Rubber Factory (2004)

I was worried I was getting burnt out, but this album was a breath of fresh air. I really enjoyed a few of the songs on this one.

First off, the sound, or more importantly the introduction of some variety to the sound, was really welcome. I've tried not to read much on the history of these albums so as not to bias myself, but I did see the first two albums were recorded in a basement in single marathon sessions. That makes sense. They sound like it. This one they had more time, more room, and crucially, Dan discovered that his reverb and slap back delay modules had on/off switches.

The first track right off the bat there is so much more room in the sound. The drums are big, there is a violin adding color in the right channel. The song itself was brutally monotonous, but I listened all the way through because it was just so nice to hear such an open sound.

And then on 10 am automatic, his voice is upfront and dry (no reverb or delay) for the first time. And it sounds really good. Such a small difference but it adds so much presence and makes the track feel much more alive.

They really true some different stuff on this one. Acoustic ballad on the Lengths, a more bouncy syncopated feel a la Mungo Jerry on Act Nice and Gentle, even a reversed guitar solo on the Desperate Man (which was not great and felt out of place, BUT the effort was appreciated).

Oh and on Grown So Ugly, it was the first time I've heard him sound like he actually enjoyed what he was doing! It actually sounded like rock and roll, and had real energy.

Was very happy to hear that they are still keeping for the most part with their bread and butter on this one, but are clearly much more comfortable in the studio.

Highlights:

10 am automatic
Desperate Man (despite the reversed solo)
Grown so Ugly
Act Nice and Gentle

Magic Potion up next...

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They're talked about a lot and insanely popular. Very good band. Once they have a new album come out, you'll hear and see more of them.

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I just don't see it then. Here in College Station among college students, it's pop, hip hop, house, or country music. I'm consistently one of the only people I talk that likes every other genre besides those.

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Honestly, I had to check the date of this post, thought maybe it was a troll. Not trying to be a jerk but they're huge and one of the most popular bands of the last 10 years.

Cause they haven't been as visible for the last few years and since you're in college and might be pretty young you probably missed when they were monstrous but there was a period where every single commercial on TV had a black keys song, El Camino sold as much as Coldplay's album and they sold out gigantic arenas for their tours including Madison Square Garden (in like 20 minutes if i recall).

I mean, yeah....not sure what you're getting at here

Ok, Magic Potion (2006)

The sound is getting really nice and heavy. Definitely the best they've sounded so far, and appreciate the occasional variation in guitar and drum sound.

The music itself is getting a little heavier too. I mean it's still just super simple pentatonic riffs and fuzzed out power chords, but some of the tunes (like Goodbye Babylon) are sounding closer to maybe something you'd hear on Led Zeppelin I. The problem (for me) with that, is that this is the first time that I'm starting to actually notice, and really miss, the bass presence.

Despite that, there are some good songs in this one. To be honest a few of them sound very familiar but I can't honestly tell you if it's because I know them or because I've now listened to 50 or so songs that sound almost identical.

On the other hand, You're the One, is a real standout. The first one yet, that I think I could maybe hum back to you even an hour later, and now, my favorite song of theirs. The little tremolo and the clean(ish) guitar sound great. Good tune, closers thing to a melody I've heard so far. The double vocals was a welcome new touch too. If the others are starting to sound like Led Zeppelin I, this one is reminiscent of Abbey Road.

They're doing just enough to keep me interested in how this next album will be. Onward...

High - did you really just arrive this late to your knowledge on this subject? Were you commercial radio only until just very recently?

#whitekeysmatter

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High - did you really just arrive this late to your knowledge on this subject? Were you commercial radio only until just very recently?

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I haven't listened to the radio in years. Look, I don't know any other way to say it. Of the 60,000 college students in College Station, most people don't like or talk about this kind of music. Thus I had not been exposed to their full arsenal of music, just the ones that make it onto commercials or video games.

Well- there were, and it remains so now, plenty of ways to have discovered new music, although that can certainly require effort.

love the Black Keys. Seen em a bunch and it's always great.

