Reviews (page 9 of 14)
This album feels like it needs to be listened to on vinyl, in a passenger van, while heading to Woodstock. If the release year hadn't been displayed, I would've just assumed I hadn't heard of it because it was from the 70's. That being said, this album is alright for me. It's sonically cohesive, the production and mastering are similar, but the songs can be differentiated. I had heard the lead single "Tighten Up," as well as "Howling For You" before, and immediately recognised them. I feel that a lot of the songs drag on a bit, and not just the few that go over 4 minutes. (Why does "The Only One" have to be 5 minutes???) It also feels like, although I hadn't heard this album before, it wasn't anything new. You can hear blues influences throughout, and although this album is categorized as garage rock, that feels misleading to me. It feels like more of a soul/bluesy southern gothic feel to me rather than 90's grunge/garage band.
Cool. A bit generic though.
It's not bad, but doesn't click with me
It was fine and good, but probably not an album I would choose to play again.
Długie, ale OK. Mogłabym wrócić.
Never jumped on The Black Keys hype train when this album first got released and listening to it for the first time now doesn't make me wish I did. The songs that I recognized were cool, but its too repetitive at times. Could it have been made better by slimming the track list down from 15 to like 12? Maybe, I still don't think it would make me give this album more than anything but a 3.
Well made, not really my thing
Meh Maybe I’ll try this again but I remained disinterested during my listen
Overly long, but ok
6/10 Had my head nodding throughout. Some catchy grooves and I enjoy the prominent bass in the mix, but nothing wowed me here. Just a solid rock record. Favs: Tighten Up, The Only One
Overall good album that I mostly enjoyed listening to. I feel like the album could've been a tad bit shorter. Best song was Ten Cent Pistol.
definitivamente um album!! nunca fui mto do black keys nao viu. mas eh de boa, nada demais. bem normal, nada me saltou os olhos mas tbm nao me entediou!! algumas sao bem legais, até!!
This is one of those albums that was so popular around a certain period of my life that, despite having never put it on, I assume I've heard some of this before. Well, either I've totally forgotten hearing this before (not a big swing considering how generic a lot of this is) or I've never heard any of it until today, and don't think I've missed out. Three stars on the basis that it's competent and some of the guitar noodling is quite nice.
idk but i like it
Alternative rock. Best Black Keys album. Probably should be at least a 4, but not my genre, so downgraded to 3. 1 song to playlist for now. Will likely be one of the first bumped when listening to gets full.
Didn't know them by name but recognize a bunch of the songs. Would give 3.5
I love the bluesy almost sultry vibe of this album. Not every song stands out but the ones that do are amazing. Favorite track: Sinister Kid
Assez original, et pourtant facile à écouter.
Solid release that brought The Black Keys into the US mainstream. The patented echoey live sounding vocals are always a welcome sound to get into a party energy mood. Howlin' for you is a stand-out example of the album.
On par with early 2000s garage rock revival but does add a bit more soul
3.5
This is pretty bog-standard blues rock. Inoffensive but not transcendent. Not essential.
redefined sports bar ambiance
Already in my regular rotation. Wish we could vote half-stars. Torn between 3 & 4 stars.
nice! i think there's some really nice tunes in here a very enjoyable listen
Very much a “vibes” record. The more honed in they got, the less rough sounding and more commercially viable in every way. Just a bit too easy to ignore but always pleasant to hear.
A few of these songs were damn good the rest don’t do it for me
I already knew two songs: Tighten Up and Howlin' For You which I already liked. The rest of the album sounded good and right in line with what I would enjoy but no other song stood out except for Ten Cent Pistol.
Excited that this is first album to start the entire 1001. Lived in Akron for my coming to age years after college. Just finished it 1/9. It was okay. Not my favorite. Liked it a bunch more when I was younger
Don’t love the black keys. Some songs were ok. Glad to give them a proper chance.
Appreciate it, but not my thing.
I have had a tough time getting into The Black Keys because I've always felt like they're a White Stripes rip off but made more accessible/radio friendly. I don't dislike this album but I don't feel like this album deserves to be on this list. I like El Camino and Turn Blue a lot better than this record too.
Some good sounding songs with punchy bass and drums. But it felt like what Imagine Dragons fans turn to when they want to be edgy.
okayyy finally some new songs added to the playlist
Grew on me.
I really love the first 5 tracks on this album. The problem is that tracks 6-14 fell flat, sometimes cribbing lines from their other songs, and didn't keep up any of the energy from the first 5 songs. If I hadn't been bored to numbness, "These Days" might have stirred up my emotions, and been an amazing final track. Maybe someday, I'll just listen to those 6 songs in a loop, and see if it hits they way I think it should. Rather disappointing, because I generally like The Black Keys.
7/10
This album is very strong in its genre and I think that's good, however is not really my style and I wouldn't listen to it intentionally. The genre in general, I think, feels very repetitive and all the songs are predominantly percussion sounds, which gets very annoying at some point if you are not into this kind of music.
There is nothing worse than having all your songs blend together. This is a great album other than that. I'm also very hard pressed not to mention a certain band on the opposite side of the color spectrum as the Black Keys. The two Midwest Blues Duos are intertwined to some degree & have had equal success. The Keys seem to be more polished. I prefer white meat to dark in this situation. There's not much difference between The Only One & I'm Not the One. Why are they even on the same album? Are those Sleigh Bells in Unknown Brother? I don't know how I feel about that. Automatic Christmas song? Howling For You sounds like Rock N Roll part 2 almost to a point of ripping it off. If you like the same song over & over but slightly different, it's fantastic. If not, you're in for a bad time. Broken record here. Give me a bit more sonic variety. 3.8
Heavy bass!
