly grown since Potion. This new record includes the sounds of an eerie banjo, a humming organ, a Jethro Tull-esque flute, and even a contribution by Tom Waits' guitarist Marc Ribot. Eighteen-year-old bluegrass/country singer Jessica Lee Mayfield duets on the track Things Ain’t Like They Used To Be and it’s true - they ain’t. With the help of the new studio instruments, Dan no longer has to compensate for the lack of a full band by turning his amp to eleven at all times and Patrick’s drum beats finally have the room they need to groove.
Don’t worry, though. Dan’s guitar still rips like a chainsaw (especially on Remember When [Side B]) but who knew that if you chip away that growl, there would be the voice of a young country bluesman? He croons on the opening track All You Ever Wanted, and wails on the later tracks Lies and So He Won’t Break. After an obvious effort to distance themselves from the frequent White Stripes comparisons, it’s dangerous to say this, but at times Dan sounds a bit like Nathan Willet from Cold War Kids. The comparisons must stop there, though. Attack And Release is a surprising leap, and if this is what comes out their first trip to the music studio, blues-rock fans can only hope these hermits get out more often.
Patrick Hoy
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