The Black Keys-El Camino

Sometimes you nonchalantly decide that you are going to just subtly drop one of the best rock albums of the year at the last month of the year. Sometimes that album is called El Camino. Sometimes you are the Black Keys. This is one of those times.

Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney have been working for over 10 years together, bringing seven great albums to the table as the Black Keys. The latest album, El Camino, is no exception to the classic formula of face-rocking blues rock combined with soul to create a modern-vintage sound. Unlike the past album, the Black Keys have decided to skip the excess amount of soul, and stick to their rock n roll style of their first five albums to create a perfect blend of awesomeness.

Producer/artist/half of Gnarles Barkley, Brian “Danger Mouse” Burton, lends his talent to bring a certain level of retro flair to a band that already has a retro flair, the result: a legitimate retro sound, you might swear was an album lost in the late 60’s/early 70’s. It’s as if Danger Mouse rolled up with a DeLorian time machine and said, “You have to come back with me! It’s your albums! Something has to be done about your albums!”

The album has a garage feel to it, and yet is a polished and refined blast to listen to. It is a more up-tempo album than “Brothers” which is a good direction for the Black Keys, despite how well it was received by critics; I personally felt Brothers was one of their worst albums to date. Carney explained the album’s direction: “After the first three or four songs were recorded, it kind of became apparent that they’re all rooted in this early rock and roll feel. It was around that time that we decided to make a whole album that was built around that.” While some that haven’t listened to any albums besides “Brothers” will describe this as a new direction for the Keys, true fans will know that this album puts them back on track to classic Black Keys goodness.

Bottom line: El Camino is like the car in many respects, it’s ugly, not very fun, and it’s a piece of shit…err, wait. It’s nothing like an El Camino. Nevermind. Maybe its like the Dodge Caravan on the cover of the album, it’s ugly, not very fun, and it’s a piece of shit…umm…maybe I’ll just stop trying to make a simile for this album. Its good stuff.