Description

1LP Vinyl – ALIVE 0044-1

If you're not hooked by the time Dan Auerbach finger-picks his way into the whining guitar groove of opener Busted, then the delivery of his sandpaper vocal drawl – ably assisted by Patrick Carney's whiplash drumming and "medium fidelity" production – will assure you that, in the US Midwest, they still keep their blues traditionally bottled. And therein lies the key to The Black Keys' brilliance – the ability to make exciting new tunes sound raw and well-travelled, without falling into lame pastiche or parody. – Ross Bennett / MOJO

Akron has spawned the most compelling two-piece, hyper-primitive, blues-based rock band of the last five years. – Chuck Klosterman / The VILLAGE VOICE