Good album but not really my favorite genre.
ok
It was more like 3.75, musically it was really good and a pleasant album to listen to. I did find it a little music and nome of the tracks really stood out to me, but I wasn't paying a lot of attention to the album and it was mu first listen
7/10 great, consistent sound but also slightly repetitive
3.75/5 Love the clear influence of blues, soul, and rock. Classic riffs. Production maintains a nice level of grunge and rasp without getting muddy. Is Unknown Brother automatically a Christmas song because it features sleigh bells? Didn’t feel any personal connection to it though, nor did anything still out as particularly exceptional.
Enjoyable, and may revisit.
Epitome of 10s indie garage rock
Was nice
Another fine album by The Black Keys. Although I prefer artists like John Lee Hooker or Chris Stapleton, it is nice to know bands like these still exist. There was nothing bad about this album but I do have to admit I listened to 3 other songs by 3 different artists after the album ended without realising/noticing. Make of that what you want.
3/5
Favorite Song: Too Afraid to Love You Least Favorite Song: Black Mud I don’t know how many more mediocre albums in a row I can take. Please 1001albumgenerator give me something life-changing.
Could listen to them again. Haven’t heard of them before. Some songs I like better than others.
Sounds like The Black Keys but very boring this time. I was patiently waiting for the end of this album so I can delete it and start something else. But don’t misunderstand, it is really decent record but only sounds faceless.
really i'd give it a 3.5.. can see why others like it but just not totally for me
álbum que eu tenho certeza que eu iria gostar se tivesse ouvido na minha fase wannabe indiezinha. algumas faixas legaizinhas, outras nem tanto.
Holy ad music. saved (1/15): - Never Gonna Give You Up
really liked this!! faves: everlasting light and too afraid to love
Would listen to this agan
Classic
Album’s best : Howlin’ for you
This album and El Camino went triple platinum on my iPod in elementary and middle school. Now that some time has passed I can see that it is kinda just “we have the White Stripes at home”, but that’s not a bad thing. The songs are still solid. Favorites were Everlasting Light, Tighten Up, Howlin’ For You, and Ten Cent Pistol.
Good coworker music
Loved listening to this at max volume… everlasting light is a gem and I totally get it 😮💨
3.4/5 actually some rly good pop rock 2010s songs prolly nostalgia
i’m enjoying so far! never heard of this artist, but howlin for you sounds familiar.. the vibe they give also reminds me of another artist but i can’t put my finger on it…. i do think it kinda sounds monotonous in a way right now, but most albums on first listen have this issue. i’m assuming the more you listen, the more distinct each song becomes.
This is fine. I recognized some songs but it wasn't like exceptional
It sounds like something I’d only listen to when I was a teenager. Not bad but not my style anymore.
I liked the first few Black Keys albums, this was where I fell off. Giving it a listen in late 2025 I feel the same. Songs are fine the band are very tight. Their aged blues aesthetic works. But it’s much more commercial. Even Danger Mouse can’t save these tracks. I understand how this album landed on the list, but I’m still not a fan of latter day Black Keys. 3/5
I really want to like this album - I think there is something about lyrical content and voice that I don’t love - musically it’s easy to listen to
On paper should be rated higher than this, but just feel like it is lacking heart or emotion, almost like you told AI to make a rock album
Not what I'd listen to every day, but I definitely see myself occasionally putting on some of the songs. My favorites were Never gonna give you up, Ten cent pistol, Too afraid to love you, these days (Never gonna give you up being my favorite, 10/10). I'd give 3.5 stars if it were possible.
The textbook definition of a 6/10. Good songs, but it goes on too long. I like the Black Keys, and this is not their best record.
Mid
twas decent
Only a couple songs like Black Mud and Too Afraid to Love you were really grooving for me. Also, I don’t understand what’s up with this album cover. Most of this album was too average to stand out as a classic on this list. It’s missing the X factor
6/10 good but felt a little repetitive
Pretty good not awesome and its from 2010
cool. similar sound as mother mother
Not averse to The Black Keys. I don't love them and I don't dislike them. Nothing quite grabs me enough to rate this higher than a 2 or a 3. I'll be generous this time.
I was quite apprehensive with this album, it just reeked of indie-ness. And it kinda does, mainly the vocals are where I'm getting indie from. You know I would describe what makes them indie, but my brain won't give me a reasonable definition to put into my own words. Some of the riffs are quite cool I suppose. This is just a 'meh' album to me, probably won't be returning. Highlight Song/s: "Next Girl" and "She's Long Gone",
Sometimes it feels like they are just moving furniture around the room. On this song, the couch is over here and the chair is over here, and on the next song they've just switched places. It is a comfy couch though, maybe a little saggy in the middle.
i dont know if i get why its so lauded but the only one is a song ive liked for ages
I remember enjoying this back in the day. Still decent but pretty straight up and repetitive…
Not bad, but nothing truly inspiring.
Solid album that doesn't do much. The sounds that are there sound good. Crunchy production, good beats, not especially memorable songs, but nothing aurally offensive.
Another good one. I really liked Black Mud, I think it is something with songs that has a nice gitarr!
Album doesn't have a lot of their hits like el Camino does, but it might be a more cohesive album.
I've either heard every song here in an SUV commercial or find it tolerable, fuzzy. samey blues rock. The hits keep this at a light 3.
Love the grooviness of this indie rock album. I know The Black Keys from their singles/hits, but I don’t think I’ve listen to an entire album of theirs beginning to end. Something that’s easy to listen to (in a good way) because it’s catchy AF. A bit repetitive and boring after a while, but not gratingly so. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Non li conoscevo, bell'album. Purtroppo non ascoltato con dovuta attenzione ma mi piace molto il sound. Salvato in libreria per ulteriori ascolti e approfondimenti.
