Customer Reviews
Sadly not their finest hour... - By: Ben, 05 Aug 2008 
If you've ever seen The Black Keys live two things probably stick out. One, they are extremely loud. Two, Patrick Carney, whilst not the most technically proficient drummer around, pounds seven-bells out of his kit. They're a very blunt, riotous band - & their 4 albums (plus Junior Kimbrough cover EP) have done well to capture them at their rawest.
However, their last album, "Magic Potion", despite the potent imagery conjured up by the title, definitely lacked their usual mojo. Perhaps they'd taken the guitar-drum-vocal-recorded-live-in-a-garage as far as it could go. So they draftedin Danger Mouse, to add a bit of extra flavour to the mix.
His added instrumentation on "Attack & Release" is certainly not unwelcome - but the Keys now sound like a band with their wings clipped. Patrick's drums sound flat & rather muted. Dan Auerbach's guitar doesn't have their same crunch. Even on the songs where the band let rip ("I Got Mine" & "Remember When: Side B" ) the sound just doesn't have much kick.
On slightly mellower songs this more textured production works well ("Psychotic Girl" & "So He Won't Break"), but over the course of an album it means the record never really grabs your attention.
If you're new to The Black Keys my advice is - don't start here. Go for their debut & take it from there. For a band that seem to always thrive on energy, "Attack & Release" is just that bit too hazy.
Breath of fresh air! - By: S. Nash, 02 May 2008 
I love the Black Keys, seen them live a couple of times & own first 3 albums. But for me the magic was starting to wear a little thin! A little one tracked for my liking so much so Ive not even heard the last album. This is great & a real breath of fresh air from 'em. The groove on Remember When (Side B) is totally kicking & Psychotic Girl is being spun & spun. Not so sure about the "over produced" comments, yes its more than we are used but its a welcome change from the straight drums & geeeeetar! No longer a one trick pony & a great record. What next a collaboration with Jay-Z at Glasto? 5 Stars.
Blues Rock with a progressive tinge....... - By: TCH, 29 Apr 2008 
This album has been universally praised by the critics & has somewhat divided the fans, my opinion lies somewhere inbetween the two. Apparently so legend goes this album is the result of some songs the Keys wrote for Ike Turner to be included on an album produced by Dangermouse. However when Turner died Dangermouse & the Keys decided to collaborate directly & record the songs intended for Turner themselves. This may be why songs of the songs on the album aren't quite from the top drawer compared to the Keys previous illustrious standards, notably the opener "All You Ever Wanted" which is just a bit dull & the diptych of "Remember When (sides A & B)" at the album's heart which just isn't that great a song to merit two versions (or even one!). However there ARE some great tracks here, notably "Same Old Thing" (a knowing wink being offered here judging from the title), "Lies" & "Things Ain't Like They Used To Be" amongst others. They've definitely broadened their sound to incorporate other influences, notably 60's soul & psychedelia, but without diluting their core essence. How much this is down to Dangermouse I don't know but it must be said that DM's production IS fantastic, tasteful without overwhelming the Keys natural sound & sometimes mindblowing asin the Roland Rashaan Kirk styled flute on the intro to "Same Old Thing", I'd definitely like to hear more of that sort of thingin the future..... I'm hoping that DM & the Keys will hook up againin the future since they seem a natural, if not obvious, match & with a more consistent batch of songs matching the best on this set then a genuine classic could emerge. So nearly but not quite a home-run but still a very fine album from without doubt the best contemporary band out there at the moment.
Free are gone - but the ghost lives on. - By: Mr. N. Peach, 23 Apr 2008 Who could believe that heavy R+B could sound so fresh? The lads have done good. A great blues feel allied to sound songs & perfect singing & playing. A tad too bluesy for todays taste perhaps but that was what they said about the White Stripes & they did allright. The comparison has to be made as out of Industrial Heartland USA a invigorating hard R+B is being formed. Free here are your inheritors.
not the same - but different - By: D. Clark, 21 Apr 2008 I can't believe the reviews of this album from some existing black keys fans. Ok the production on this album is a step away from previous albums but is that a bad thing or is it not the band just growing & taking their music on to a new level? I agree that the attraction of their earlier albums is the rawness of the production but this doesn't exactly represent the band selling out & going for No 1in the charts!!
If I can quote from history, I remember Led Zeppelin III being greeted with reviews of shock horror because it had acoustic tracks but what this album represented was zep moving on to a new level & from their they produced two of the all time best rock albumsin IV & Physical Graffiti. Point being, The BKs could go on forever producing the same stuff but would not get much further forward & a band as good as this deserves to be exposed to as wide an audience as possible.
I think the album is good but maybe not as good as earlier outings & agree with W R Donnelly & Mark Davies that this is one of the few band's creating exciting & original music & this just represents them experimenting with new & different sounds. Who knows where the next album might take them.
I'm giving it 5 stars to try & take the ratings up but it's probably truly a 4 star album - for first timers try Magic Potion or the excellent Chulahoma.
