Let's Rock

It's albums like this that make people think that rock is dying.

Let me explain.

This was a record I had no anticipation to listen to. The Black Keys have always been a band that I've wanted to love or get into, but for whatever reason I just haven't clicked with their blend of blues power-pop rock. It's very rarely something that really makes me stand up with excitement, or sticks to my brain at all. To my ears, it sounds nice and punchy in good places, but the next day I completely forget what the track was like.

And...yeah i'm sorry, but that remains to be the problem here. If I wanted to listen to this type of music, i'd go back to listening to The Raconteurs.

The problem here is that this group doesn't feel present here. It states on the cover that it's gonna electrify me and get me in the mood to stomp doors down, but the album feels tired and bored of itself. There is no moment here where i'm taken aback from the playing or vocals because they are so tight, it's just a collection of riffs i've heard a million times, effects i've heard a million times, and tired, half assed vocals that (while they do sound pleasant) feel almost distant from the album. Nothing on here feels essential or fun. It just feels by the numbers in the worst type of way. It's in one ear, then immediately out the other. It's just the same riffs over and over again, in a sad and sleepy way to 'rEvAmP rOcK aNd RolL!!!'.

It isn't the worst though. It's production and tones are at lest nice to the ears, and the harmonies do add a layer of pleasantness to the record that makes the listen at lest tolerable. I'm not rating this record low because it's offensive. It's fine technically. It's tolerable. It doesn't excite or make me interested or want me to continue listening to these creators, but it's fine. It's beyond bland and unmemorable, but its fine. It sounds like literally every other blues tribute band I have ever heard with it's dad rock sensibilities and boring, tired rock cliques, but it's fine.

It's very telling when the Smash Mouth song 'Let's Rock' takes more risks then this whole album.

Now back to that 'It's albums like this that make people think that rock is dying' comment. Because I know for certain that rock is very much alive, and it might be perceived by people too harsh to say that about a record that isn't technically offensive 'the reason' why a genre is currently loosing traction. But artists that don't want to wow or excite rock listeners and just 'play with cool tones' to get on the radio and sell huge numbers or to very safely put them in the running to get put in arena venues are not getting rock back into the mainstream. These artists are just so desperately wanting to be the next AC/DC or the next Rolling Stones or the next Beatles without doing any of the work with the genre to truly transcend mediums and become quote on quote 'rockstars'. It's fast, easy and boring as shit music to pump into your ears as quickly as possible to get radio hits.

The more I think about this album, the more it pisses me off. No one in this group gives a single shit towards the music, and it shows. The band seems to be on auto-pilot on this record. It's honestly breathtaking how boring this album is. Jesus. Listen to Royal Blood instead. Or Fishing for Fishies. Or The Raconteurs. Just avoid this shit. You wont remember this record existing in the upcoming years, months, weeks, days, or in my case, hours.

I forgot this album existed trying to find it on AOTY.org page on this album to post the review. Jesus this is a new low.

Favorite Jams: Uh....Fire Walk With Me? Uh....hmm...Lo/Hi?

Lest Favorite: Breaking Down, Walk Across The Water...uh...I can't remember anything else