I’d actually give it a 3.5. It’s a nostalgic album for me but it suffers from something I thought only the last albums from The Black Keys suffered: it does feel like you’re listening to the same 3 songs for an hour. I guess I looked at this one with rose-colored glasses
I don't think this is their best work, i.e, El Camino, but it's pretty electrifying. For an era of rock that lets be real, has struggled, I think they've been an outlier. Do I think it's on par with some older rock music? No, and that's ok. I think they lean into blues music and have their own upbeat, almost Arctic Monkeys style, which is very much the early 2000s sound. I don't think they should try and be anything other than themselves, and it serves them well here.
2.5.
Good total album to play in background. Some bangers. Might give 3.5 * if I could
The most 3 album yet. Not bad. Not great. Good background music without being muzak. Derivative without being too contrived or soulless. Liked the clean production. Too long. Wouldn’t rule out another listen.
Played and no doubt overplayed this back in the day, I was really starved of interesting new Music then.... Now, particularly having listened to much more of the originals source material, it feels more like an ex who you wonder why you spent so much time with than a blood tied Brother(s).
Genre: Blues Rock I don't know why this is in the book. It's a solid record, and The Black Keys were sort of poised (at that time in the early 2010s) to take off in a big way, but this sound never really took off beyond the occasional Ford or Dodge commercial. The hits on here are good, and I think overall this is truly one of the easier picks to put on at an event with lots of white folk, and there are some variations (a little more garage here, a little more straight blues here), but it's totally just solid background noise. Non-essential. Enjoyable (your dad would love this a lot), but non-essential. 3/5
Listened to half the album. I really liked it. Solid vocals and really really good instrumentals
good solid album of fun!
Mid and samey background music for car commercials
Some good songs on here.
It's fine. Inoffensive. Couldn't help but feel like I'd rather be listening to Spoon.
Boy oh boy did this fill a hole in music when it came out. It was also perfectly released to coincide with America’s rediscovery of slightly less problematic Deep South white culture in the True Blood era. Every song off this guy was on the radio for 3 years. But then it got co-opted by Shondaland and HBO dramas and NBC and suddenly it was everywhere and you couldn’t walk down the street without hearing Next Girl. I know every word to every song but I can’t stand them anymore. Three stars for effort and intention.
6/10
325/1089 - I thought this was the Black Eyed Peas for a second but I'm relieved. I kinda get why Rock died in the 2000s if this is what was considered cool enough for this list. Sounds like The Allman Brothers Band + the Strokes.
This is a fairly solid Album that I used to listen to quite often when it was released. Kind of the beginning of the more modern blues-rock / Sleaze rock popularity boom in my opinion, at least to get really popular in mainstream media. Everlasting Light, Tighten Up, Howlin' For You, and Too Afraid to Love are my top songs on the album.
Reminded me of the black pumas. Good vibes, a little cheesy at times
I love seeing yet another band from my home state represented. I wonder what the percentage is of Ohioans on this list. Unfortunately, other than the three hits here (which are tremendous), I always found this album to be a little repetitive, over long, and boring. I was never one for delta blues, and the Black Keys are buckled into that whole sound.
Interesting to see that this one's average rating has fallen significantly - has there been a bit of a backlash against these guys? Some of the negative reviews mention car commercials and the like, so maybe that has been a factor. It is easy to see why this would appeal to ad-makers. The songs have an immediacy and a bit of punch. It all sounds a bit processed, though, and lacking in personality. My overall feeling was that this is good but not very lovable
I'd heard Tighten Up, and Howlin' for You before. The album is ok, but nothing to write home about.
I like this better than the Arctic Monkeys but it’s generally the same thing
This was fine. It didn't blow my mind but the production and feel were nice. The vocals added some much needed oomph. The repetition got slightly annoying at times. Honestly, it was nothing crazy but I'm happy with what I got. top 5: Howlin' For You, The Only One, Sinister Kid, Never Gonna Give You Up, and These Days 3.55/5
Perfectly fine easy listening rock.
Got some bangers on there tbf
3/5
Strong blues influences, the issue with influence sometimes is it just reminds you of a better artist you could be listening to. Very of its era, though. I can understand why 2009 local-coffee shop-indie-fanatics went wild over this sound - you can almost hear the milk steamer going off over the sound of this album. Not inherently a negative, just not my scene. Should I resent this album for bring in a wave of stomp-clap artists after it? No. Will I anyway? Yes.
Lots of good tracks on this one although I feel like my appreciation for it has waned over the years. I saw the tour supporting this album back in 2013 and it ripped. This one is somewhere between a 3 and 4.
Enjoyable album, I own the CD.
Pretty good 3/5
The Black Keys are one of these band for me where… I just don’t like them and there’s really no good reason why. The Black Keys play really cool garage rock with deep and varied influences from blues, soul and hip hop. They have this great mix of dirty guitar and production with a very clear delivery. It just doesn’t work for me. You should take a listen though.
Glad to see the Black Keys featured in this list Good to hear them again Maybe three standout tracks in this collection - but not quite enough to carry a whole album
Great gym bump. Tunes like “Tighten Up”, “Sinister Kid”, and “These Days” make this album stand out.
Standouts Next Girl Howlin' For You I'm Not the One
This is a good record. Whenever I listen to the Black Keys, I think I should listen to them more, but I never do.
Okay rock blues album. Nothing special
Blues adjacent- very repetitive but general good groove and enjoyable to listen to when feeling productive etc. Sunday 22/11
Pretty dope. Vocals weren't my favorite (typical) but there was a lot to like about the instrumentals and the later songs appealed more.
I don’t dislike this album. I used to listen to it semi regularly. It is a bit samey and long in the end though. El Camino is the album I’d go back to now if I wanted to listen to them again.
Technically adroit but not my cup of tea
im a sad boy and my girlfriend is a bitch
i have never heard a black keys song i enjoyed...i've even seen them live and i cannot NAME a single black keys song...but i will listen with an open mind next girl, v catchy you're the only one is pleasant i like the little jingly janglies in too afraid to love
Totally fine but it was never really for me
Easy to put on - several in the front half that are super well known. It definitely blends together in the back half - to the point that it's like, why am I still listening to this. If it had kept some of the energy of the earlier tracks, it would be higher, but as it stands, it falls to a 3 with it's ambling nature.
