Brothers

Black Keys is a fine band. They're not exciting or sexy, they don't stir up too much emotion, but when the music is playing I feel content. It's enjoyable as background filler, but really nice as something to nod your head to while doing chores or just relaxing. As it happens Brothers was also my most listened to album, tho El Camino is right up there with it.

4/5

Solid album. Loved the fuzzy guitars and vocals on the tracks. The slow bluesy stuff was good too.

Sympa à écouter en voiture, bon mood

Sympatoxhe

Great album

The garage rock revival at the turn of the millennium was one of my in-roads to getting into music in general. But by the time the Black Keys came onto my radar around the release of *Magic Potion* my interest had shifted toward bands that were pioneering new sounds. Now 2 decades on I can really listen to Black Keys on their own terms. Excellent album. It rocks.

Excelente disco, me parece una compra obligatoria para todo fan de discos de vinilos, la version deluxe trae unos sonidos brutales que encantarán a cualquier fan de rock y blues.

Aware of their work, don't think I had listened to a full album.

The Black Keys have fallen down the pecking order of modern rock bands, but Brothers was their height. And it was (and still is) a pretty fun spin. 8/10.

I enjoyed the first half, got a little bored toward the end, but overall this sort of sound is up my alley so I had a chill, slightly stoned night listening to this. Will likely keep it in rotation.

I am not their fan

Rating: 7.5/10 A bit long, very good though.

Great song

Surprising that I actually really like this album.

Just raw crunchy sounds man. Nostalgic.

we've been rolling pretty good recently. man, i love the early black keys! shoutout to former members of The Davis Bricks reading this who played 10 AM Automatic with me in 2016-2017. this album is also pretty singularly responsible for the formation of one of the high school bands I was in, which we called Cavemen Are People Too. It was, like early The Black Keys, a blues rock duo. we didn't have a drummer and we never played a show, so it was one of THOSE high school bands. but we had stickers on our guitar cases, so that has to count for something. we just jammed in the garage three times a week. funnily enough, "Ten Cent Pistol" came on Pandora once while I was cleaning my room in probably the 11th grade-- might have been my Led Zeppelin station, actually. I remember stopping and thinking woah, I need to write this one down to revisit later. At that point, this album was probably a year or less old; I jotted the name down, listened to the rest, and was like "what the fuck this is incredible." the rest is history. i'm tempted to rate this higher out of nostalgia, but then i remember albums like Thickfreakness and Rubber Factory exist, and if those are 5s for me, this one can't be. but this is an extremely high 4. these tracks have aged well, and it's a good record to fall back on when you get disillusioned by the fact that in 2026, The Black Keys can no longer decide whether they want to be this weird pop rock bullshit or classic blues rock. for me, this was the last album that kept that old school early 2000s sound.

Härligt groove rakt igenom. Gillar det lite ruffa anslaget. Skulle vilja ge 4,5.

My wife has made me a bit of a Black Keys fan, and I think this is their best album.

Though maybe not many standout songs, as a whole the album has a cool, sexy vibe to it, which I dig! A band I’ve always overlooked. Maybe 3.5 stars but it gets a 4 as I can definitely see myself listening to them more.

Might be black keys best album! Not one bad song on it. Just really cool meaty garage blues.

Short simplistic songs but long album Was a point at uni where everyone was listening to Black Keys. Ive got a few of their albums, they arent a regular listen but i remember this and Attack and Release being their better albums Yep.

Enjoyed it. Shall listen to more black keys in the future

Bluesy, indie, fresh — I appreciated this album. Solid 3.5 and feeling generous I’ll round up.

I really enjoyed the bluesy feel of this album. I recognized Howlin' for You- great song.

Its super bluesy and that guitar tone is insane the fuzzy tone makes the zone so iconic that I could tell a song from this album from a mile away was really cool and awesome and kinda sick would listen agian

I think they're more of a singles band. Started weakly but improved as it went on. A bit too long.

This is the first one of these that I have listened to before, and honestly its still great. Not an amazing one, or even their best (which would be El Camino), but a strong solid rock album. Some great hits, some sleepers, their dual strengths come out well in it and has a great overall listening experience.

Would be a great album to listen to outside during the summer! Very long, very good guitar/instrumentation.

Muito bom

Not my usual kinda thing, since this is blues rock. Already knew 'howlin' for you'. Decent - some good motifs/hooks. I can actually see how this is a good album - it's not really my thing, but it's cool and has some interesting sounds - catchy in places

Great album. Gets better with every listen

A nice blues-y album that foes run on a little too long for what it is. It gets a little repetitive. I do really enjoy this style of music though. Standout Songs: Everlasting Light Howlin’ For You She’s Long Gone The Only One Ten Cent Pistol Unknown Brother

i liked it

Oh, Brothers! I was always bound to review this one with a lot of bias, seeing as the trajectory of my music listening life (life, in general?) was forever altered when I heard “Tighten Up” playing while out to dinner with my parents as a pre-teen. I’m somewhat of a certified Black Keys defender, and I say that as an even bigger White Stripes defender. It could be as simple as nostalgia. Or just how much I love Dan’s voice. That said, Brothers is kinda the peak for me; it’s the album I’m most familiar with and their best IMO. THAT said, there are some definite eye-roller moments, especially those “I’m such a terrible man who can’t get a grip so I just HAVE to turn to drinking and philandering” tracks (“The Go Getter;” “I’m Not the One”) which just so happen to fall back-to-back at a point in the album that really makes you wonder who the hell the speaker is here and if you really care anymore. But like…it’s Brothers. 4 stars.

Solid lil rock album. We have it on vinyl and it was a kick to revisit. Ten Cent Pistol is fire.

