Review: Turn Blue: The Black Keys

After a little hiatus, I'm back and ready to take a look at the new release by the Black Keys, Turn Blue. With this album, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney said they wanted to do something a little different, but did they succeed?

I have kind of a complicated history with the Black Keys. At first, I loved their loose and raw sound. But as time progressed, and as producer Danger Mouse sanded down all the rough edges, I started to lose interest as their sound became a little too polished for my taste. They "Tightened Up" a little too much, if I might say so (excuse the pun). I had mixed feelings about El Camino, with the exception of the amazing album cut 'Little Black Submarines', but I felt the tight arrangements and the horribly overused background vocalists for the choruses reeked of overproduction (not to mention the painfully off key bass line in 'Run Right Back'). This is still present on Turn Blue, unfortunately (thanks Danger Mouse), but I feel like there's a bit more room to move around in the arrangements this time around.

From the first note, I thought I put the wrong album on. 'Weight of Love' is a moody atmospheric slow burner that is a great way to kick off an album that is meant to be different than El Camino. Unfortunately, the singles off this album (especially 'Fever') are more of the same stomp, synth infused pop. I feel like these songs kind of miss the point of what the Black Keys used to be doing, but I'm all for expanding a box of tricks. I just feel like their pop tracks lack the personality of the music I was initially drawn. The rest of the album is more on the midtempo side, and is for the most part forgettable. For me, it's a deviation of the formula of their Danger Mouse produced albums, but not a particularly interesting or significant digression. To me, this is outside, but pressing right up against the box. I feel like maybe a more interested producer could spark something in the Keys, because it feels like Danger Mouse has been on auto pilot for a while.

And in case, you were wondering, I couldn't care any less about Patrick Carney's feud with Justin Bieber. Concentrate on your music, and less on your little publicity stunts.

Out of a total of five stars, I give this:

Check back in a few days for my look at the new Swans album, To Be Kind. It might take me a while to listen to that beast multiple times.

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