A 3, but a highly enjoyable 3
I was regular whelmed by this one.
EA Sports ass album
This album is the beginning of their commercial success. With that came the death of their raw blues rock success. I enjoy this album, but it is somewhat boring. Not quite the commercial heavy hitters that El Camino and Turn Blue are, but also not the gritty raw albums I love like Thickfreakness or Rubber Factory.
Bluesy, soulful but maybe not the best choice for motivation on a work morning :P
Good album by a good band. Each track is good: musically good lyrically good tunefully good. Their other albums are good too. Won't ever listen to it again. That's bad.
Much better Rock. The 2-4 run was strong. I honestly thought it was chill, on par with the oldies.
I found this one pretty smooth and easy listening. Just put it on in the background!
Decent, put pretty samey by the end. 3.5/5
nah, i don’t like the sound engineering on this one :/
I was wondering if this would be the album with that one song. It was.
Not really my thing but they are a great band
It took a while to get in to this album, and even after a few listens I can't get beyond describing it more than 'just alright'. Around this time I listened to comparable bands like The Strokes and The White Stripes, both of which did better albums than this. The songs don't change much throughout, although there were a few standout tracks in Next Girl, Howlin for You and I'm Not The One. The Black Keys were new to me. They were OK but I'm not overly fussed about finding out more about them.
Looking forward to this one!
Not bad
There is one or two upswings, but it's mostly a miss.
Liked the vibe overall, I'll relisten to it at some point.
Listened to this album in college but had no memory of the second half, now that I’m forcing myself to it sure feels like a slog.
It was good and enjoyable, but didn't really do much for me...
Falls into the same category as Gary Clark for me. I should like it more than I do. Not sure what doesn't click, but still some great songs. I think maybe the drumming is just mid.
I’m a fan of that greasy, in your face, guitar-driven sound the Black Keys deliver which also happens to complement the (sometimes even falsetto) voice of the lead singer very well. The simplicity of the band is great in that they don’t overload you with too many different sounds or effects. It’s a handful of instruments and some good singing. That’s all that is needed.
now that i dont hear these songs in every car commercial i think it's alright
Debate raged in the boardroom of the recently convened NME Sculpture and Architecture Council (NMESAC). Agenda items one to nine had been tabled and progressed without much ado – there’d been unanimous agreement on the timing of “party favours Friday”, the enshrining of “vow of silence until after lunch Mondays” and, surprisingly, no pushback on the draft proposal for rotating aux rights – but item ten was proving tricky. “Royal Blood is to Death From Above what the Monkees were to The Beatles,” offered Archie from beneath an affected scowl. “There’s nothing intrinsically wrong with The Monkees and nothing intrinsically wrong with Royal Blood,” began Penny before being interrupted by Phil, Archie’s pal. “Horseshit. Relativism at its worst.” “Oh, poor you guys. Look, someone’s disagreed and now it’s the sin of ‘relativism’. As if the entire fucking project of deciding on a Mount Rushmore of Millennial Radio Rock isn’t predicated on precisely that. Relativism. Dickheads.” “Enough,” shouted Prince (no relation) over the top of the rowing two and their supporting factions. Using the heel of his hastily delaced winkelpicker as a makeshift gavel, he called the room back into order. “I will not see it that our first major project, our flagship and a commission we know to be so extremely dear to our Financier, is scarred in its infancy by internecine warring. The Rushmore of Millennial Radio Rock cannot be born into a climate of spite.” The eight, disquieted, stared at the boardroom’s gleaming oak table top. An early head of steam saw Sergio Pizarro and Joe Newman already locked in. Helpfully (or not, depending on your perspective), some of the heaviest hitters (James Bond baiting Jack White, AM-era Alex Turner, later Beck) had been reserved for a mysterious future project – rumours in the office were that the Financier was thinking “in lunar terms”. Shortlisted alongside the contentious Mike Kerr were Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons, Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys and Dan Smith of Bastille. “Now, if we feel ready, may I propose we put the Kerr question to one side and discuss the relative – I’ll thank you not to scoff, Penny – merits of the Dans?” Royal Blood forgotten about, the discussion soon returned to smooth sailing. Auerbach and Reynolds would be the two taken forward. A late case was made for switching Newman for Smith, delegates remembering how much the “wayohayo stuff” had really struck a chord in the early 10s, but the group ultimately agreed that two Dans was enough. “I think our Financier will be most pleased, team. We have converged on a cadre of creatives whose anthems didn’t just survive a tradesperson’s FM radio but indeed thrived through those antiquated, busted systems.” To celebrate, the folks of NMESAC popped “Howlin’ For You” onto the stereo. It would feel, to anyone with the ears to hear it, that the soundtrack to the time before everything got really shit was itself fairly shit: a sort of bluesy Fratellis that used vibrato in place of any actual ideas. Luckily though, they couldn’t hear it. No one could.
I still can’t tell if this is actually cool or just trying to be and failing. But it’s pretty chill and charming even if unintentionally silly so I can’t be mad at it.
It’s fine
Black Keys su baš proizvod svog vremena. I to mogu reći jer mi već za desetak godina zvuče zastarjelo. A to je ono vrijeme kad je sve postajalo nekako bljutavo i izvještačeno. Tako zvuči ovaj album. Ništa nije loše, ali isto kao da nije tu. Pozadinski zvuk.
This hasn’t held up quite as well as I remember, but still a very listenable album. It’s a bit overlong; if this was a 10-12 track album I think it would play a little better.
