Skip to main content

Year in Rock 2011 Nominee: The Black Keys

THE BLACK KEYS
Little Black Submarines

From: El Camino
Released: December 6

What can I say about the Black Keys that hasn't been said already?  After slumming it in clubs and putting out records on tiny labels for years, they finally saw their fan base grow to the point of a major label deal back in 2006.  It wasn't until last year, however, when they finally hit paydirt with Brothers and its massive smash single Tighten Up.  So with the release of El Camino they not only had the daunting task of following up a great record (one which I named first runner-up for Album of the Year last year), they had to follow up a very successful one.

El Camino is a fine chaser to Brothers' blues/soul punch in that it forgoes all the laid back grooves present on that record in favour of rocking out.  Foo Fighters' Wasting Light is perhaps the only other recent example of a band ditching their more emotional side, putting their foot to the floor and going for maximum rock n' roll, and it suits the Black Keys as much as it did the Foos.  It's short, upbeat, and consistently energetic.  Ironically, the only song that comes close to a ballad on the record is also far and away the best on it; Little Black Submarines' first two minutes are tender and heartfelt.  It's what happens at the halfway point that makes it so special; to put it bluntly, it kicks in and fucking destroys.  It's like Stairway to Heaven's snotty little brother, half as long but just as potent.  It's the song Plant and Page could have written in 1971 if Red Bull had existed.

In the long run, El Camino may not top Rubber Factory, the Black Keys' 2004 album of dirty blues that will undoubtedly go down as an all-time classic.  But, by putting the pedal to the metal and churning out a healthy dose of feel-good rock, it may be the most satisfying of their catalog.  And, in our instant gratification craving society, it's just the kind of record we need in 2011.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Year in Rock 2025

  Alright, I've got some explaining to do.   By now anyone who's visited this blog is well aware of how infrequently I've used this space in recent years; aside from the occasional fertile year of content, I really haven't posted all that often over the last five years or so. There are many reasons for this, which have already been outlined in previous apology posts; but, essentially, it boils down to my own laziness and the cold reality that blogs are, like Refused (again), fucking dead. So, I wouldn't hold my breath for a triumphant return to reviews, or even semi-regular posts, but:   a) I feel like Year in Rock posts have always belonged here and, even though I've experimented with different methods of presentation recently and been satisfied, the "blink and you missed it" unveiling via Facebook stories this year was perhaps ultimately a disservice to the records I lauded. After all, cramming the list into short videos isn't too far off from ju...
Post a Comment
Read more

Year in Rock 2013 Nominee: Arctic Monkeys

ARCTIC MONKEYS Do I Wanna Know? From: AM Released: September 10 That Year in Rock 2012's Single of the Year R U Mine? ended up on this album is pleasing, and it fits the motif well enough. But R U Mine? isn't what makes Arctic Monkeys' fifth album an Album of the Year contender. Sweaty, sultry and pulsing with sexual energy, AM is the kind of record that's just as effective whether you're chilling out after a long day, staring into a mirror prepping yourself for a late night clubbing session or setting the mood for some escapades in the boudoir.
Post a Comment
Read more

Year in Rock 2023: Album of the Year #10-1

Now we're getting somewhere; the top ten, where there are no duds or mids, only bangers. Also, no more teasing it out; let's wrap this up!  What I've learned this year from my ten faves this year is that it is indeed still possible for a dude approaching his fifties to more or less stay up to date on the new school. Of course, there are some listed here that got a boost from playing tribute to the old school, but there is an undercurrent happening in rock that points to the future. But, I'm getting ahead of myself; here come the champs. 10 MILITARIE GUN Life Under the Gun June 23, 2023 • Loma Vista Highlights Very High Will Logic Never Fucked Up Once Rising from the ranks of the still-potent L.A. hardcore scene, the debut record from Militarie Gun (following a trio of EPs) bears a dash of polish that's expected with backing from a larger label; the tension and energy remain, though, resulting in one of the catchiest hardcore albums I can think of in recent years. 9 ...
Post a Comment
Read more