Disclaimer, I'm biased as I'm a big fan of the black keys Very solid, very enjoyable album. I love their sound, and like how well they convey the feelings of being lovesick throughout. I think the album is a big bloated, as you could cut a number of tracks from the back half and it wouldn't lose value

standard black keys. chilled out background music

I was a fan already prior to the release of this one - "Your Touch" was one of the first songs I learned to play on guitar, but this one in particular HIT. Maybe a bit long-in-the-tooth, but sweet merciful baby Jesus, "Brothers" is chock-full of sassy, bluesy rock-n-roll nastiness that makes this reporter grateful he's not wearing sweatpants.

the buzzy vocals, the strong beats, fun lil hooks - this album is a fun, funky groove that takes me right back to 2010. I love how raw and real the instruments sound - no sound bites here - just two dudes jammin' on real instruments in the studio, creating a unique and catchy sound vibe.

Super immersive. I maladaptivly day dreamed for an hour to it. I love the classic rock sound.

nice

Picking up on lost threads is one of the reasons I love doing this. I listened to the first two Black Keys albums a lot back when they came out - their covers of "She Said, She Said" and "Have Love, Will Travel" were on many a WinAmp playlist (remember them?) in 2000-something. I lost track soon after and apart from being vaguely aware through online articles of them "selling out" and trying to recoup touring money through some problematic crypto gig, and the ubiquitous singles used in various ads, had no idea about them post 2004. This one was an absolute joy to listen to - i can hear how they expanded their sound beyond the two piece garage blues constraints of their early material, and it works a treat. Some of it sounds exactly like an album in 2010 was expected to production-wise, but I still get shades of soul, guitar driven blues and even some early Captain Beefheart vibes at times. Most importantly the songs are really, really strong and sound authentic. Unlike, say, Kings of Leon at around the same time, who i guess faced the same dilemma at the time on how to stay relevant and able to recoup money for themselves and their record company, this album shows the best possible balance between artistic purity and a commercial sound. From reading up on them that was short lived...but this is a keeper.

Decent album, I like the Black Keys bluesy-indie rock. I already knew some of the songs from this so I was excited to listen to the whole thing, although turned out all the ones I knew were at the start. The second half of the album was good but not as strong so 4* it is

Wasn’t expecting to enjoy this but I was very pleasantly surprised.

very good

Really loved this!

Great album....bluesy with some rock and country vibes. Four stars

7/10 I like the Black Keys, their general schtick is to create a dirty ‘sticky-floored back room of a bar’ bluesy tone but with enough of a pop music melodic sensibility to make the songs memorable and engaging. And they’re very good at it. Dan Auerbach has got a great ear for a riff and a melody, and Patrick Carney actually builds some really nice atypical drum grooves, the kind of thing you don’t often hear in popular rock. When they get things right, they can create some really great songs that are hooky, tonally interesting and have enough grit and swagger to give them an earthy tone that set them apart from many contemporary rock bands. This is probably their best record, with tracks like Next Girl, Howlin’ For You, Sinister Kid and Never Gonna Give You Up. There’s enough range in those tracks to keep things moving along and that ear for a hook, combined with Auerbach’s gritty yet slightly soul-edged vocal come together to create some great results. But to be completely honest, I don’t think they’re very good editors of their work. From time to time, they drag ideas, and certainly rhythms, towards the end point of their viability. For the most part, they strike the balance just about right to prevent things from becoming too repetitive or dull, but there are moments when things don’t have enough range or variation to justify a song’s length. And it’s not just the songs, but the album itself. This album is WAY too long. At 35-40 minutes, this could be a much tighter, more consistent album that was really elevated beyond what it is in this state. I don’t think it has the variety in tone or style to justify its length and it wouldn’t lose anything by 4-5 tracks being dropped, especially as there are some pretty good tracks stranded at the end of a nearly hour long album. This is an album that gets a decent bit of rotation at our house, but rather than the even longer deluxe version (yeesh), I wouldn’t half mind a trimmed and re-sequenced one to elevate the very best of what’s here. Everlasting Light - It’s a decent dirty blues riff to kick us off. There’s a lot of weight in there, offset against the falsetto vocal. It’s got a nice groove to the beat too. Simple but effective and with enough of a hook in the vocal to hold it up. It’s not the most interesting song in terms of development, but the vibe and tone are good. Next Girl - There are some really dirty but interesting tones to the guitars here and again, we get another solid hook through the chorus. It kind of pulses along in a grotty but engaging way through the verses and then lifts off during those choruses, not in an up-beat way but in terms of energy. The production is great too. Tighten Up - Dan Auerbach writes some great riffs and hooks. They’re rarely particularly complex, but they do grab the ear and weave their way nicely into a groove. It does possibly stretch things a little too far here without enough range, but when they throw in a breakdown towards the end it does lift again. Howlin' For You - More grime, more solid riffs and hooks. It’s not reinventing the wheel, but it’s certainly having fun using it. The layering of different tones does add an extra dimension to the base of the track too. It’s got another compelling groove to it that begs your toes to tap. Nothing here is complex, but it’s the grit and vibe that make it. She's Long Gone - Patrick Carney doesn’t often stick to the basics with his beats, preferring to create grooves that throb and pulse around the kit. Sometimes they get stuck in one place for too long, but he goes back and forth between something more interesting and varied and something more straight here, which is nice. This is another with some good riffs and hooks, and more of that grotty production tone to it. It’s just good fun. Black Mud - The intensity and pace drops a little here and it suffers from not having a vocal hook in there to drag it along. There are some nice bits of playing here and there, but it just feels a little limp and lacking in what has elevated the rest of the album up to this point. The Only One - There’s some nice sound design that bubbles away in the background to this one. It’s probably the most by the numbers song we’ve had so far, and it’s not bad, but I feel like it lacks a little bit by not being quite as grubby as the better cuts. It’s still got a nice shuffling groove, but the transitions feel less sharp and it all feels a little bit flabby in the production and it’s a little too long. It’s still not bad, but the album has dipped a little in the last couple. Too Afraid To Love You - We’re keeping the tempo lower, but that slightly dragging groove is nice. The vibe here is much better and the production helps to build a more interesting tone and space for the song to fill. It’s got a an engaging, head-bobbing groove to it and there’s a good bit of attitude and swagger to the vocal delivery. Ten Cent Pistol - The lead guitar part that drifts around here is really nice, and the tone is lush. I really like the verses here, but I’m less keen on the chorus, which just seems a bit too obvious and I don’t find the guitar and vocal following each other particularly satisfying. The drop out after the instrumental section seems a bit stark and the tonal shift isn’t that clean. But I’m still digging the groove. Sinister Kid - Ah, we’re back. This has got a really solid pace and pulse to it. The transitions are smooth and the swagger is in full flow both vocally and instrumentally. This has some solid hooks and it’s all blended so nicely together with more of that grotty, distorted tone that just blends everything together into this living, breathing wash of grit. More like this please. The Go Getter - I can’t believe there are still 5 tracks to go, this album is too long. This is another where things feel a little flabby and disconnected. There are some ok ideas in here, but they’re dragged on a little too much and the overarching structure and arrangement just feels too disorganised and cluttered. I think there’s an ok song under here, but the execution just doesn’t quite sit right with me. I'm Not The One - The laid back swagger to this is pretty nice, but it needs to lift itself to something with a bit more zip in places, but instead it actually slows down. It’s nice enough and there are some nice moments, especially from the bass. I feel like I might have engaged with this a little more if it was part of a more concise album, but sometimes the length of an album does the later tracks dirty. Unknown Brother - The vocal delivery here is great and there are some nice riffs in there too. It goes off in a slightly strange direction about half way through and then gathers itself back up again. It’s got a nice feel to the rhythm again, but might be suffering a bit from the ‘late album cut’ issue of the previous track. Never Gonna Give You Up - Ah, this is a decent one. Structurally it’s pretty straightforward, but it feels tighter, it’s got some really nice riffs and hooks and it’s got a nice soulful, emotional edge to it, along with a robust groove. The transitions are really smooth, there’s good dynamic and tonal variety and the vocal delivery is really nice. A solid dirty soul number that doesn’t deserve to be stuck here at the arse end of the running order. These Days - A slow, slightly morose number to finish us off. It’s almost hymnal in tone, but it runs really nicely off the last track. The ambience of this is actually really good and it’s musically and emotionally engaging too. It’s very restrained and exposed, but Auerbach brings his A game to the party. He sounds vulnerable, with enough of a wavy edge to the delivery to give it that edge of emotion, but still remaining in enough control to give it a musically satisfying delivery too. The last couple of tracks really deserved better than being stuck 50 minutes into an album.

