A change of Key

The Black Keys have always been seen as the musical and color counterpart of The White Stripes. The Akron, Ohio, duo comprised of Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney has always played the raw “in your face” blues to the Stripes’ artistic blues. Although their music was still rousing, it seemed that the band had hit a wall musically, with four albums of nothing but drums and electric guitar. But with Attack and Release, the Black Keys have expanded their sound with the help of producer Danger Mouse to reinvent themselves as true artists.

Attack and Release was originally a project for the Keys to work on some songs with Danger Mouse for rock n’ roll pioneer Ike Turner, but these plans were thwarted when Turner died this past December. So the Keys reworked the material to make an album that sounds straight out of Turner’s period of the ’50s and early ’60s, but the production mixes the album with instrumentation and production that could only be had today. Auerbach and Carney display their great knowledge of classic rock with Attack’s mastery of blues, country, gospel and rock n’ roll.

Attack opens with “All You Ever Wanted,” a gentle breeze of a song that floats into your ears with rare acoustic guitar, as opposed to past opening tracks like Magic Potion’s “Just Got To Be,” which kick you right in the eardrum.

Danger Mouse’s presence becomes very apparent with single “Strange Times” and “Psychotic Girl.” Both incorporate Danger Mouse’s spooky and sinister production, including fuzzed backup vocals, minor key piano and a wall of sound. On “Strange Times,” Auerbach sounds like an enraged ghost as he snarls over a nasty guitar riff and an eerie atmosphere. “Psychotic Girl” has Auerbach singing from the crossroads with southern blues from below the Mason-Dixon Line.

The Keys also get help in Tom Waits’ guitarist Mark Ribot, who lends a hand on the sorrowful “Lies” and 18-year-old bluegrass singer Jessica Lea Mayfield, who provides some support on the country-tinged closer “Things Ain’t Like They Used To Be.” There is also plenty of additional instrumentation including organ, vibraphone, bass and flute, which is a clear distinction between Attack and past Black Keys albums.

Attack and Release is a surefire hit for any fan of classic rock as well as any one with an appreciation for what can be done with the studio.