Attack And Release (CD)

While America was never in danger of a shortage of Caucasian blues rock bands in the wake of a `90s mini-revival, few Delta-inspired acts harbored as much sorrow and fire within its songs as the Akron, Ohio, duo the Black Keys. Singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney hooked up in the mid-1990s and initially gained a cult following as a straight-up gin-soaked blues act. As their notoriety grew, elements of indie and garage crept in. As the pair released one critically doted upon album after another in the `00s, their sound proved eclectic and ever-evolving as the array of labels to which the act was signed (Fat Possum, Epitaph, Alive, etc.).

• Category:  Music  »  Rock & Pop  »  General Rock & Pop
• Format: CD   Learn more about the CD format using Tower WIKI.
• Release Date: April 1, 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nonesuch Records (USA)
• UPC: 075597996920
• WAPI (Tower ID): 111887742
• Average Customer Review:    (1 customer review)
• Tower.com Sales Rank: #2066 in Music (See Top 100 Music Bestsellers)
• #992 in Rock & Pop (See Top 100 Rock & Pop Bestsellers)
• #713 in General Rock & Pop (See Top 100 General Rock & Pop Bestsellers)

•  [The Black Keys - Official Sitethis link opens a new window] 
  
•  [The Black Keys - Myspacethis link opens a new window] 
  
•  [The Black Keys - Wikipedia Entrythis link opens a new window] 
  
•  [The Black Keys - Music at Last.fmthis link opens a new window] 
  

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Rolling Stone (p.66) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he Keys' most multicolored set: A psychedelic hybrid of vintage Southern R&B, brutish British invasion rock, and country blues..."
Rolling Stone (p.90) - Ranked #15 in Rolling Stone's 50 Best Albums Of 2008 -- "You don't count the parts inside; you just dig the sum."
Spin (p.92) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "Here, the Akron, Ohio twosome teams with producer Danger Mouse, who quietly unfolds in the occasional breakbeat, even adding that classic hipster signifier -- the funk flute -- to 'Same Old Thing.'"
Entertainment Weekly (p.61) - "[T]he quirks enhance the power of the desolation at the Keys' core, and prove that gut-grabbing and ear-stroking needn't be mutually exclusive." -- Grade: A-
Uncut (p.88) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "The Black Keys are on the cusp of greatness....'Lies' is Motown-apeing bliss, while 'Things Ain't What They Used To Be' is a bone fide classic."
Magnet (p.98) - "[T]here's no question that singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney are proficient purveyors of heavy-duty, greased-up garage blues with a ridiculous amount of swagger."
Vibe (p.74) - "[T]he album has a pedigree -- originally written for Ike Turner, A&R now stands as a graceful marker of the legend's last planned project."
Q (Magazine) (p.126) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Danger Mouse's effect is apparent, the sparse guitar-and-drums template fleshed out with organ and banjo..."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.111) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "The signature raw blues sound is still there, but now it's spiced up with classic R&B, garage, country and even electronic flavours, all rich with melody and driving power."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.65) - Ranked #40 in Mojo's "The 50 Best Albums Of 2008" -- "[A] cascade of country-soul, heavy-psych and melancholy balladry..."
Blender (Magazine) (p.76) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[T]heir music often sounds broadcast from another planet. Thank indie-minded hip-hop producer for that; he fleshes out the band's bare-fisted approach..."
Pitchfork (Website) - "ATTACK AND RELEASE subtly expands the Black Keys sound....A sequence of slow burns, the record's tempos allow you to relish the details and the textures."
Clash (magazine) (p.111) - "[A] harrowingly dark yet astoundingly brilliant batch of songs..."

The Black Keys: Dan Auerbach (vocals, guitars); Patrick Carney (drums).

Initially planned as a collaboration between the Black Keys and Ike Turner, ATTACK AND RELEASE became solely a Black Keys project when Turner died in late 2007. Under the producing hand of Danger Mouse--who had introduced the Akron duo to Turner--ATTACK AND RELEASE continued the Keys' progression from scabrous blues avatars to elder statesmen in full command of their muse.

Bolstered by Danger Mouse's bizarro pop sensibility, the arrangements eschew heavy bluster in favor of a more expansive pallet. Signature Keys blues stomps such as "I Got Mine" and "Strange Times" are cut by soul experiments such as "Remember When (Side A)" and "Things Ain't Like They Used To Be" that emotionally unfold over patient tempos. The Black Keys always were in the vanguard of the thousands of Zep-worshipping bands, but ATTACK AND RELEASE finally puts them at the top of the heap.

The Black Keys – Attack and Release

Number five for The Black Keys comes to us in the form of Attack and Release, a fire originally set by acclaimed producer Danger Mouse, this album may mark The Black Keys biggest stretch.

With four silver coasters under their belts, the garage blues boys, no doubt looking for a spicy addition to their already interesting stew, teamed up with Ike Turner under the supervision of silver eared Danger Mouse. When legendary Turner passed away in late ’07, the troupe continued on their pursuit of a soul-slicked version of their garage band blues.

Attack and Release is filled with the boiled down essence of soul, blues and fuzzy garage rock. Atop this pile of sound sits a multitude of intriguing sounds brought to us by flutes in “Same old thing”, xylophone on “So He Won’t Break” and the styling of Marc Ribot, usually wielding an axe for Mr. Tom Waits and Elvis Costello.

This album conveys emotion from all walks of life, and does so through a combination of styles, sounds and of course the knowledge and background vocals of DM. In 2008 a band living past the release of a sophomore album let alone 4 albums is a feat, and the Keys have shown the ability to re-invent there expression and maintain raw creativity as a dominating component in their musical pursuits. Aptly named, Attack and Release, is proving to be a goliath recording attack leading to a career changing release.

Favorite Songs: “Lies”, “Same Old Thing”, “Strange Times”

Danny LIT – Tower Pulse - 04/09/2008

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