Pretty run of the mill rock album. Liked some of the sounds they mixed in and had an absolutely amazing night at one of their gigs in Detroit in 2019. Their bangers are bangers. Their album filler is still better than Soundgarden IMO. Not important but when the album ended it also played R.L. Burnside's Someday Baby, which I had on my liked songs already, but hadn't listened to in YEARS, and it's a fuckin' BANGER.

Great production here, though I always wondered why they wouldn’t tour with a bass player when there is such great bass work on the album.

(5/7) we've had a lot of similar vibes recently but still fun

Some delightfully, tasty and crunchy grooves

Chill and easygoing, kept me relaxed while troubleshooting technical issues with linux! Loved "Unknown Brother" most, sweet and deep.

At times it sounded the same and the songs blended into one another, but then there’d be something different to mix it up and grab your attention. Overall, good listening that’s enjoyable. Like Next Girl and Tighten Up.

2/9/26 - Listened during work. I like the Black Keys and I liked this album. It faded a bit towards the end but still solid and something I would listen to again. Top song - Tighten Up

Really good.

Melancholic Rock with 3 or 4 Bangers on Moondrop Quarks, maybe need to listen with heavier headphones for the full rock effect. Solid 3.5, will rate 4 for the Black Keys.

Enjoyable footstomper.

Excelente. Un discazo. Al final baja un poco en entretenido y está a punto de volverse monótono. Pero se sostiene, pese a ser largo. 7/10

very interesting to hear that "tighten up" and "howlin' for you" are on this album, very groovy and chill, would listen walking around town or driving. grew up listening to these guys but never really did a deep dive into their music so this was awesome waltzing down this avenue.

i like it, the vibes are like very midwest emo and travel related, its guitar but its very calm like relaxing

ahhhh the guitar

There’s an Experimental blues rock thing they got going.

Good choice

Väldigt trevligt, många bra låtar!

I honestly really liked it. It kind of reminded me of Arctic monkeys in its use of the muffled microphone.

I really really liked this album. the songs i dug were: "Tighten Up", "Ten Cent Pistol", "New Girl, and "Go Getter". i probably will purchase this album. for those in the know, they remind me of a more mellow Rival Sons.

This album is very solid from beginning to end. This is another band that ushered in a whole mini genre for a good ten years. The guitar tone is AWESOME. The drum sound is great. I love two lead singers. Very good.

beautifully crafted album. very product of its time but still a banger

This one was really hard. I had objections, quite a few actually, but all together it was a pleasant listening, so i choose happiness.

Pretty cool blues rock but the rawness seems too put on. I could vibe to this though

Really good album overall, little lull in the middle, but that’s nitpicking

Great flow through the entire album, gave it multiple listens. No real track stood out tho, so a solid 4.

I like the very relaxed vibe

This is where the band peaked, with the perfect blend of blues rock and pop sensibilities. Perhaps along with El Camino, but after this the wheels really fell off. However enjoy this peak period for what it is, a brilliant selection of blues rock numbers by a band at the top of their game.

I listened to Everlasting Light on repeat in high school so it brought back some… interesting memories for sure

Sweaty modern blues album with plenty of swamp fuzz and grit.

Lieblingssong: „ten cent pistol?“ Overall Rating: 8/10 by Anmerkungen: cool

Day 164 Knew a lot of these, enjoyed the album a lot Highlights Next Girl Howlin for you

po esse aqui me pega legal

Awful album cover. Good album.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Inte så gritty som jag minns den och El Camino är nog snäppet vassare. Gillar den dock skarpt även om den kanske inte riktigt har så många spår som på riktigt står ut. Men soundet och produktionen är helt i min smak.

Class from start to finish.

