They took a second to ramp up, but once they did they were on it, like for real for real. The first three or four albums are all kinda weak, I feel. They’re super simple and bluesy, with limited instrumentation and a fuzzy garage sound. It’s not bad, it definitely feels like it is what it’s going for, it’s just that I’m not the biggest fan of that thing. I feel like I ought to like them more, or at least say that I like them more. I feel like saying I don’t care for them while also saying I like The White Stripes must be disingenuous somehow because of how much it feels like they occupy the same space of sound. Like, I feel like for all I can tell I would have said the same things I said about The Black Keys as I said about The White Stripes if I’d listened to them first. But I didn’t listen to them first, and so when I listen to them I mostly feel like… is it a vibe? Sure. Does it achieve the sound it’s trying to achieve? I’m pretty sure definitely yes. Do songs feel distinct to me, and are there songs that I like individually, that have a personal character to them that I can easily identify, and that once I identify I enjoy? Not really, no.
Until album five. Albums five to eight (that is, from Attack & Release to Turn Blue) are produced by Brian Burton aka Danger Mouse. It’s truly a night and day difference. I don’t mean that they became more complicated or that they were taken over by this additional layer of collaboration and refinement– it doesn’t really feel like they changed too much about themselves, just added some keys and bass and cleaned up a little. But that little bit of clean up is exactly what it needed to be, and I’m sure it’s hiding plenty of adjustments and decisions under the hood. All of those albums slap. I don’t know if I have a favorite among those four albums or if they’re all consistent across the board. They definitely sold me on the band, they’re all just super solid, pretty faultless.
After the four Danger Mouse albums there are three self produced albums (and a cover album, it’s fine, but also, cover album). The first of those last three albums is still pretty great, the second is alright, the third is solid.
I think one of my main takeaways from this, more than anything about The Black Keys themselves, is the power of a producer. There is a stark difference in the records made before they had a producer and after. Even after they went back to producing their own music again, they’d taken something away, they’d learned something from it. I still think their self-produced albums are maybe a little bit less… something, but that’s probably more props to Danger Mouse (the producer) than it is a dis on The Black Keys. All around I’m super happy with this listen. The albums I didn’t like still have their place and don’t distract from the albums I do like, and the albums I do like are just back to back 40 minute hits of high quality blues-inspired garage rock. I’m giving a mid-high A with pretty much no qualms.
The Black Keys complete, now listening to: Laufey
tunafruitsandwitch 