Turn Blue - The Black Keys

This is the latest album from The Black Keys. Before this album was released I knew its be problematic. First the promo was way to similar to the last albums promo. They were using like 90's VHS quality tapes. Also that wasn't that funny, but that's really not the end of the world. What pissed me off was that the album continued their Danger Mouse collaborations after they said something along the lines of "we sold out on that last album". Also what's why psychedelic music, if you want to make good psychedelic music use Sonic Boom or MGMT as your producers. Now I don't know if you know that but I'm not huge on Brian, and the only thing he's done I liked was The Grey Album, which he only mixed previously recorded albums together. He did a great job, but still. Outside of listening to the Gorillaz's there isn't anything else that I'm even that remotely interested in that he's touched.

1. Weight of Love: This is a track that sits at a long 6:50. The intro sounds psychedelic and is probably a great direction for the Keys to head. They aren't over using that stupid Danger Shit and this is a pretty interesting introduction. The vocals here are actually pretty cool, and I think this might possibly, with numerous listens, be my favorite Keys track I know. This is definitely their most experimental and ambitious I've heard. There is a very Breathe In The Air feeling I'm getting here. The ending reminds me a little of Black Sabbath's opener Black Sabbath. Overall a great track that I doubt will have others living up to it. Upon repeat listens this intro, until the percussion, reminds me a little of Gorillaz track Clint Eastwood. Maybe it's because of the western feeling of it.... I don't know, but all I know about this track is this is the best on the album, but I'd still get a better sence of what this is going for if I listened to Dark Side. That first note reminds me a little of Flight of the Conchords on one of their songs, I think it's Foux Du Fafa. As neat as this is, and baren a wasteland it paints I think it just doesn't 100% click with me.
2. In Time: This is kind of a part two of the last track. Well, if there was a segue it'd work better and be cooler. Some of the guitar melodies are interesting here, but you know for some reason there isn't anything sticking to me. This is another Gilmore inspired solo. This also has a feeling of Dr. John's album Locked Down.
3. Turn Blue: This is a pretty bland song, and the reason I use that word is because I don't care to think of any other description. This sounds like Foster The People's new album, but worse.
4. Fever: This was the first track released from this album. And honestly the song reminds me way too much of El Camino, with the exception of making it more trippy/electronic. Upon first listen, esp with the backing vocals.............. If I didn't know multiple listens help I'd probably never listen to this song again. Also if the whole album is any foreshadow of this track..........
5. Year In Review: This intro reminds me of Haim. But I can't stand this title, why I hope it's not gonna be a political message. But overall there wasn't anything that I picked up from that track. This is a pretty straight song, but you know it just doesn't click with me.
6. Bullet in the Brain: This is another decent song, but it kind of just gets lost in this albums "wasteland". As much as I like the ideas going on here, there isn't anything that makes me want to come back other than to not be indecisive about it.
7. It's Up To You Now: This song sounds like a I Want Candy, but more in line with the original. Also I think those wolf howls sounded better in Howlin For You. Actually I'd rather them cover the song then play this song.
8. Waiting On Words: I hope that he doesn't, post this album, use those falsetto vocals. Why, it's not that it's terrible, but he sounds like a girl. They should have just had a girl come in and sing this with him. But it's a decent song.
9. 10 Lovers: You know, they were going for a soul thing, but then they have this kind of synth that after a few listens will probably grow against me. Why couldn't have they just cut that out. It'd be a better song and fit better on the album if they left it off. I'm also not into that noise that sounds like me speakers are broken.
10. In Our Prime: Are you really? This is, no offense, kind of gay...... I mean the strings are kind of cool, but really this sounds like a rip of a Crimson song, mellotron. Just like with the Weight of Love I'll listen to the original instead. I do like how the song changes and the guitar fades out into an atmosphere. But still.
11. Gotta Get Away: This is a pretty straight forward ending to the album. The thing is that this is a song that is so so. I think this remind me a little too much of a Bob Seger track, but maybe with a synth. And the vox aren't that great here.

Overall I have to give this album a 5/10. I am a supporter of the further experimentation and pushing boundaries in music. In order to do that you need to push you boundaries first. Now with at in mind you automatically score support in my eyes. The next things is when you experiment and grow you try new things, see of they work or not and then that shows where you stand on that idea. That scores you points in my book too. When you make and album called True Blue it should basically be an album before Attack & Release. While there are good intresting ideas here they just didn't work at all. I hope they decide to either throw in their bags or make another Thickfreakness or if they dont want to go back FIRE!!!!!!! DANGER MOUSE. Now in the future I may review their next album, but remember that unless certain things change it won't look very good. I was glad to see Fantano agreed with me on this being not so good. 