I’ve criticized 60s white boy blues albums for being white boy blues albums … but man this 10s white boy blues album hits me the right way.

8/10

I already knew I liked it. Good album. Varied enough.

As I listened to this I kept thinking that this could be a band that Jack White would be right at home in. Then I found out that there was a feud for a while because Jack White considered The Black Keys to be a watered down White Stripes thinking they were copying his sound. I enjoyed this and the raw fuzzy sound of it. Good stuff.

I really like this album but I think I need to be in a mood for it. It is amazing to me the music put out by just two musicians so I have to rate it higher but the overall tone of the album is too minor for me and makes me kind of sad listening to it. 4.2

Banger même si y'a pas vrm de chanson qui m'a strike à part celle que je connaissais déjà

really good album, didn't know them it got me interested, it's got that peaky blinders england vibe to it, and really nice cover too

This was pretty good, I've heard a few of their songs but first time I listened to a whole album.

Great album

it was like a great album but i got sidetracked

Goated intro somg. I love the sound of it. Sort of got lost after the first few songs

Really enjoyed this one, reminds me of the Arctic Monkeys

Solid album, this is my favourite album by them

Very cool, with a vintage feel. A really solid album that swaggers - could equally have been released in the 70s or today. Ten Cent Pistol is a highlight.

Everlasting Light! Howlin for you! Ten Cent Pistol! The Black Keys you will always be famous............

chill calm - reminds of sombr

So many good rock songs in here. Easy to listen to when I want a head nob day. Would love to hear live !

Первый альбом приятно удивил.

The first album I could imagine seeing live!!

Excellent. I’ve enjoyed their more popular songs - most of the songs on the album are equally enjoyable.

At first, I wasn't really vibing with this album, but it grew on me. It almost seemed like some Tarantino would use. 7/10 for me, but I don't know if i'd listen to it again.

Are The Black Keys underrated, overrated or accurately rated? I first heard of this band probably in 2008 when Attack & Release came out. It was described to me as "kinda like The White Stripes," which is probably accurate. It never grabbed me like I wanted it too. I always like it and enjoy it, but it never encourages me to stay all day. Certain songs do. On this record, its Howlin or Everlasting Light or Never Gonna Give You Up. I was pretty excited for this today, I listened to it through about 4 times. And again, I really enjoyed it! but its hard for me to tell one song from the next. I do really love and respect their contemporary take on blues and blues rock. Its really cool and really refreshing. Maybe I need to spend more time with them. I'll check out some other albums today. I really want to like this band more than I do.

Very good album. I like the Black Keys, but haven’t heard too much of their discography. Glad I listened to this one.

3.53/5 Stars Top Songs: Tighten Up, Next Girl, These Days

-saw black keys live w dad! -i loveee the way the vocals are layed -cool guitar - favs: everlasting light, tighten up, howlin for you🏁(truck song), unknown brother, never gunna give you up (this song makes me feel like i’m in a 50s diner this is so cute), -twang 🎸 -dessert vibes -emojis:🏁🎸🎙️🗿🛞

It's almost as good as El Camino (affectionately). fav tracks: Howlin' For You, The Only One

This album was such a blast from the past! Loved listening to it again

Oh yeah baby

This is more my type, got a nice groove and feel to it; howlin for you and tighten up are great tracks

Pretty cool album! I noticed that I had a song saved from them. My favorit “The Only One”

7/10 everlasting light war favorite

nice vibe, i like it, they told a story they created a vibe i can bob my head to, and ad music is not an insult bc ad music can be good too!

I was pleasantly surprised with this album. I came into it expecting rap and then when I heard the first song, I didnt really know if it sounded good, but the rest of the album impressed me. Too Afraid To Love You is my favorite. Its an absolute banger. Saved: Next Girl, Tighten Up, Howlin' for You, The Only One, Too Afraid To Love You, Ten Cent Pistol, Unknown Brother, Never Gonna Give You Up

Absolute rock blues stomper. Starts ok, whole back stretch is superb

Liked the whole album. nothing amazing but enjoyed all the songs. definitely my sort of vibe with the rock. i like their other stuff too. fun album

Favorite Track: Never Gonna Give You Up

solid blues influenced rock with melodic sentiment, almost even hints at some soul

Dog walk in Ecclesall Woods. My favourite: The Only One Charlie’s favourite: Howlin’ for you.

I had listened to this album before and loved it! I do have it on vinyl

This one kind of hit that nostalgia factor for me. Almost pulls me back to Edgefest in 2012. This was the bluesy indie rock style that was heard all over in the early 2010's. I was already familiar with the band and several of their songs, but I've never listened to this entire album. The song I'm Not The One stood out to me of the songs I hadn't heard before. Overall, it was a very chill listening experience. The downside of that, is I did zone out a couple of times and have to go back and restart a song to really listen to it. I think I'd give the full album a 7.5/10.

3.75/5 technically, good album, some solid tracks. My main issue is their guitar tone is so similar the songs start to sound the same similar to The Arctic Monkeys

Pretty decent album of roots rock, better than I expected.

Enjoyed this album. Sadly not much of their new music grabs me. Good record to put on for a road trip

8/10

Love The Black Keys. This is a great record.

There were a few different directions that alt rock was going in at this time, but The Black Keys were pioneers of and among the few doing a garage-y blues rock revival. And they just do this sound sooo well. Each song has distinct, excellent guitar, instrumentation, and vocals, and it is all united by a nice muddy distortion. These guys were pivotal in shaping music during the 2010s, and they created a worthy sound! I was pleased to dig back in and experience them after not hearing this album for several years. A lot of different types of music were popping up during this time, and some had lasting impact, others did not. My assessment here? This still holds up super well!

I never heard nothing from this band before and I can affirm that listen to "Brothers" was a great experience for me, because it surprised me. I thought they aren't good but then the truth appeared. Not a 5 star because I thing it's too long for me. But overall, it's a good one.

I rarley listen to the black Keys but they're really good. Howlin' for you is a modern classic you heard allot around that time. remember having some of the tracks on my phone in highschool but i forgot this album had allot of banger tracks. The whole album is full of Blues/Root Rock that feel like it would work in the 70s too.

