KEY POINTS:
THE BLACK KEYS
Attack & Release
(Nonesuch/Shock)
Rating: * * * *
Verdict: More subdued but no less gutsy attack on Ohio duo's latest
Singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney look moochy enough, especially the former with his freshly woolly beard. But musically the Ohio duo, who play the Powerstation on June 28, are not meant to be moochy and subdued.
Fifth album Attack & Release is not as immediately riveting as the Black Keys' past releases, when they attacked and forgot about the release.
Albums like 2003's Thickfreakness and 2004's Rubber Factory were primal, unhinged and brash punk rock blues. In contrast Attack & Release is mostly a serenade, and a beautiful one at that. So it takes some getting used to.
The excellent Psychotic Girl is kicked along by a banjo twang and a chorus of ghostly voices; Lies writhes along and there's a touch of gospel about it; and Remember When (Side A) has spacey spaghetti Western whistles as a backdrop to Auerbach's dulcet country croon. But then, just when you need a shot of moonshine, the raunchy bash and groove of Remember When (Side B) kicks in and the Keys are back to their old ways.
It's in the latter part of the album with the hip-hop meets country blues of Same Old Thing and So He Won't Break (with possibly the influence of producer Dangermouse from Gnarls Barkley coming through) that you finally realise the Black Keys have moved on. Go with it.