El Camino - The Black Keys

This is the seventh album by garage rock duo The Black Keys and I was kind of looking forward to it. It came out December 6th, 2011 (I bought the CD the day it cameout). Albums like that I have conveniently labeled "Bought on day of release". To be honest I wasn't really looking forward to doing this. I've been literally putting this off since February. I'm a lazy bastard, not really, but I'm finally doing this album.

1. Lonely Boy: Either this or Little Black Submarine are my two favorites. The first time I heard this song I liked it. I thought that it was a had this Southern Rock/Blues feeling that you can dance to. I don't know exactly what band it reminds me of but the part where it says "oh oh oh" it kind of reminds me of The Stones in their early 60's days. You know, when they still did a lot of covers. I do though think this song is a song that it's hard not to like. The female vocals help that feeling of the song. I feel like I'm shooting myself in the foot if I say this, but I can picture like the Allman Brothers doing something like this. I don't understand why, but they just come to mind.
2. Dead And Gone: I think that this is a decent follow up to Lonely Boy on the album. I am not huge on this song, but I still like it. I don't know what to think of the little chimes in the intro. I feel like it'd be better without them, but then again it might take away too. You know what I mean. But this is a simple song to get into and an easy on to like.
3. Gold On The Ceiling: I like this song, but I think there is too much synth. Why can't it be more guitar driven or at least more dirty. I feel like this is trying to sound gritty, but it is more poppy than dirty. Like a cleaner version of the grit. What happened from Thickness Freak's title track to Gold On The Ceiling. Do you know what I mean. I do like the little part though where it says "I could never doubt you". I like the way the vocals sound.
4. Little Black Submarines: This song is like their Stairway. The song starts out acoustic and then kind of builds. Then it goes into a White Stripes/Old school Keys/Zeppelin type of feeling when the song goes hard. i with that it was a though. Like there isn't enough of a solo to say it's like Stairway's solo. But the solo is probably realistically based on the solo in the classic Stairway to Heaven.
5. Money Maker: Though I liked this song at first, it kind of didn't "wear off" on me. That actually makes no sense. What I mean to say is it didn't stay with me. I don't really like the chorus. I think that it's actually kind of lame. Not in a terrible way, just in a "they didn't even try" to make it good. This song does remind me of The Black Crows 1990 album title Shake Your Money Makers. I do like the way the Wah-Wah solo sounds. I wish it was more creative though.
6. Run Right Back: This song has a groove to it and it think that it is pretty enjoyable. I don't think that it's AMAZING, but I do like it. I like the way the riff to the song sounds. It is a good song, but I think that it isn't as good as once I thought. I don't like as much as the first time I heard it.
7. Sister: I really never liked this song. I don't exactly know why, but I just never did. I do think that it's a decent song, but I just don't really think this is a Keys song. This might be a stretch, but I could see people roller skating to this song if that ever came back. This has this unapealling Disco vibe to it. I don't hate disco, I really like some of Santa Esmeralda's stuff, and the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack has some good tunes on it. But I much more like Grease, but not side 3 with Sha-na-na. Anyway, I think this isn't a song that they actually wrote, and if they did, shame on them.
8. Hell Of A Season: This is another song that I don't really go crazy for. I think it's kind of like a knock-off, this is my opinion on the song (just to settle the facts), version of Lonely Boy. I don't know why, but I feel like it is just a reworked and messed around version of that song, with different lyrics. The solo is kind of Ok thought.
9. Stop Stop: This song starts out with this distortion that kind of reminds me of an attempt at a Jimi Hendrix sounding tone. But not a good one. This song is a song that is not the band. Damn you Brian Burton. Why'd you ruin this song and other songs on this album too.
10. Nova Baby: This is like a songs that I could see being on a sound track to some popular album. This is more of a novelty song then a blues song. I think it's decent, better than the last couple tracks.
11. Mind Eraser: The riff in the beginning of this song isn't as cool as it was the first time I heard it. I do like the solo at the end, not a ton, but I still think that it's ok. I wish there was more for me to enjoy on this album.

Overall I have to give this a 6/10. When I first heard it it would have probably gotten like a 9/10. I used to like this a ton, until I heard some songs off Thickness Freak & The Big Come Up. Back before they teamed up with Danger Mouse. In fact, my least favorite Keys songs that I've heard to date were the ones I heard off 2008's Attack & Release, the first to have Danger Mouse on production. I do remember being told, from a bigger Keys fan then myself, that they feel like they kind of sold out with this record. I don't know, if I listen to this, unless it's front to back thing, I'll probably listen to tracks Lonely Boy, Little Black Submarine. Actually, I almost forgot about Mind Eraser. One of my favorite song by this band is on Brothers called Tighten Up.