Everything about The Black Keys points to me being a fan. They're rock'n'roll, they're a bit dirty, garagey, bluesy. They were popular when I was consuming a lot of music like this but they somehow never quite caught and held my attention. Hell, I own this album and forgot that I had it until I was scrolling my iTunes looking for something else this week. I couldn't remember or recognise a single moment. It's generally good and an easy listen but it just fails to excite me. I never raised the enthusiasm to go and see them live at the time or quite possibly, I did but I've already forgotten about it. So this is about as 2.5 an album as I can possibly imagine but I do find myself feeling that it's better than most of my 2s, even if it's also worse than most of my 3s.
Not my cup of tea
I love the Black Keys, but this is one of their weakest Albums, imo. The Songs feel a little harmless and three or four songs less would have been better. Fav: Howlin‘ for you
Helt greit, men ikke helt min greie.
Not good, not bad... i did forget many times that I already listened to this album That's clear: no big influence over me
3.0 Never been a huge The Black Keys fan and never understood why, still don't. The first 4 songs sounded much better than I remember from radio play in headphones and I thought maybe I'd been unfair. The next 14 though were just too repetitive and I couldn't get into it. I can see why people like them but for me I'm going three (album I enjoyed but don't think I'll revisit)
Catchy music and some good singing mixed with singing through a microphone that made me want to change songs. Thankfully most songs don't use that filter on the singing making it overall a really good smooth album that I really enjoyed listening through.
YouTube charcoal bbq montage music, flame-grilled whopper music, big wielding content music, vintage garbage truck enthusiast music, competitive eating walk-on music, mid-range SUV ads at half-time music
Revisiting this after not really listening to it for over a decade is a kick. Also, the drum/bass/low end mixing on this thing is really impressive and speaks to my basshead loving nature. The non-hit tracks still rock, and it's clear with hindsight it was a pretty inspired album that probably got too big for the band's good. I can clearly hear inspiration in the production taken by Fiona Apple for Fetch the Bolt Cutters.
What a stupid album cover. The music isn’t terrible but gets old quick. Would rate 2.5 but feeling generous.
Some fantastic songs on this. Too Afraid to Love is a particular stand-out. Everlasting light and Howlin' For You are also great (latter is very nostalgic, FIFA and all that). But yeah, something about the Black Keys just doesn't hit quite right for the most part. Not sure what it is exactly, but yeah...
Nice blues rock so I won't ding them for musicianship, but holy cow it was boring.
I saw the track list and was surprised that a) there were a bunch of songs I had already heard and liked, and b) there were a bunch of songs that I hadn't. After listening to the album I can confidently say that Black Keys have a shotgun approach to their songs. A few memorable songs that I'd pick to listen, a handful that I wouldn't skip, and about half the album that is just mediocre. Definitely pick and choose songs instead of listening to the whole thing.
soooo mediocre indie. fifa soundtrack vibes
Decent
The first Black Keys album I heard - it still holds up! There are some really good tracks here. Never Gonna Give You Up is regrettably not a Rick Astley cover song.
I like them and this is good, really good, sounded great in the car. But will I play it much? Probably not. Favourite track is 'I'm Not The One'. If this hasn't been used in a film or TV drama then it should be!
Feels funny rating an album this low that has so many tracks that I really like! Everlasting Light is a really underrated song. I love the steady and deliberate tempo, and the sampled(?) vocals always struck me as super unique. That opener is followed by a strong run from Next Girl, to Tighten Up (another favourite), to Howlin For You, to Shes Long Gone. I like all these tracks, and had them previously liked. Funnily enough, all songs mentioned here are the opening 5 songs!! Just not quite as memorable after these, which brings down the overall album experience. Listened while cooking Sweet Potato and Peanut Curry with Lucy 🧑🍳 👩🍳
El Camino >>>>>
enkele zeer goeie nummers, maar naar het einde toe is het vat af
Was never that fussed about Black Keys, but everything Danger Mouse produces sounds lovely
I loved this album but I feel like they're slowly becoming cringe, but it was entertaining me and it was long. I think it'd be a 3.5 really. 3 is harsh
This was okay, I’m not a giant fan or anything but playing through the album changed my view a bit. I’ll revisit this for sure.
Some bangers, some filler, decent!
Listened to the band before : Yes Songs I already knew: none Favourite Songs: Tighten Up, Howlin' For You Tighten Up sounds reminds me of Pumped up Kicks. The same hooks and riffs I have heard before on some of there other material. Howlin' For You sounds like T.Rex. The songs become repetitive at times. They have distinctive sound.
My reaction to this one was weird and frustrating! I really liked all the components--the growly bluesy vocals, the buzzy fuzzy instruments. Even the lyrics seemed pretty decent. But it was just all so SAMEY? Howling for You, and Ten Cent Pistol, and especially Sinister Kid kinda stood out, but even those I would have liked more if I'd come across them individually in the wild rather than them being surrounded by So Much More of Nearly the Same? I feel like I need to revisit the whole album one song at a time, weeks apart. Weird! And frustrating!
Easy listen, good at what they do, makes sense, doesn't ever really grab me much.
Well done kind of bluesy rock. Doesn't really do much to elevate the genre, but put together a solid album. The track Too Afraid to Love You would be really cool with Ghostface Killah doing something over it.
Kinda whatever. I remember when this came out and it was big-time on the alt radio station I listened to at the time. The hits are pretty decent and the whole package is alright. Nothing special. I remember liking rubber soul much more back then. Couldn't tell you if thay would be the case today but at the time that was it. I like the vocals but the music itself feels kinda simple and just uneventful. Its good but nothing to write home about
I've only heard Howlin' for You from this band, I think from MLB The Show. Sometimes I'm looking at the critical acclaim for albums on here and see "Was named one of Spin's top 40 albums of 2010." So this wasn't even the best album of 2010 according to Spin....it was #30....soooo what about all those albums more acclaimed than this one from 2010? Are those albums on here too? It's a good rock album, but sometimes I'd like a bit more explanation on why this album specifically was chosen because i'm missing something. There is a bluesy vibe, but I don't think this sound is super unique at this point. Maybe it was more unique in 2010? The music is pretty good, but i'm not really finding anything beyond that. In terms of albums you should listen to before you die, I'm sure I could find a better one not on the list that might give a more unique perspective to music.
