A mixed bag of dirty guitar riffs and somewhat ridiculous lyrics, the Black Keys' latest album is the band's impressive seventh studio album in nine years. "El Camino" is the second full album by the Ohio−based duo to be produced by Danger Mouse, the first being "Attack and Release" (2008). Danger Mouse — otherwise known as the creator of the infamous "Grey Album" (2004), a remix of the Beatles' "White Album" (1968) and Jay−Z's "Black Album" (2003) — is behind some of the biggest hits of the past decade, including the formation of the groups Gnarls Barkley and Broken Bells. The part he played in "Attack and Release" made it arguably one of The Black Keys' finest albums; it certainly helped project them into the mainstream.
The outcome of "El Camino" therefore, is slightly disappointing. While there are certainly tracks that stand out as instantly catchy singles, the minimalistic, grungy blues−rock that gave the Black Keys a certain standout style is a thing of the past. Compared to the simplistic and sexy guitar that made "The Big Come Up" (2002) such a gritty and groovy debut album, "El Camino" sounds overproduced. Band members Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney recorded their first two albums in Carney's basement and their third in an abandoned factory, providing a raw, energized sound.
Album opener "Lonely Boy" is, however, incredibly addictive, especially with the added bonus of the music video featuring aspiring actor, musician and part−time security guard Derick T. Tuggle dancing for three minutes in a manner reminiscent of Carlton from "The Fresh Prince of Bel−Air" (1990−1996). The song "Gold on the Ceiling" is to "El Camino" as "Girl Is On My Mind" was to "Rubber Factory" (2004), offering distorted guitar chords and Auerbach's near−falsetto vocals taking their sound far beyond bluesy.
"Little Black Submarines" is probably the most exciting song on the album, starting with Auerbach's quiet, melodic vocals over a slow drum rhythm as he sings, "But everybody knows/That a broken heart is blind." Listeners can't help but nod along, believing it's the requisite ballad on the album, and then, bam — the song degenerates into a bumpy ride into rock and roll, making it the longest track on "El Camino."
Each song is distinctive enough to stand out on the album, but definitely not to the extent that the aforementioned tracks do. "Run Right Back" demonstrates the deterioration of their songwriting skills as Auerbach croons, "She's such a special thing/ She doesn't read too much/ There is no doubt/ She's written about/ Finest exterior/ She's so superior."
Gone are the much more intriguing stories of psychotic girls and cocaine addicts shooting each other, and it is with some confusion and disillusionment that we can lay some of the blame on Danger Mouse, who was an integral part of the writing process for this album and the one who insisted on more time in the studio for Auerbach and Carney.
The final song, "Mind Eraser," piques interest again just as the album draws to a close. Auerbach sings "Oh, don't let it be over" and there's a certain level of concurrence on the part of the listener as the song progresses into a pseudo−jazzy instrumental. The track leaves the listener wondering, too late, where the album could have gone from there.
"El Camino" is by no means a bad album; it is, after all, the product of three talented individuals. However, it's also yet another example of how bands trying to change their style seem to be too heavily influenced by the generic bands that flood the airwaves. For a band that had such distinctive style, it's sad to see so much of a progression from the mean, gritty sound that made the Black Keys' fans love them.
