The Black Keys - El Camino

Author

Joey K

Published

Friday 9th December

Nonesuch/Warner

Leading up to this album, the 7th from Akron-natives-now-Nashville-residents The Black Keys, there was talk of going back to their roots. A faster, more garage-y sound. I imagined in my mind a slicker take on ‘Thickfreakness’ perhaps? The cover image of drummer Patrick Carney’s beat up old mini-van (a Dodge Voyager, not a Chevy El Camino) seemed to re-enforce this idea of The Keys getting back in touch with their raw early days as a deliberate reaction to the big production soul of the mega-successful ‘Brothers’.

While it’s true that ‘El Camino’ – Spanish for ‘The Road’ – is quite a different album to ‘Brothers’, it is also quite different to any album they’ve done before and certainly not a return to the lo-fi grit of yore . The closest yardstick is probably ‘Tighten Up’, the only track that Danger Mouse produced on ‘Brothers’ and also the bands’ first certifiable “hit”. It’s a song that revealed a brighter side to the band, a shift away from broody blues rock towards a more upbeat and soulful ’60’s pop sound. And, backed by a similarly lighthearted video, BOY did it work for them.

Listening to rip-roaring opening track ‘Lonely Boy’, you quickly realise that ‘El Camino’ takes much from the ‘Tighten Up’ blueprint and embellishes / builds upon it with new sounds for the band that draw as much from late ’70’s glitter rock strut as they do from 60’s girl groups. It seems singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and Danger Mouse (credited as a co-writer this time around) have been dragging out their old T-Rex, ZZ Top and Zeppelin vinyl. At times it almost borders on the kind of raunchy/cheesy retro-rock channelled by Eagles of Death Metal, minus the overt wink and tongue-in-cheek. ‘Gold on the Ceiling’, an incurably catchy rock anthem complete with handclaps, hammond keys and a REALLY BIG hook, is sure to be blasting out of car windows (and car commercials) all summer long.

Amidst all this fuzz and fun is one moment of reflection and angst. ‘Little Black Submarines’ starts out as a sparse ballad that recalls the gentler side of Auerbach’s excellent solo album ‘Keep it Hid’ – but not for long. Two minutes in it erupts into a huge Zep-esque riffgasm with monstrous Bonham kick drum to boot . And then we dive straight back into dumbed-down rock territory with ‘Money Maker’ and ‘Run Right Back’ which both brim with some pretty lazy lyrical cliches. You’ll be too busy dancing around your lounge room to notice though.

The one-two punch of ‘Sister’ and ‘Hell of a Season’ is the highlight of the album for me. The former a soul sequel of sorts to the ‘Brothers’ vibe, the latter a driving and menacing stomper, the kind that I wouldn’t have minded a bit more of in proceedings. But hey, that’s me. People seem to love this record and I’ve seen quite a few 5 star reviews. For me, the perfunctory tail end trio of ‘Stop Stop’. ‘Nova Baby’ and ‘Mind Eraser’ prevent it from being another stone cold Keys classic. They’re enjoyable enough but the best is certainly over by this point.

Look, I dig this album, it’s a very cleverly produced, passionately performed and hugely enjoyable 38 minutes of music. I will play it often and loud, as the cover sticker urges me to do. But unlike ‘Brothers’ and ‘Attack & Release’ it is the first release of the latter period Keys to feel a touch style over substance. The emotional connection I have felt so strongly previously is simply not there. Dan and Patrick – I’m all for having fun, and having success, but I want a little more heart under the hood next time. Until then – hit play and crank it.