The Black Keys- Let's Rock Review

  "Do you feel like you're the only one living on a prayer?" 

    Lead singer Dan Auerbach croons to the opening of "Let's Rock", the Akron Ohio blues rock duo's ninth album behind fuzz guitar that would make T Rex and Thin Lizzy blush with excitement.

    Make no mistake, this isn't a Bon Jovi album. The prayer the Auerbach and his cohort, drummer Patrick Carney play on could be the absence of their music for the past five years? Will they be relevant in the current state of rock n roll? You can hear in the music these midwestern musicians don't seen to care, and do as their album title suggests. 

   Throwing caution to the wind, the Keys decided to make a record, that's "a homage to the electric guitar," says Carney. The boys from Akron don't disappoint in that regard. No song on 'Let's Rock' is over four minutes long. (A nice detour from their last LP Turn Blue, underrated, however spacey) It's a refreshing restart.

    This is The Black Keys stripped down. It's as if they were locked in a room to listen to 70s glam, garage rock the past five years, and told to make an album.

   From the opening riff of 'Shine a Little Light' to the Twin Peaks inspired "Fire Walk With Me", the album sounds like a tribute to classic rock, while maintaining a modernity that's palpable. 

  The song 'Lo/Hi' has a ZZ Top meets Mott The Hopple sound. 'All the young dudes', and ladies will be rocking this song during summer break. "You get low like a valley then high like a bird in the sky." Auerbach, taking the listener through the highs and lows, sounds better than ever. The Keys take us through a journey of their highs and lows. A real joyous sad song (good oxymoron)  that takes from the well of The Doobie Brothers and CCR is the somber yet sweet "Sit around and miss you." This track is a sweet contrast to Zeppelin-Like tunes "Every Little Thing" and "Eagle Birds" that blare as if the Keys have a fire lit under their creative conscious.

  One of the album's shortest songs "Go" is a coming together for Dan and Pat, who, in the songs lyrics, know they have to make more music. Just go.( A funny video, parodying the duo's contempt for each other as they're sent to a silent meditation, shows them taking acid or LSD together showing them the money to be had.)  A contrast to the fast paced 'Go' is the ryhmically hypnitic "Breaking Down." Here soul meets sway as Dan Auerbach harmonizes with background singers Leisa Hans and Ashley Wilcoxson. They add a layer to the guitar sound, giving each song it's just fullness. No need for keyboards or extra synth with these two.

   Coming in at just under forty minutes and twelve tracks, the three minute thirty second average tracks push through with a sense of urgency in Let's Rock. Even the solos compliment the basic chords not rearing off into blues abyss. 

   I give this album four Akron rubber tires out of five. Buy this album. School's out, and the Black Keys are coming to show you how to have fun.

LET'S ROCK