While I never had anything against the Black Keys (other than Patrick Carney coming off like kind of a dick sometimes), I never had any interest in listening to them, either. This is better than I expected, though I wonder how much of that is my affinity for the source material. "Never Gonna Give You Up" could've been a Stax song in the '60s, for instance. But this is enjoyable regardless, even if it's not something I'm likely to seek out.
This was almost a 5/5 for me when it came out. I cooled a bit towards it over time — I think their earlier stuff, although less catchy, has more of a staying power.
Enjoyed this a lot more than I expected too. At points it made me think of Nick Cave. I think this could easily rise to a four with more listens
190925 12:25 3
Let Me Be Your Everlasting Light 1001 Albums Generator 121 (09/18/2025) The Black Keys are kind of like the Portland version of the blues. I don't know if they are actually from Portland, but I think you know what I mean (also this isn't a racial thing; I am a huge Led Zeppelin defender). Nothing wrong with Portland, nothing wrong with the blues, but the combination leaves a bit to be desired. The two big hits off of Brothers are Tighten Up, which sounds exactly like a Kia commercial, and Howlin' For You, which isn't bad honestly. Generally, the worst part of Brothers is definitely the middle; the stretch from Black Mud to I'm Not The One is not super enjoyable. However, Ten Cent Pistol isn't bad. The album starts out really strong with Everlasting Light and Next Girl before the two aforementioned hits. She's Long Gone has a bit of garage grit that is really cool. Additionally, the album ends with three of its strongest songs. Unknown Brother has great guitar work, and although I was disappointed that Never Gonna Give You Up wasn't a Rick Astley cover, it still ended up being one of my favorite songs. I don't know what to do with this one. It's like exactly a 2.5/5, but I'll round it up to a 3. Favs: Everlasting Light Next Girl Never Gonna Give You Up Least Fav: The Go Getter
I've already listened to his album (14). Sounds great but too long, too much filler and too many ballads.
I had never really listened to the Black Keys and I enjoyed parts of this, but probably won't return to it.
ok 300th. so you hate this beause you think only led zep and white stripes are white artists who makes good blues rock. but comon its ok innit 3/5
I really didn't know how to feel about this one. I did at least 4 playthroughs in the end, but just couldn't shake the feeling that it's just kind of rock and roll-by-numbers. Dig the production and everything, but the songs just didn't jump out at me really. I feel like I should like it, but yeah. I'm sorry.
Low-fi bluesy rock. Wouldn’t regard it as life-changing or hugely different or interesting.
howlin 4 u !!
Generally liked it. The songs did all start to sound the same on the third listen. Thats said, a solid album with guitar work that's largely missing from today's rock.
What is the point of this? It’s a bit nondescript, I have come to the understanding that this list just, well is subjective so the why is this on here question is redundant but… Sort of blues, mildly interesting just. Not getting into the authenticity thing, They seem to genuinely like the music they make, if they like the blues then if they want to sing and play it not a problem with me, like what you want, do what you want as long as it doesn’t piss on anyone else. But I personally didn’t gain much hearing this today and found it just a little, well boring, if others love it then fine but not moved one way or the other, didn’t like didn’t hate. 2.25 Star
Solid blues rock…they are probably great live.
Jag älskade den den här skivan när den släpptes. Mitt favoritband. Sen tappade jag intresset, har inte lyssnat på säkert 10 år. Ganska bra, men egentligen inget för mig längre.
Good Songs: Everlasting Light, Next Girl, Tighten Up, Howlin' For You, The Only One, Ten Cent Pistol, The Go Getter, These Days Mid Songs: She's Long Gone, Black Mud, Too Afraid To Love You, Sinister Kid, Unknown Brother, Never Gonna Give You Up Bad Songs:
Very quiet vocals in first sung compared to other instruments Catchy beats Absolutely do not like “howling for you” Decent background music but not my fav
Fajne, jako odskocznia od popularnego rocka; nie moje ulubione ale jako urozmaicenie ok
Stripped to the bone rock'n'roll. Enjoyable to listen to for awhile, but then it got a bit boring. Not essential for me.
The Black Keys is another one of those bands that I want to like, but I just can't catch their groove.
Catchy but not that interesting
Good. But not that good.
I used to listen to this album a lot. I hadn’t heard it in years and it sounds so boring to me now. I probably liked it at one point because a lot of the punk/post-punk/whatever stuff I was listening to didn’t touch on blues at all, so this sounded fresh and new. I find it boring and generic now. Sort of soulless.
really love this album a lot , but its inclusion on this list is a joke
Good three, not a bad three
First listen
Meh. Pretty fun at times, irritating at others. Found the sound and stuck with it. Muscle Shoals recording, kinda cool.
I liked the Black Keys back in the day and have forever known the fun fact that Akron produced LeBron, Devo, and these guys. I thought I had more positive feelings, but relistening to this today - I’m not so sure. Here I enjoyed Tighten Up and Howlin’ but the rest was a bit of unmemorable mush. BK is two guys (Dan on guitar, Patrick on drums) and I read recently that they both only played guitar when they formed and Dan was better, so Patrick took the drums, but is also famously bad at keeping time. Fine for a two piece, but apparently that has been tough as they needed to add more instruments to fill bigger venues. I think their album Attack & Release might be a little more interesting but now I’m afraid to listen.
Smooth garage rock
V/rv
I am not a huge black keys fan. But this album hit me in a good place today. I do wish the vocals didn’t sound so distorted so often. It’s really distracting and a lot of times I feel like it’s not adding anything.
