By Richard Lam
With the simple but stomp-worthy opening track, “Everlasting Light,” it’s clear that The Black Keys have taken a step back for the better. After Attack & Release, their big studio misstep with its overindulgent Danger Mouse production, the Keys have stripped their music back to the bare essentials. The fact that they’ve returned to producing their own work is another welcome move.
The Black Keys are a down and dirty blues duo at heart and Brothers never loses sight of that. The songs center around women, loved and lost. Songs like “She’s Long Gone,” “Howlin’ For You” and “Too Afraid to Love You” give a clear indication of the subject matter, and frankly, that’s all you really need with blues music. Dan Auerbach’s vocals stretch further than they ever have before here and he employs a powerful falsetto on two tracks to great effect.
It’s likely the Keys will never be as heavy and gritty as their early days and even this stripped-down album suffers occasionally from the slickness of the production. But more dirt is allowed to creep in and it’s a worthy release, on par with Auerbach’s 2009 solo release, Keep It Hid. You’ve got a strong batch of songs, fuzzy wailing guitars, floor-shaking percussion and a snarling bluesy wail.