I remembered an article I read from Carney's ex wife, and I just found it. Some others on here might find it interesting.

http://www.salon.com/2011/03/03/grollmus_divorce_from_black_keys/

That was a really interesting read. Felt like something from a Nick Hornby novel.

Smart girl, Pat's (ex) wife:

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I also know when Patrick hits in too soon or too late on his drum kit.

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Ok, Attack and Release

writing as I listen..

Little nervous about the title, wonder if there will be synths on this album (attack and release being two of the four envelope parameters on a synth sound)

Not to worry. Just getting heavier. Digging it.

Production is getting bigger and bigger too. Ok with me. Gives these songs some needed life.

Strange Life, I barely recognize his voice. Hickory High, I bet you really like this one, sounds a bit like another band I think you like a little bit

Remember When, has the kind of psychedelic western weirdo sound from Beck's Odelay. It honestly doesn't fit these guys very well. They clearly seem to be letting a new producer come in and get heavy-handed here.

Same Old Thing: again, I like them trying to expand their song a bit, but the flute just isn't them.

So He Won't Break: Production is still really heavy here, but it at least fits a little better on this tune, which at least sounds like the kind of song they would normally write.

Things Ain't Like What They Used to Be: Not a bad song, but sounds way to much like The Beatles' "Don't Let Me Down"

Funny, this one really did kind of let me down. I thought I would like more production, but it was just a little overboard for me on this one, it just didn't fit the songs.

Brothers.

Wow, turned a corner here. there is charisma here.confidence. like Dan actually wants to be a lead singer, and Patrick, well he at least seems to be playing to a click track now. songs are still super simple, but the production makes them interesting. Which is great, 'cause I was losing interest.

interesting that the consensus seems to be that this album is still among their 'good ones'. I would assume that the kind of guy who liked The Big Come Up or Thickfreakness would find this 'overproduced'.

Tighten Up. Ok I know this one from non stop radio play. But haven't heard it in a while. Now hearing it in the context of their whole catalog, wow, what a bug leap. There's bass, multi-tracked guitars, big super compressed break-beat-style drums.

Howlin' for You, I also know.

The Only One sounds to me a lot like Broken Bells or even Gnarls Barkley. Had to look it up, sure enough, Danger Mouse. This was a very good call, the guy is masterful at making a lot out of a little.

***SIDENOTE**** also just learned DangerMouse produced Attack and Release, the production on which I really didn't like. Huh. Well, they are clearly more comfortable together on this one. Almost wonder if they were writing this one with DangerMouse's aesthetic in mind this time. ******

Love the George Harrison guitar on Unknown Brother, and These Days has a great motown feel. These Days is now a top 5 BK song for me

I really hope they keep going in this direction on the next one. Wait, isn't this one considered the last of the 'good' albums? This album has made me 'kind of a Black Keys fan', maybe I'll be one of those a-holes who only likes the newer stuff. We'll see, El Camino coming next...

El Camino.

Ok, I get why this so very popular. I also get why fans may not like it.

Its so loud, drums are so compressed, everything is just so bombastic.

I like a lot of DangerMouse stuff, but this so just too much of the Mouse. Half of these sound like DangerMouse songs

(Just looked it up, yup, cowrote the whole album)

I think Lonely Boy would be fine if they could have had a little restraint and left out the giant chorus of girl backup singers. We've come a long way from that Akron basement I heard this morning.


Brothers hit a sweet spot for me. This one was just sour. No thanks.

Brothers is great

Ok, all caught up with Turn Blue (2014)

Brian Burton has completed the takeover. There's seems to be almost no creative input from the actual Black Keys here.

It sounds like a Broken Bells follow up album, with Auerbach replacing James Mercer. The problem is, at least for me, it was knack for lyrics and melody that made Broken Bells work. Without that, you're left with just a lot of overproduction.

Maybe I'll revisit some of these songs fresh in a couple of days.

Conclusions about the Black Keys? To paraphrase Vikings head coach Denny Green, they were what I thought they were.

