Steady As They Go: The uncluttered appeal of The Black Keys and The Raconteurs
You need to take this music for what it is.
Expectations are so much higher when well-known, experienced artists deliver new music. Bands like The Black Keys and The Raconteurs (The Saboteurs here in Australia) have produced that much impressive, timeless rock n' roll music that when both announced new albums, the hype was through the roof, for good reason. I was over the moon to hear Let’s Rock by The Black Keys and Help Us Stranger by The Raconteurs, as I am always impressed by what both bands can produce, but it seems not everyone was as impressed as I was.
Successful bands like these two are harshly criticized because of their status and criticized even harder because of their previous success. It is harder to impress when releasing new music. I have observed that it has been increasingly difficult for The Black Keys and The Raconteurs to please everyone. The bands have been criticized for lacking clarity, being less compelling, dull, a lack of conviction and less ambitious. Most of these criticisms have come from Pitchfork and other sites, but in no way do I think either albums are lacking anything. Both bands have taken a break and have come back passionate and determined to once again produce some classics.
The Black Keys have released a solid album. Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney work so well together, they know exactly how to make rock n' roll catchy without throwing out the integrity (like in "Go"). They supply guitar riffs in pretty much every song that encourages you to play along, as it's not overly fancy music, yet is so thrilling. If you isolated all aspects of The Black Keys, it wouldn’t seem as effective, but the compilation of the drums, guitar, and Auerbach’s diverse voice makes for the tastiest recipe. One of the main attractions of The Black Keys, is the fact that Auerbach has such a sweet, gentle voice. And this great combination of classic rock sounds paired with that delicate, skillful voice that is a match that is not often seen. Let’s Rock was written from scratch in the studio, there was no pre-planning or recording, and if that ain’t rock n' roll then I don’t know what is. Carney told RollingStone; “Auerbach played most of the guitar solos live; he’d simply stop playing rhythm and kick into lead". They’ve taken a well-earned break, and have come back excited and inspired to work together again and their melodies and riffs are approachable, catchy and just as impressive as every other album they have produced.
The Raconteurs are just as well strung and assembled. Right from the very beginning "Help Me Stranger" is ready to impress you. The album demonstrates a nice variety of fast and slow, acoustic and restraint, and going all out. It showcases the best of all the band members. “Don’t Bother Me” parades the full brunt of the band. With the classic Jack White yell/sing, it’s flat out from the beginning and that damn break down in the middle gets me real excited every time. I can’t fault this song. It changes paces and direction and manages to stay the same amount of epic all throughout. According to the commentary, “Shine The Light On Me” was recorded for White’s solo album, which you can tell straight away; it’s very Jack White. What’s impressive about The Raconteurs is that they can explore influences of other genres within their songs. “Somedays I Don’t Feel Like Trying” adds a country/western guitar that brings a different feel to this song, and the elements of doo-wops and different harmonies have produced songs like “Now That You’re Gone”, a type of ballad within a heavy rock n' roll song. When I first listened to this album, my notes for “Sunday Driver” read: ‘the guitar riff is awesome, the bridge is awesome, everything about this song is awesome.’ You can feel the proudness of this song, it’s just an amazing rock n' roll track that offers everything a song like this needs to offer, and the same can be said about “Live A Lie”. “What’s Yours Is Mine” screams Jack White. The intro is bloody fantastic and the sounds of both guitars are impressive. The harmonies are lovely, the collaboration between them is well heard, it always sounds like a group effort, even if it stems from one person and then grows to everyone. It’s a good mix of White’s ideas running crazy, and then homing in with Brendon Benson’s melodic genius. The Raconteurs are a band that really know what they are doing.
The New York Times claimed, “In an era of blatantly computerized pop, Let’s Rock flaunts basics from yesteryear: guitars, drums, vocals”. And this is where I think there has been some misinterpretation. You need to take this music for what it is. Yes, so many bands excel and explore different pathways and there are so many new pathways musicians can take these days, but The Black Keys along with The Raconteurs are flaunting the basics and the roots of music, perhaps it is even more impressive that they can restrain from additions to their music (that they probably would get criticized for even more). This music works and they are showcasing what works so well. They’re not being pretentious about it, if anything the simplicity of it should show a humbleness. It’s just epic guitar riffs and composed music, if you’ve got the knowledge and experience why should they be punished for that? Both albums are playful and exciting. I stand my ground when I say both albums are needed today. They are uncluttered and are both strong outings by professionals of the trade.
The Black Keys' Let's Rock and The Raconteurs Help Us Stranger are both out now.