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Post by raliverpool on Sept 20, 2021 18:36:12 GMT 1
The Black Keys - El Camino (2011)
The seventh studio album by American rock duo the Black Keys. It was co-produced by Danger Mouse and the group, and was released on Nonesuch Records on December 6, 2011. The record was the band's follow-up to their commercial breakthrough, Brothers (2010), and was their third collaboration with Danger Mouse. El Camino draws from popular genres of the 1950s to 1970s, such as rock and roll, glam rock, rockabilly, surf rock and soul. Danger Mouse contributed as a co-writer on each of the 11 songs alongside guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney.
The album was recorded from March to May 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee, at Easy Eye Sound Studio, which Auerbach opened the year prior. The band approached writing and recording differently than on previous albums, as they entered the studio without having written any material and deliberated longer on how to structure songs.
Lead single "Lonely Boy" became the group's highest-charting single in several countries, including the United States, Australia, and Canada. The album received positive reviews from critics and was ranked by many publications as one of the year's best albums. It debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 and reached the top five of the album charts in Australia, Canada, Belgium (Flanders), and New Zealand. The album was certified multi-platinum in the US, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, as well as platinum in the United Kingdom, France, and Ireland. Four additional singles were released, including "Gold on the Ceiling" and "Little Black Submarines", which were rock radio successes. El Camino won the award for Best Rock Album at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, while "Lonely Boy" received honors for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song. It's Metacric aggregate score was 84.
Lonely Boy 10.0 Dead And Gone 8.5 Gold On The Ceiling 9.0 Little Black Submarines 9.0 Money Maker 7.5 Run Right Back 8.5 Sister 8.0 Hell Of A Season 6.5 Stop Stop 7.0 Nova Baby 7.0 Mind Eraser 8.0
Score: 89.0/11 = 8.09
For me this was their biggest & best album to date, reflecting the duo confidence in their own songwriting & studio-craft.
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 20, 2021 18:49:22 GMT 1
The Black Keys - Turn Blue (2014)
The eighth studio album by American rock duo the Black Keys. It was released through Nonesuch Records on May 12, 2014, and co-produced by Danger Mouse and the duo. The record was their fourth collaboration with Danger Mouse, following their previous studio album, El Camino (2011), which was their biggest commercial and critical success to that point. For Turn Blue, Danger Mouse reprised his role from El Camino as an equal songwriting partner alongside guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney.
The Black Keys recorded the majority of Turn Blue at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California, from July to August 2013, with additional recording taking place at Key Club in Benton Harbor, Michigan, and Auerbach's Easy Eye Sound Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, in early 2014. The sessions coincided with Auerbach's divorce from his wife, which inspired much of the album's lyrics. The resulting material was more melancholy and slower paced than the uptempo, hook-laden songs from El Camino. The album exhibits influences from psychedelic rock and soul, while also including the band's usual blues and garage rock sound.
The album debuted at number one in the United States, Australia, and Canada, becoming the group's first record to top the charts in those countries. It's Metacritic aggregate score was 72.
Weight Of Love 8.5 In Time 7.0 Turn Blue 8.0 Fever 9.0 Year In Review 7.0 Bullet In The Brain 7.0 It's Up To You Now 6.5 Waiting On Words 8.0 10 Lovers 8.5 In Our Prime 7.5 Gotta Get Away 9.0
Score: 86.0/11 = 7.82
By far there most Stoner/Southern rock sounding effort. I feel it did not play to the band's core strengths. But it certainly has its moments, and the album actually finishes strongly.
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