The first 3 semi-lofi garage (or basement) rock albums, everything sounds so much the same. The last two albums have been completely consumed by DangerMouse. In the middle there I really liked it. Brothers I will listen to again. After going through all there songs today, I find myself much more drawn to those early albums, surprisingly. As much as I cringed for every out of time drum fill, it was much more interesting to listen to than the overcompressed wallop of DangerMouse's precise and soulless soul beats.

My bias going into this little experiment was that this was boring music for boring people. I don't necessarily still think that, there is some good stuff in here. If anything it's a pretty typical story of a band broadening their sound to reach the most people possible, but becomes so broad it loses any of the magic that made it compelling in the first place. Seems to happen to a lot of great bands. Oh well, i guess in that regard it means they've really made it.

I can't imagine listening to a band's entire catalog in a day. Even if I loved them.

Just out of curiosity, since you seem to know a lot about music, what are some of your favorite bands?

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I can't imagine listening to a band's entire catalog in a day. Even if I loved them.

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To be fair, I had a lot of data entry and stats to run today, so it was tons of rote work that was amenable to listening to music. I also have about an hour commute on the train each way, so that's good listening time too.

To be fairer, I tried to get at least a minute or 2 from each song. Luckily most of them ****s is like 3 minutes tops.

I just kind of like to give music an objective go sometimes, tried tell if why I like or don't like something, or try to figure out what it is other people like. I love to listen to top 40 radio in the car. Not so much as a fan, but as like, an anthropologist, to get a glimpse into what these kids are into today.

Very cool. Mad respects.

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Just out of curiosity, since you seem to know a lot about music, what are some of your favorite bands?

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I guess all time favorites would be Radiohead, Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Shins, Rufus Wainwright

I like a lot of I guess 'downtempo' kind of electronic music, DJ Shadow, Air (fantastic band) Portishead, etc

I like a lot jazz, favorite usual suspects like Miles, Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins, Mingus, Joe Pass, Larry Coryell

I like a lot of hip hop, favorite MCs are MF Doom, Mos Def, I really like this new white kid Lil ****y. Oh and the Hamilton soundtrack of that actually counts, which it should cuz it's brilliant.

Probably the album I've listened to the most in the past year though is Jason Isbell's Something More Than Free. Dude may be the best songwriter working today.

Anyway, that's a taste. Like all kinds of stuff.

Comments from a guitar player...I know a couple of their songs but just kinfa blew them off. Last time they came through Houston my wife dragged me out to their show. I was absolutely blown away by the live tone that guy was getting out of all his vintage marshalls/fenders/etc. Dude had those amps cranked and it sounded absolutely beautiful, I gained a lot of respect from them afrer that show.

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Comments from a guitar player...I know a couple of their songs but just kinfa blew them off. Last time they came through Houston my wife dragged me out to their show. I was absolutely blown away by the live tone that guy was getting out of all his vintage marshalls/fenders/etc. Dude had those amps cranked and it sounded absolutely beautiful, I gained a lot of respect from them afrer that show.

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The Keys are one of those bands who's live show really adds something to their early work, since it was rather simplistic in its sound

OP, you aren't alone with The Black Keys. I think they are pretty well talked about by folks that pay attention to music of any sort. Certainly not flying under the radar.

Check out The Kills, btw. Different sort of band but they are more under the radar and VV is quite impressive. Two man group (+ a drum machine occasionally)... good stuff, great in concert. Not theater rock though like Muse.

Started off not liking them. Then started loving them. Now I'm in the middle.

The problem with a band like them is.. either stay what you are or attempt something inventive. Lately, it seems they're content.. and the music suffers.

Guitar in Strange Times definitely sounds like some Matt Bellamy stuff

One of my favorite things they put out was Chulahoma: The Songs of Junior Kimbrough. "Meet Me In the City" is absolutely freaking brilliant. One of those perfect pieces of music.

Great band.

Definitely a fan. My wife and I were introduced at our wedding to "Everylasting Light" off of the Brothers album. Favorite song is probably "Little Black Submarines". The transition from slow to fast gets me pumped up every time.

Black Keys are odd for me.

I used to love them. a lot.

Now, I honestly cant stand to listen to them. So weird, I know. But I have never really had this happen to me before.