The Black Keys - Attack and Release
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Free Music Notes for Attack and Release
Free Music Review: Just Breaking
Hit: 4 Stars
This is probably the album where people actually started knowing the name The Black Keys. It is getting more on their newer style of play, but still a great album. Look to the Past for better stuff.Free Music Review: Great Album
Hit: 4 Stars
This is great. It's very exciting to see 2 different groups/individuals come together and make something like this.Free Music Review: Not the Same Old Thing but I still Got Mine.
Hit: 3 Stars
After four albums with little production and raw blues riffs it was inevitable that TBK would spice things up with some new elements and a polished sound. Although I understand the change I definetly miss little blues numbers like "Run Me Down" and "Hurt Like Mine". TBK's first three albums were so good, all 4 1/2 to 5 stars, that I'm beginning to think not even TBK will ever be able to out-do themselves.
From what I've heard and read it seems like DangerMouse didn't get in the way of the band that much, but he was a big reason this album sounded different and it's obvious when his influence is heavy. In an interview I read, DangerMouse talked about which songs he had alot of input on, and those just happen to be the songs I like the least. For example, "Remember When" Side A is the song I just skip on the album without question. I made myself listen and tried to give it a chance but it's just an experiment in production gone bad. "All You Ever Wanted" had a chance to be a great song if DangerMouse or whomever is responsible would have squeezed more out of the heavy ending and extended what was just getting interesting. Also there are a couple more effects DangerMouse added that just seem to be there for the sake of being there.
After making DangerMouse seem like the blues killer I should say there are a couple of things he did really well. I like that Dan's voice is more pronounced in most of the songs, he has a great blues rock voice and it should be a big part of all the songs. I think the piano and bango sound in "Psychotic Girl" and then the flute and production of "Same Old Thing" worked really well with the songs and made for two of the better songs on the album.
For me what makes this album a 3 1/2 star instead of a 3 is "Lies" and "I Got Mine". The sound and lyrics of Lies is bone chilling. Jus pure greatness. "I Got Mine" is a typical great Auerbach riff, and is the type of song I would play for someone who had never heard the Keys before. "Strange Times" has grown on me, but not what I think their single should have been. "So He Won't Break" and "Oceans and Streams" are decent songs but I'm glad they didn't do more than two of these type of songs. I can't put my finger on it but they sound like a good Duran Duran song or something, that's probably a real bad comparision so someone comment and give me a better comparision!
One thing I would like to see TBK do on their next album is extend some of their songs and just groove a little bit. Also, I would like to hear a couple of strongs solos in the album. This band is awesome live and I would like to hear just a little of their spontaneity on an album.
Overall I like the album but I don't love it. Two songs that I love, 3-4 I really like, 3-4 that are ok, and 1 or 2 that I can do without.
..I purchased a cd through amazon for the first time just so I could review TBK albums. I loath almost all modern music and until I was introduced to TBK I only consider myself a fan of bands that predated my birth. TBK is the real deal.
Free Music Review: Things Aint Like They Used to Be, for the Black Keys.
Hit: 3 Stars
I've spent a lot of time sorting out my mixed feelings about this album, and I'm not sure if I've sorted them all out yet but I figured I'd give it a try. In many ways it is too smooth, it lacks the grit, inconsistencies and heavy rifts that gave them a sound that was so intoxicating. You could take any song, grab onto their brilliant rifts and let them take you for a ride that beat any roller coaster. These are the type of songs that Patrick Carney produces so brilliantly, so I was hesitant when I heard Danger Mouse was producing. While he does some good, even great stuff, a nice riff certainly isn't his thing. I haven't changed my thinking. Danger Mouse never let the riffs take over, he never gave them enough room to breathe. "I Got Mine" is probably the biggest offender, since it seemed to aspire to be a song from a previous Keys album, but falling well short. On Remember When (Side B) probably comes closest to mastering the rifts, but as good of as song it is, I feel Patrick would have handled it better.
On the other hand, there are some truly great songs on this album. "Psychotic Girl" sounds far more like a Danger Mouse song than a TBK song, but I find it hard to deny its brilliance. "Ocean and Streams" and "So He Won't Break" definitely have the Danger Mouse fingerprints, but manage to maintain much of the TBK spirit, leaving us with some really good songs.
The song I've found to be my favorite is "Things Ain't Like They Used to Be." From the opening record player crackle I knew I was getting something a little more raw than the rest of the album, and was rewarded with the kind of brilliant, pull at your heart strings ballad that many attempt, but only the greatest can pull off.
Overall I think I really like this album. However, as someone that has heard every song The Black Keys have ever released (trust me, they don't make it easy for you to find everything), I'd put this towards the bottom of their pantheon. I know they wanted to try to expand their sound, and I think they did so far more brilliantly with "Rubber Factory." This album may have been better served with Danger Mouse and Patrick splitting producing duties, Pat on some of the more riff focused songs with DM taking over on the others. I hope Patrick goes back to producing for the Keys after this, since he's proven to be the only one to fully harness the raw power and the energy that is The Black Keys.
Free Music Review: Missing the mark?
Hit: 3 Stars
I have to agree with another review that gave Attack and Release 3 stars.
As much as I loathe to give the Black Keys a 3 star review as they are without question one of the greatest bands to emerge in the last 10 years (in my humble opinion) but this album just falls short in so many ways. Being renowned for their gritty and raw style with shredding guitars and insanely loud drumming the Black Keys exude all the potency of a full orchestra and they are just 2 lone guys. However this latest outing sees them team up with Danger Mouse, bringing new and unexpected sounds to the "keys". I also do not blame the boys for this but feel as though everything that made the Black Keys great has been lost with the annoying inclusion of 'Gnarles Berkley-esque clapping, strained and sometimes over synth-d vocals and small bleeps and bobs from the man who did such a great job with MF Doom and others. Here though his talents are truely misplaced and his production style reduces the 'Keys' album to an annoyingly missarranged muddle of mediocrity, where dummed down vocals and over compensated drums with not enough guitar make them sound weak and more middle of the road than edge of the cliff.
Ive been with the 'Keys' since the beginning, also and saw them this past summer live and Lollapalooza, they totally rocked! S