The Black Keys sixth full-length, Brothers, is a platter heaped with slogging, swampy, sweltering takes on blues tradition.
Served with unique spins, including a hint of harpsichord (Too Afraid to Love You) and other sonic surprises (the poppy Danger Mouseproduced Tighten Up), the Black Keys filter blues through the rich meat of the heart. Brothers 15 cuts deal with love denied (Im Not the One), pursued (Go Getter), and obsessed over (Never Gonna Give You Up), but dont blame the band for the creepiness of that latter song; its the albums only covera Jerry Butler classic stalker study. For all its melodic swells and percussive lulls of passion, Brothers sings a happy tune. Guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney mimic but never wallow in the pain. These musical patterns arent haunted; theyre tastefully designed for the dorm room, making this a perfect soundtrack for suburban angst.
