Sara's Music Review

The Black Keys “El Camino”

(Released December 2^nd, 2011)

 Album Review

Enjoying the latest The Black Keys album, “El Camino” didn’t take much effort on my part. They made it easy with their passionate, fast-paced beat and blues-based sounds. It feeds the desire to keep at least one part of your body moving, urging you to tap your feet and fingers or pump some air guitar into the sky.

With songs like the hit “Lonely Boys”, the album takes on a charismatic heat with its smoky-sound of the blues, linked with an Indie/pop rock dance beat. The drum playing in “Dead and Gone” serves the song amazingly with its choppy, yet catchy beat. (Leaving you clapping along with the entire song.)

“Gold on the Ceiling” delivers a chunky country-style rock, infused with a gospel praise-choir sound. I really found this to be a cool affect, continuing your drive to dance and sway along.

With songs like, “Run Right Back, its 80’s funk sound, mixed with a confident light guitar rhythm, and “Mind Eraser” where I feel like I can hear the sweat in his microphone, this album sends out such a raw and artsy reverberation.

“Little Black Submarines” attracted me by starting off with its slow-waved, acoustic-guitar playing, transcending onto what sounded like the steps of “Stairway to Heaven” Led Zeppelin immortalized.

The folksy guitar sound goes so well with the high-energy drum beating. (Beating that wasn’t shy in any songs, to my satisfaction). Also, the vocals on “Stop Stop” and “Nova Baby” are scratchy and wildly compelling which I really dug.

I suppose it’s safe to say these Akron, Ohio natives did it again. After collecting 3 Grammy awards for the album “Brother’s”, sharing the songs “I Got Mine” and “Strange Times”(the ones that stopped us in our tracks to crank up the knob), it shows potential and substance. It’s as hot and pumped as a dance instructor, yet as calming and lovable as a sweet grandfather. When I first listened to it, part of me felt like I was in a coffee shop, snapping my fingers to the sounds of raspy poetry. The other part of me was in my own little world, swaying my whole body along with the music and clapping my hands (in the air!) I give quite a few claps for the songs AND for the album.