3.5 It’s not bad at all, but I think lower of it now because of how many beer and truck commercials these songs have been in the past 15 years, and what a dillweed Patrick Carney is irl. I had fun, but it gets a bit long in the tooth. Why is a Black Keys album an hour long?
De fondo está bien, buen blues rock, pero monótono y casi sin grandes momentos
Heard a lot about these but didn’t love this
There were times during this album when I thought I was getting sick of it, but then the next track would start and I'd be drawn back in.
Heard this… great album.
I am sure everyone my age is aware of The Black Keys, whether you listened to them yourself through the radio or just El Camino as a whole or were exposed to it through your dad. There is no denying they are a staple of the 2010s as a whole, but do they still hold up 15 years later? On today's 1001 albums to hear before I died I pulled The Black Key's Brothers and man was this quite a wake-up call of sorts. This project mixes Blues Rock with a more Garage and slightly Psychedelic sound to create a sound that would define Rock in the 2010s, and I can't lie The Black Keys aren't even that special or good in their own sound. A lot of these songs sound very similar and feel so clocked in that they appeal to a more mainstream audience. To be frank, this album got very lucky and exploded into the mainstream the way the band did because they offer next to nothing besides a barely good listening experience. Nothing here is original or even all that engaging as it is so aggressively safe it waters down the impact of the genres involved. In basic terms it is good and nothing more. Nuff said.
Greit nok. Starta bra.
Just so mid. All the songs sound the same, all the instruments are playing the same riff like half the time. The vox and instruments do sound good, and it feels too well put together to give it lower than a 3. But I was bored listening to this.
Свого часу дуже багато слухав їх і цей альбом зокрема. Якщо на перших був такий брудніший гаражний звук, то на Братах вже відчувається, що хлопці зібралися записувати бенгери. Є одні з найбільших їх хітів (хоча наступний мені здається яскравішим), багато хороших рівних блюз/гараж рок пісень. Хороша рок-музика кінця нульових.
Я люблю блюзові кавери від БК, chulahoma або delta cream - це прям воно. Їхній сольний матеріал звісно непоганий, навіть оцей поп-період; але якось не знаю.. блюзова форма личить їм більші ніж стадіонні хіти. Ще згадав що дуже любив їхній проект blakroc
I was expected this to be a lot heavier then realised I was mixing them up with the Black Crows! I really quite like this album though it goes on for a bit longer than necessary in my opinion. I will listen again though which is good sign.
Unknown band for me. Surprisingly enjoyed the album. I liked the musical arrangements and the vocal was good.
Niente di rivoluzionario, ma è stata una esperienza comunque molto piacevole
Solid album. I had heard it multiple times.
The first half of this album is great. The hits are all back to back and if the album were 20 minutes shorter I think I would rate this a 4. The second half really drags and detracts from the overall experience and my feelings about the album. Too much fuzz, too much feedback and too much same same makes me give this a 3.
Album sinmasero, algunas canciones top y otras flojillas. Nota: 7/10
Favourites: Next Girl, She's Long Gone, Black Mud, The Only One, I'm Not the One, Never Gonna Give You Up, Chop and Change
I listened to the Black Keys a bit back when this album came out. I particularly remember "Howling For You." Others sounds familiar too, like "The Only One." I don't think I ever found their music particularly compelling though to listen to a lot of because some of it is a bit too same-y. Favourite: "Never Gonna Give You Up"
Good slick peckers
I have never DISliked this band, but I have never really LIKED them that much either. I've enjoyed some of their catchier stuff but fair or not I have always compared them (unfavorably) to the White Stripes. I only own one of their albums and it's not this one - it's the next one, El Camino. Reading about this album on Wikipedia, it sounds like "Tighten Up" was "the hit," but it doesn't sound familiar to me at all. "Howlin' for You," on the other hand, sounds VERY familiar. Pretty sure it's been in a bunch of commercials. I would give this album 2.5 stars if I could, because I feel pretty meh about it. I'll give them a 3 because I'm feeling generous.
Meh
I liked this less than their Thickfreakness album but it's still enjoyable.
Featured in playlists such as "Music to walk like a badass to" 3/5
This sounded good but kinda seemed like it was written with adverts in mind at the same time - 3 stars maybe?
Rollicking, bluesy, full-throated roll ‘n roll with bass lines that don’t quit. A great time but never gets too deep.
I’m OK with the Black Keys in smaller doses. A whole album just doesn’t hold my attention - they’re not that good.
I dig T Rex but it was pretty clear to me from the jump that Marc Bolan was a bit of a one-trick pony. I get the same feeling listening to Brothers. There's a formula at play, or maybe a couple, that's hard to ignore. The result is solid, I mean the songs are clearly popular. And I know enough about music psychology and theory to know, especially with pop music, formulas are everywhere. Ultimately, good for The Black Keys for finding something that works, but for my taste I wish there was a bit more variation. On another note, I never really know how to feel about a band that presents themselves with less members than who's playing on the album. Not like every last instrument has to be represented by a person in photos and interviews, but all I ever see are just two dudes. Like whoever's on bass knows they're gonna get snubbed going into the gig. Solid 3
Quite good. Liked most of the songs. Fave song: Howlin' For You Honorable mentions: Tighten Up, The Only One
Good songs here and there but overall generic Favourite Song: Howlin for You
i don't trust any blue rock album made after the 80s. idk why but its a red flag for me it's good. it has its moments but it pretty derivative. so much so that i cannot fathom how it could possibly be a must hear album. someone on here said its "Blues for people who are afraid of black people". i get why this album feels off to me now, couldn't agree more
Never been a huge fan of theseguys. Overall good album.
I burned myself out on these guys, at one point I would have given it a 4. It’s like a 2.75 for me now.
Sounds like the black keys. Some decently catchy songs but the vocal processing ain't it for me
Mellow rock. Not the most interesting, but ok to listen to.
