Album Review: The Black Keys – Let’s Rock (Easy Eye/Nonesuch)

This new Black Keys album comes five years after their previous long player. Did they wait too long, or not long enough? I’m not sure.

Although I’m sure both bands hate the comparison, but it’s difficult not to think about the new Black Keys album without considering The Raconteurs record that came out a week earlier.

Sure Jack White and Dan Auerbach have some history. But there’s more to it than that.

Early on in their career, The Black Keys were often compared to The White Stripes. Now both acts seem to be based in Nashville, each with their own studio, cracking out cool releases by other artists.

While The Raconteurs waited a decade before releasing Help Us Stranger, The Black Keys only kept five years between 2014’s Turn Blue and Let’s Rock.

But it seems things have changed over that five years.

The Black Keys were arguably the biggest rock band on the planet in 2014, with Turn Blue immediately topping the charts in the US, Australia and Canada…a first for them.

But the shine seems to come off The Black Keys, and despite its energized title, Let’s Rock rarely does.

Which is a shame because it seems that all of the elements are present to make this a satisfying comeback.

Patrick Carney has described the album as, “an homage to electric guitar”, and there certainly is plenty of guitar. Often they sound like they are paying homage to specific guitarists…ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons on Lo/Hi, Jimi Hendrix on Every Little Thing, Marc Bolan on Get Yourself Together.

But they rarely sound like themselves…well, their old selves.

I’m guessing fans were hoping for Dan and Patrick to revert back to their stripped down, blues-based sound of early albums such as Thickfreakness and Rubber Factory.

Instead we get a rather slick vibe that reminds me of 70s chart toppers such as Fleetwood Mac and Stealers Wheel.

Part of the problem might be Auerbach’s vocals. They don’t carry much authority, sounding a bit like Nils Lofgren or Lindsey Buckingham, two excellent guitarists not known for their vocal prowess.

All instruments and production were handled by the two bandmembers other than the two female backing vocalists, Leisa Hans and Ashley Wilcoxson, and I thought their contributions were a positive addition, but the rather weak lead vocals tend to make everything sound watered down.

There’s nothing terrible on Let’s Rock, and there are some good moments, but as a comeback album by a band that was once so big, it’s fairly underwhelming.

Marty Duda