Great

Exceptional experimental album, the singer voice is beautiful and love the mellow tracks and also mixed great

i’m sad 13 y/o me didn’t listen to it at the time. would have been foundational.

One of those that I know so well from my teenage years. Not the one I want to come back to consistently but fun to listen to

Great album! I've known I've liked Black Keys. So many iconic songs on here. And a good softer rock album.

I’ve always liked this album, but it’s 25 minutes too long. Strong 3 / weak 4. I’m going high

This is a solid brand of garage-blues-indie rock that throws up some good tunes. I love the drumbeat on 'Tighten Up', which is an interesting pattern (sounds like he drops a snare beat for toms). The 'Next Girl' guitar-sound is filthy, the vocal like an old bluesman. It's fuzzy and swampy - the 'She's Long Gone' opening riff, with it's distorted hammer-ons, could quite easily be Neil Young. 'Howlin' for You' is the piece de resistance - blues-heavy scuzzy-riffing against a resolute vocal and pumping drums, all put together with a touch of glam rock meets blues. Superb. There had always been something about the Black Keys that failed to excite me when compared to their closest rivals, The White Stripes. I thought them similar to 'Black Rebel Motorcycle Club' in a way - very decent and wear their influences on their sleeve, but they fail to reach next level status. Did you notice I said "there _had_" and "that _failed_", and "I _thought_"? Because that is the past but this is now this grew on me. And although at 55 minutes a judicious piece of editing would have tightened it up, it grew on me to the point where I think it excellent. Just about.

A bit of a reluctant 4. I've nearly gone with a 3 because I feel like there's a lot in this album that feels like filler, but the general vibe is good enough for a 4.

I like this. Recognized a lot of the songs from radio. Good music, good lyrics, good vocals. Solid all around.

Solid

This could be better

I hated this album when it came out. One of the most interesting bands turned much more mainstream, and a lot of the interest faded. Going back over it now it's a pleasant but not very challenging listen, but I like it a lot more than I did in 2010.

I actually enjoyed this one a lot more than I was expecting. Maybe it was because my listening week has been full of dated lounge music and other so-so recordings of various genres. Anyway, I quite liked the sound of something a bit more modern.

Grooovy.

Groooovy. This album reminds me of the summer after I graduated high school - my whimsy was at its absolute PEAK. Not a care in the god damn world. Had just received a bright yellow 73 VW bug as a graduation present that I could barely get out of the driveway. Would shove way too many friends in there blasting a Bluetooth speaker and that thing would shake so hard our teeth would clatter before stalling out in a Main Street intersection and all of us had to hop out to push it. When it shit the bed a mere few weeks later, I didn’t even care because I had my red beach cruiser with the velvet cheetah print seat and handlebars that I rode everywhere anyway. Lots of late night giggling under stars. Life was good. Keys were black.

Good cohesive sound, just started to feel a bit same-y to me after a while.

Not exactly my thang, a little too traditional soul for me to immediately get all the way into it, but very pleasing to the ears, especially all the instrumentals.

Pretty good. Very of its time. Best song: Tighten Up

Good

i can see myself going back to this one the generator redeemed itself after day one

I was really into a few of the tracks in college, but this whole album rocks. So groovy and gritty!

i liked it

++: Everlasting Light, Tighten Up, Howlin' for You, She's Long Gone, Black Mud, The Only One, Ten Cent Pistol, The Go Getter, Never Give You Up +: Next Girl, I'm Not the One, Unknown Brother, These Days +-: Too Afraid to Love You, Sinister Kid 8,2/10

Loud bearing 2010s album. Reminds me of college. The best it ever was for them. Hard rock and blues still had a place in the culture.

Great live

Solid. Next?

Good

Fun album.. Yep I wore this out like a favorite pair of shoes. Great to hear it again.

Pretty damn good blues rock record for this duo. Even though it got played to death, I still don’t tire of it.

Enjoyable blues rock. Seemed like they were trying hard for a retro sound.

Not sure the hate on this site is warranted. Maybe derivative, but it's well done and fun to listen to.

Better than 99% of what was coming out at this time, and anything influenced by Junior Kimbrough and RL Burnside is a-okay with me. Still, a little one-note for my tastes, but there are some real bangers on here nonetheless.

new to me and I like their sound and intensity. Bluesy rock with a lot of bite and a little fuzz. I'm in.

I enjoyed the soulful vocals and psychedelic rock instrumentations

Solid

Such a unique sound. Cool mix of boots with more modern indie rock sounds.

Lot of haters in the review section. BUT I LIKED IT! I don't think I've ever listened to the whole album before. There's some familiar songs on it, and the rest are easy to listen to. I'll be back for more of this one.

This album had such a chokehold on the top 40 radio stations.

Great album. Great band. So unique at the time of release.

Some of this reminds me of this weird modern Artic Monkeys sound where they try to sound overly rugged, but then it starting moving into its own sound, and the last 2 tracks are really good. I think it did pretty well, 7/10.

When these guys surfaced with that raw sound it was a welcomed change from the overproduced music that was popular at the time. I tire of the effects after a few cuts. But in general I like them.

Very interesting. Only vaguely know them, but really like their vibe and would like to know more. They have interesting rhythm, the signing is cool, cool songs. I found nothing "amazing" though to tip it into the 5 stars space.

We're getting into more recent music and I can tell. I don't think I've ever listened to the Black Keys (at least not actively) before, but I've definitely listened to a ton of bands inspired by The Black Keys (or at least, within the same niche). There is no part of me that can say this is not at least enjoyable, even if maybe generic.

Solid blues rock. Not groundbreaking but enjoyable. Does it deserve to be on this list? Maybe not. But it is for sure a lot better than some other albums on this list.

Not for me, I like some of the production, I can hear blues/hendrix type vocals but overall it’s not something I would play

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G In my opion an album with HITS like Everlasting Lights, Howlin' for You, Tighten Up are great songs !!!

The brothers at their best! Always a great listen.

