Released: 5/13/2014
5/7
The Black Keys' 8th Studio album, Turn Blue, has hit us at the perfect time. The summer vibe is strong in this one, and it’s easy to picture yourself blasting this album out of a jeep while the sun sets on the horizon in front of you. All the classic blues and psychedelic rock elements of The Black Keys are here, so long-term fans, don’t be dismayed. The instrumentation is always spot on in their studio albums, and this is no different. The production is also impeccable, with much help to their ongoing collaboration with Danger Mouse, who produced the Gorillaz album Demon Days and was also one half of the duo Gnarls Barkley. His touch is definitely seen on Turn Blue, starting with the opening moments of the album itself.
“Weight Of Love,” the first track, uses theremin throughout, which gives it a mysterious, vintage tone. The first two minutes of this song reminds me of Yes’s “Gates of Delirium,” and the psychedelic rock influence shows itself overall in this track. The heavy “weight” of the opening instrumental divulges into a faster pace once the singer comes in, giving the rest of the album it’s life. A great album opener, and the outro is wonderful as well, bookending the track with a slow, ominous and dreamy feel.
“Turn Blue,” is obviously the title track, however, I found this one to be very forgettable overall which is unfortunate. Layered vocals and light electronic instrumentation sets the mood for this song, but the steam is lost a third of the way in and the song barely keeps trudging through.
One of the bluesiest titles on album, well... other than “Turn Blue,” “Bullet In The Brain” is surprisingly upbeat considering the subject matter. Lyrically, this is a biting break up song with the lead singer belting lines like “I know I share the blame for what’s in store. I was in the wrong, but weren't you in it more?” Without knowing the title or lyrics, you would never guess the subject matter at hand, but the juxtaposition of the instrumental and the material works well.
“Waiting On Words” was a sleeper hit for me. It’s slower song, with lighter production overall compared to the rest of the album, but is by far an album highlight. Dan Auerbach does a great job vocally on this song in particular. This track fantastically sets the mood for the last half of the album.
“In Our Prime” is the “noisiest” track, especially towards the end when the guitar is turned up to 11. This song gives off a very ‘sunglasses emojii’ brand of cool and an almost shoegaze-y vibe. The awesome guitar work at the end segues nicely to the ending track.
“Gotta Get Away” sounds exactly like a song that would play at the credits scene of “Dazed and Confused” and thus makes for an excellent album closer. The chorus is incredibly catchy, and the verses are just quick enough to keep the flow moving. This is definitely another album standout, that just screams ‘youth in the summertime.’
The 70s nostalgia wash is deeply permeated in this album, like all their others, but this is where the problem comes in. This album is cohesive... almost too cohesive. Turn Blue is a good album, but at their 8th studio release, it seems like very little progression or experimentation has occurred for The Black Keys at all. But then again, why fix what isn’t broken?
If you like this album, try out the classic 70’s groups Yes and KC & The Sunshine Band. If you’re looking for something more “now," Lana Del Rey’s newest singles "West Coast" and "Shades of Cool" off of her new album Ultraviolence are produced by none other than the singer and guitarist of The Black Keys, Dan Auerbach, and it’s easy to see. If you’re a seasoned Black Keys’s superfan, I have no doubt that you’ll enjoy this release. If you’re a casual listener of the band, you should be in no rush to check it out. But, if you have never heard a Black Keys’s album before, this is certainly not a bad place to start! So roll down your windows, grab a couple of your close friends, put on The Black Keys’s Turn Blue and cruise the night away.
