Brothers was the first album to really launch The Black Keys into stardom, and when El Camino was also met with both critical acclaim and popular support, the duo locked down a very prominent spot for themselves in modern rock and roll history. Now with Turn Blue, their latest studio album, they're reentering the music scene with both veteran status and a back catalog under their belts that would make even the most successful of rockstars take a second look. With said success comes a a certain "mainstream" status, and while they may have lost some early fans along the way who value the novelty of it all over the actual music,they now have a huge following which will be stoked on pretty much anything they put out. This relatively newfound career security often breeds a willingness to experiment (or, at the very least, self-indulge), and it definitely shows for The Keys in Turn Blue. The oh-so-recognizable production work of Danger Mouse is out in full force on this track list, and the sounds of True Blue are decidedly less lo-fi, while much more orchestral than in previous offerings like El Camino. All of these things are welcome additions to the new project, and, in fact, it's the kind of progress we hope for from big names like The Black Keys. However, if you're at all familiar with Danger Mouse, then the vaguely Western aesthetic is a bit troubling. The album feels like it could be the B-side to Broken Bells' After the Disco (which Danger Mouse also produced) and even Danger Mouse's very avant-garde collaboration with Italian producer Daniele Luppi seems to have wormed its way into the list of inspirations that influenced this album. There's still enough of that classic Black Keys flavor to render it unique, but the fact that it sounds so similar to projects from completely different artists is a tad anticlimactic, making the whole roll-out feel just a bit more vanilla than it should. With all that said, if you're not the type to nitpick about frivolous things like sound comparisons and "creative directions", then this album is an absolute hit. Songs like "Waiting On Words" are both soft and impactful, and if you're a fan of a more stripped-down rock flavor, then "Fever" and "In Time" will exceed expectations. The Black Keys have deviated from business as usual this time around, and while it's unfortunate that this means they now sound more like other acts, you can't argue with the final product. In fact, when assessed in a vacuum, there's no getting around how good these two have gotten at making music. They're releasing Turn Blue in conjunction with a national tour, so we can all expect to see more sold-out shows in the next couple months; and while it's still too early to tell if the work's going to go down as one of their better ones, you can bet that it's going to keep the fans happy while serving as yet another well deserved trophy on their already full sonic mantle, in any event. Purchase Turn Blue on iTunes now.
The Black Keys