This is an album rating by me. The star value of that rating is four.

Well, this album doesn't add anything new to the blues genre but it is very enjoyable, and I can't deny that I liked it a lot. It doesn't feel repetitive or long, to be honest. It feels very well linked. Also, all the songs are very well done and the production works really well when trying to sound raspy and noisy (yet it actually is very polished).

Heavy guitars and raw vocals. Got to be in the mood.

Dirty blues done right. Sometimes sounds over-polished but it feels like an egg in a well buttered pan.

It was a vibe, some songs that you did not know you knew until you put a name on it

Lyssnade som fan på deras skiva från 2008, attack and release. Gillade det soundet. Det låter onekligen väldigt likt på denna skiva. Men det är inte något dåligt. Grym rytmisk rock med utsvävningar. Trevligt.

Inte hört tidigare men är ju svag för bluesrock och det här var publikfriande melodiöst och lätt att tycka om direkt.

They front loaded this album with the good songs.

The A side is pretty good, but except for the Ten Cent Pistol, the B side fades pretty quickly.

4.4

Loved this album! Would listen to again!

I love The Black Keys so this review will be biased in favor of their music. In general the album is a whole vibe. Great "strut" music or walking music. Some very viral hits early on and just good alternative rock for the whole album. Is it the best album? Not necessarily, but it's damn good. Multiple songs on this album are in my daily listening playlist. Good stuff 8/10

The Black Keys were a band in the early 2000’s I was paying close attention to, a punchy guitar and drum duo pumping out some really good gritty bluesy jams. Brothers marks a point in their career where the duo shed the grit and presented us with a more polished bluesy rock sound. I think they balanced it out really well on Brothers, the first half gives us some catchy tunes in Tighten Up, and the sports anthem jam, Howlin’ For You. The Only One slows things down with a bit of a pysch tinge to it and it works pretty well. I’d argue this is their last good album, I wasn’t a fan of El Camino but Brothers still holds up pretty well. 4 stars

I’ve always liked The Black Keys, so was happy to see them pop up. The songs are simple and straight forward, yet still pack a punch to them. I like the quality and tone of the singer’s voice, it fits the music. I always think of them as a newer band so was shocked to see this album come out in 2010. Time flies when you’re old.

Bluesy indy garage rock, done very well by two players, which is pretty impressive. Album has a minimalist feel that doesnt require much from the listener. Not much to overthink here. Sit back, let the drums lead the way as the riffs entertain you.

Tighten up was one of my favorites songs when I was 14.

Un peu comme les White Stripes, mais un peu moins bien à tous les niveaux.

Solid stuff.

I don’t love this band but this is a really good album.

I bought this album when it came out and listened to it quite often. This would be peak Black Keys in my opinion. Very commercial and pop oriented album as compared to its predecessor.

Mange kjente sanger

Simple, and highly enjoyable. the combo voice/ guitar and or bass with drums is far from the over produced sound of the time. Some songs sounds like others? it's because there's Black Keys sound.

Sometimes simplicity is a good hang.

The first song “Everlasting Light” is on just about every single playlist I made from 2010 to 2015. It’s a song that kind of just sounds like an era in time for me now. That being said, I don’t remember the last time I listened to this entire album, and I liked it. Cool voice, good guitar sound. I honestly don’t think I ever really got in to the full album, but it’s good to know it holds up with the first song in my book.

You ever go to an amazing steak restaurant and order fish? That's this album, a blues rock band trying out different stuff, and it's good, but it's not what you came for. Also, their darkest album. I'm glad I went back, there are some toe-tappers on here, but far from my favorite album by the keys.

I do enjoy The Black Keys whole deal. The “hits” still hit for me. The other songs are solid. 4/5

Loved this, simple but really warm and enjoyable production. Great vibe for songs and just overall fun and interesting. The back end of the album kind of fell away for me but still, need more time with this

fuldstændig fedt. dampmaskine på lyd.

The Black Keys in all their fuzzy glory. This album feels so connected to that era of alternative rock and it was great to re-experience the hits. Really fun listen. Best Track: Tighten Up

Dude yes, i remember bumping this album hard as I was in my teens. Some great fuckin songs on this album for sure.

Banger album

Not their best album but still enjoyable.

Same old same old

I mean I liked it

I'm not the biggest fan of these guys in general but this is a pretty creative and good album.

I’ve always liked their sound but hadn’t gotten past their hits before. Enjoyed this.

Einbeitingin hefur verið upptekin við annað síðustu vikur en þetta góða verkefni, og ég hef byrjað mjög oft á þessari plötu án þess annað hvort ná henni heilli í gegn eða gefið þá athygli sem hún á skilda. En nú eftir nokkrar brotakenndar hlustanir fatta ég að þetta er barasta fínasta stöff.

Nice, groovy, kinda spiritual Some tracks got me deeper

Stripped-back, bluesy album with raw, hypnotic grooves. Most tracks circle around a chord or two, simple four-four beats, and basic riffs — it’s not complex, but that’s the charm. The songs share the same recipe, different flavour, yet Tighten Up, Howlin’ for You, Next Girl, and Everlasting Light hit perfectly. Lyrics fade into the background sometimes but that doesn’t matter. It’s all about tone, texture, and feel. Fuzzy guitars, laid-back swagger, and minimal production. Catchy, and full of character. Favourite track - Everlasting Light. 8/10

I like the singles by the Black Keys, though they all kind of sound the same. This album was more enjoyable than I thought it would be, but really all of their songs have a really similar sound. Still, well made and a fun listen.

Solid Rock/Blues album

Groovier than i expected as whole, I am already pretty familiar with the hits but I was excited by songs like The Only One and Too Afraid to Love You

#137/1001. This was a new band to me. Alica keyes vs black eyed peas vs. Black sabbath / crowes or what? This could benefit from a second listen, and out of the many savers of rocknroll inevitably on this book/list for me sounds interesting enough, although everything is so retro it must have been planned meticulously. But I'm buying it!

It's funky, and unmistakenly the Black Keys within a few notes of the first track. There's a swagger and a positively that exudes from the speakers and infects the listener.

This is something I could liste any time I need to create relaxing atmosphere. Kind of music that suits me but doesn't touch me deeply...

- this breathes new life into blues rock. as more and more artists are drifting toward very precise digital drums and effects, a thick, bluesy guitar riff and the singer's very recognizable vocals are a nice change and keep that kind of rougher sound alive - "Tighten Up" was on a CD mix I received as a Christmas present from my friend in high school (remember those?) and "Howlin' for You" is a song my husband's band covers regularly, so I'll always have a spot spot for this band and their hits - not my favorite group, and I don't particularly feel inspired to check out the rest of their discography after listening to this album in its entirety, but it's definitely fun and certainly memorable

I think they’re great but super overhyped

79/100. Raw, punchy, and full of swagger. A garage rock/blues rock classic. Some tracks stand out more than others, but as a whole, it captures a mood so well.

I love the black keys and this is my favourite album they have done. One critical point would be maybe 3- 4 four tracks to long other wise would be all killer

Really enjoyed this during morning wine at the cabin. It’s fun! But all of the guitar sounds the same

Comfortable and familiar. Feels Older than it is. Grunge but modern.

I can’t let the unoriginal nature of this music get in the way of the fact it’s a really listenable album. Very white stripes.

So many bangers on one album. Really enjoyed this album. It was good.

Смешанное отношение к группе, но запись увлекал.

Really good. Felt like a game changer album when it first came out and still holds up well, just doesn’t feel as special or unique as it felt at the time. I can hear the Danger Mouse production much more today then I did at the time.

the first half of this is so much stronger than the last half and truly it is a middle of the road album, but plus one star for the nostalgia of it all.

This is mostly catchy, simple, straight forward blues rock that is mostly about the vibes. It seems a lot of reviewers on here have made the mistake of overthinking and over-intellectualizing it, don't make the same mistake.

The cover doesn't lie. This is in fact an album by the Black Keys. The album is named Brothers. Those are both true statements. You know what else is a true statement? "I liked this album." Yeah, this is pretty good. It's definitely one of the more well-known rock albums of the past 15 years or so to be included on this list. I feel like this list gets a lot wrong with that sort of field, but this inclusion is absolutely justified. There's quite a bit to like here. The production is excellent. It's bluesy but also fairly modern. I really like it. It does a lot to make the instrumentation hit harder. Speaking of which, it's pretty cool that all this music comes from two guys. Good stuff. The album's hits are hits for a reason, because they're pretty great. "Tighten Up" especially is such an engaging listen, but also relatively radio-friendly. That sort of balance is nice to see. Brothers isn't perfect though. It's a little long, the lyrics aren't generally my favorite, and the "White Stripes knockoff" allegations aren't completely unjustifiable, but Brothers is what it needs to be. A collection of strong songs. I like this. 4/5.

It says that Tighten Up was their most successful single to date, and though I enjoy it, I enjoy Howling for You more. Good example of garage rock, and you don't even miss the bass player.

Today I learned there’s a lot more to The Black Keys than their singles. This was a great album, not a song went by that I wanted to skip. Each had their own soul and feel and it flowed well all the way through. This one surprised me, I always thought of them as single hunters by nah, this is a great album.

Cool album. I knew the singles but not the rest. The slightly grungy rock-blues vibe is very good across the whole album. Just a good album to throw on and groove to.

Álbum de rock muito bom. Algumas faixas não me cativaram quanto às iniciais e a maior parte do meio do projeto. 8/10

Very good indie rock.

I fully agree with all of the one star reviews. 4 stars though.

The Black Keys are a fine band and have many great albums under their belt. Listening to Brothers again, made me appreciate the album once again even though I don't think it's their best album. It certainly is one of the grooviest though since both of them started recording the rhythm section first. You can hear that approach and it works.

The dream of the 2010. Is alive and well

Love Everlasting Light. Tighten Up was my fucking jam in high school. Sounded like some recycling kicked in when I hit the The Only One (resembled Tighten Up with a different rhythm and vocal). A little long, but this album still represents an awesome 2000s rock sound with a handful of hits

Solid all the way trough. The black keys are certainly a discovery to be further explored

good, not great. Has the hits. Caught between pastiche and originality. Would listen again

Back when Black Keys still sounded fresh and hadn't sold their songs to every commercial on TV. Oversaturation did them in. Inexplicably adding more musicians to the band for tours didn't help either. But at one point, this band was exciting and vibrant and a powerhouse. This album is a testament to that.

8/10 good songs

Always had a soft spot for this album.

Black Keys, solide als altijd.

Pretty good, haven’t listed to this since college.

solid blues album, songs have good variety and pop feel in places. Not a bad listen by any means id give it an 8/10

good 3.5

Its really good, I like it

It's surprising to learn I know pretty much all the songs on the album without ever listening to it as a whole. Witness to how many hits this album contains I'd say.

Det va ikke fornærmanes dårlig, men det va jo ikke akkurat interessant av den grunn.

I really liked this. Worth getting on vinyl

I really enjoyed this, it's a bit like imagine dragons with more bite, I am pretty sure it's manufactured to shit but regardless of all that it's got some bops on it.

I discovered the Black Keys in college. The mix of blues and rock reminded me of The White Stripes (don't tell Jack White I said that...) but with a higher production value and better instrumentation from the rhythm section (no shade to Meg White). I found, too, that the emotional core of the songs was stronger and more genuine (talk to me about "The Lengths"...) This album was certainly their commercial breakthrough. And while it might sacrifice some of that authenticity for commercial appeal, it still is an excellent record. "Everlasting Light" is such an excellent opener, oh my god. What a song. Almost funky, definitely bluesy. Really sets the tone for the rest of the record. Hell, the album itself starts off really hot with that, "Next Girl," and the two singles off this one, "Tighten Up" and "Howlin' for You." Both of those last two are so incredibly singable and fun to listen to. Ear candy at its finest. The emotional core of the album is about either wanting love ("Everlasting Light," "Howlin' For You," "The Only One") or the fear of losing or anguish from just having lost it ("Next Girl," "She's Long Gone," "I'm Not the One"). It's a fine balance, and then there's also "Ten Cent Pistol," which is a moody as hell and I love it. And then don't even get me started on "Sinister Kid." What an absolute banger. Moody, soulful, bluesy and just an absolute vibe. What works here really works for me. What doesn't work so well is fine, but there are skips. I don't need to listen to the slower stuff. "Never Gonna Give You Up" is a fine track, as is "These Days." But they bring down the mood established by the majority of the rest of the tracks. I love this album, but it isn't a no-skip situation. An easy four stars. I wish it could've been five, but I really don't like the slow stuff as much here. Standout Tracks: Everlasting Light, Tighten Up, Howlin' for You, Ten Cent Pistol, Sinister Kid

Great sounds and music

Yeah it's good

Groovy album man

Pretty fun

Good bluesy sound, but the distortion on guitar and vocals could easily get tired after a while.

Ist echt solide. Manchmal klingt es sehr nach Werbemusik für den nächsten ford oder Blockbuster aber nach den letzten Alben freue ich mich über etwas was zumindest spaß macht. Eine warscheins zu hohe 4/5

Very pleasent surprise. It rang a bell the band, but i didn't know the album. Very good music

Enjoyable sounds,

I don't know the scathing reviews aren't really warranted in my opinion. This is a fine album, deeply blues rooted but doesnt steal or rip off anything. Black Mud won best instrumental rock song in 2011? So like, it was the best for its time. Do the Black Keys suck ass now, yes of course. But their 2008 Rubber Factory to 2013 Turn Blue run was the stuff of legends. They straight up grabbed the arm of the average American listener and injected it with midwest deep grooves and blues rythmns. In fact I followed this band from Rubber Factory from YouTube videos all the way through their grammy win. They matured well and ilicited one of the best albums of all time Turn Blue. Managed to create a hit everytime without over extending themselves or watering down the sound. I am deeply disappointed this this bands post 2013 trajectory though. Delta Kream was okay but we're here to talk about Brothers. And its a great rock album, easy to listen and enjoy. Connoisseurs and pop enjoys alike had their time in the sun with it. Those calling this white people blues, listen to Chulahoma and Their Debut to see what they are about. And those calling this aimless filler, consider Turn Blue to see cohesion and concept.

good album

great, really like it

Some great songs in a very black keys style. Howlin for you being a global smash. Whole album is well halted but quite understated from song to song.

Like it

Great album. I should probably get them in my music rotation every now and then.

8/10 enjoyable

Definitely a very consistent album in tone, which is fine because I like their sound. There were a couple standouts and overall I enjoyed the listen.

I quite enjoyed that one. Never heard of them before but the sound they have is really distinctive and original. I would rate it 4.5/5, just because I have certain albums in my mind, which I am very sure about, that they are on this list, that deserve the 5/5. But this one gets close, I did save some of the songs to my liked songs playlist.

I went into this thinking "Great. Another lo-fi garage group. This is going to suck." I was quite surprised to find out that there IS some really good music in that genre. The Hives, White Stripes, The Strokes, etc. have really done a shit job in the genre, but these fucking guys TEAR IT UP! Great fuzzy guitars, simple but catchy rhythm section, nicely implemented keys...really pleased and surprised. Damn, this was good. Super happy to have heard this today. On another interesting musical history note, the band members talking about the way the Muscle Shoals booth was constructed and its effects on the final mix was fascinating. It would definitely explain why the bass on this album is a little hot (in a very pleasing way to me) and how some of the very rich soul/rock/R&B recordings of its heyday sound so fucking good. I've even watched a documentary about Muscle Shoals and hadn't heard this before. Neat! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Bluesy influence, great for your backyard tailgate without your racist neighbors.

Very good.

Good bluesy midwestern rock n roll. First listen to a The Black Keys album.

This gets better as it goes. I generally dontlike the modern bluesy vocal delivery over indie instrumentals (as opposed to their earlier more dirty garage sound) from the 2010s, like hozier and all that. But the songs get stranger as it goes and i like that

I haven’t listened to The Black Keys in ages. I was late to discovering them, but I think I listened a lot to the songs from this album around 2012–2015. Because of that, it will always be a “university album” for me. The first four tracks deliver some solid hits — real bluesy rock. “Next Girl” and “Howlin’ for You” are among the best on the album. But even early on, I started to feel it sounded a bit too polished, too radio-friendly. This continued throughout the rather long album. There wasn’t much variation, and I missed the raw edge that some older blues records have. There are still a surprising number of catchy tracks, but overall, it feels a bit bland. They’re both clearly talented — Dan Auerbach’s solo album is good, and Patrick Carney composed the excellent theme to BoJack Horseman. I’ll land on a weak 4 star.

I was actually surprised because I mentally had this rated higher from back in the 2010s though I have not listened to this album or the follow-up since the early 2010s. I do rather prefer *Rubber Factory*, the only album I own by them. I got into them from their single "10 a.m. Automatic". (7.8) ★★★½

Quite cool garage rock. 4 stars

Great album, very consistent all throughout. It's a very Black Keys album. I suspect it functions as a good soundtrack for an evening of food and friends.

Amazing how many variations on a theme can sound so good.

Enjoyed the rhythm and harmonies in the music. First time listening to the album but will keep it in the mix!

Great album, really enjoyed it and ill definitely listen again

I don’t know if any Black Keys albums are less than 4 stars. Solid album.

So good but maybe a little too long?

Great blues-rock!

Solid album

really interesting and good feeling from this album, difficult to describe but great guitars and lovely pacing from vocalist. sounds like arctic monkeys if they were good

Listened to album many time’s back in day

drei bis vier tighten up, howlin for you,

Low 4, super solid album

This was pleasant to listen to but mostly all the songs sounded too similar to me. I think it’s his voice combined with the style. Sounds all too similar to listen to for an hour. Nothing stuck out as anything Is want to listen to again and again.

solid