If gentrification had a soundtrack it would be this album.
reminds me of cold war kids, some fun ones for sure
Ok
I've loved the Black Keys since I first listened to El Camino back in 2011, while sitting in an APC driving across the Australian outback. The problem with listening to them for too long is that they end up sounding a bit one note. I enjoyed this album purely as background music, though I'm not sure why this specific album is on this list. El Camino? Sure. Not this. 3/5
Cool album and a neat band. Just not my go-to favorite, but I enjoy the music when it's on.
The Black Keys have long been a band I just thought was pretty good. I first heard them around the time of Rubber Factory. I heard this when it came out and that's probably the last time I really thought about it. The first few songs are really good -- "Everlasting Light" and "Next Girl" being the clear standouts here. After that, it's kind of just okay. There's nothing egregiously bad, and everything sounds good, but the songs are just not that exiciting for the most part. 3.5 stars.
This is an album by the Black Keys. This is the dictionary definition of bog-standard and shouldn’t be anywhere near a 1001 Albums To Listen To Before You Die list.
Very similar not bad but that crazy. Fine
Funny how the only 2 upbeat songs are the 2 popular ones. Everything else was easy to listen to but not remarkable.
i read a review about this being music for ford ads and now i cant get the idea out of my head and i hate it and it instantly reduced my enjoyment by 50% 5.4/10
I've never really clicked with the Black Keys, similar to the White Stripes (although I do marginally prefer them). On paper I should like them, and they have some great songs. But there's something a bit hollow about their music. It just doesn't stick with me. This album is also a bit too long, and fairly front-loaded.
Very iconic sound 6/10
good album, few good songs
The last real rock band? I can’t help but feel this is the hipsters’ choice of Black Keys albums. It’s ok actually. Really good to be fair. But surely the big seller is the one you’d introduce. Not this one. 3
Had to double check if I accidentally put on Imagine Dragons. Among all the albums I've heard, this is the one that closest associates with the term "Home Depot rock" in my head. It's the sort of thing mainstream rock radio stations would put on at peak hours. Like, it's not terrible, even sort of heavy at times, but it's the most safe, blandest, unimaginative shit you can imagine. I don't hate it as much as pop rock since there's a lest some cool riffs, but it's not much better.
on the cusp of 4, great mucisians, just not all gems
this was fine. i wouldn’t wish for it to be turned off at a party or anything. but it sounds like it was made for commercials and nothing else.
I'm about 4 tracks in. It's got some all time popular hits on the first half of this album. However I'm feeling really disconnected from it, and I'm wondering if that is because so many movies, commercials and other content has used these tracks for their ads and whatnot. Like this album suffers from the over saturation in culture since it's release more than most would. It's such a cool gritty sound, but at early in this listen i'm feeling unattached from the songs. I take back my earlier sentiment as the 3rd act of this album is frickin awesome. Just big time D kickers all the way.
I’d say that I enjoyed this album quite a bit but I had to listen to some sort of deluxe anniversary edition so it felt a bit bloated and I would have preferred to listen to the original but eh ho!
2.5
I’m not sure really what came first or not but this sounds remarkably similar to Arctic Monkeys. Got a good amount of jams and grooves though and I generally liked it.
5/1001 :: The Black Keys - Brothers Heard before? ✅ Would I revisit? ✅ Rating: Solid 6, Light 7 Fav Tracks: Tighten Up, Howlin’ For You, Everlasting Light, Unknown Brother I’ve listened to this album a bunch actually. It’s not my favorite Black Keys album but Tighten Up probably my favorite song from them (if I had to choose). I said I would revisit the album because I do plan to buy this on vinyl one day. Waiting till the day I see it in the Used Bin for $15 bucks… But other than in a vinyl format I’m not sure I would listen to the whole thing without skipping tracks. Overall, the album would benefit from a nip and tuck. Clocking in at almost an hour I would probably cut 4 or 5 tracks especially because there are a bunch of tracks that are doing similar things. The Black Keys are always a little one dimensional in that way but sometimes it’s exactly what I’m looking for. Should also be noted this album would play well at a backyard BBQ…🍻
Fine
It's a pretty good one but a little too long for the style. Howlin for you is kinda trash arena rock Will I listen to again: 45%
Conhecia apenas a faixa "Tighten Up" do Fifa11. Tem a virtude de trazer sons "naturais", para um disco de 2010. Uma sonoridade crua que funciona em faixa como "Black Mud" mas não tão bem em "Sinsiter Kid" e "Howlin' For You". A psicodelia de "Ten Cent Pistol", é apenas razoável. Também não me agrada a opção de vocal soul music em "Never Gonna Give Up You". Enfim, um disco mediano, razoável, satisfatório, sem empolgar.
Cool
Grand
Yeah good stuff
This is a Review by Tim The amount of stars that I will give it is 3 I really got into the Black Keys in the late noughties, loving 9AM Automatic, I still love that riff. Then they became really big and had a lot of commercial success. I did see them live a fair amount of times and it was always quite fun. Until I saw them in Alexandra Palace when the crowd was just full of losers. This has really put me off the band resulting in me not really listening to them at all anymore.
I respect it but easily got a little boring towards the end. May relisten though I wasn't quite in the mood for it
Enjoyed but as others have pointed out is a bit samey.
okay, I like El Camino, the one after better.
Buen disco, pero lejos de los años 70.
This album is filled with the type of songs that if I heard on a rock radio station, I’d flip through stations to find something else. And I’m not talking about the classic rock stations that play AC/DC and Led Zeppelin over and over again. I’m talking about the modern rock stations. The kind of stations that will put this on along with Imagine Dragons. My biggest gripe is that all the songs sound almost the same. Everything is just the same indie fluff, complete with that annoying vocal reverb. I know the top reviews point this out, but this was just a collection of commercial songs. Hell, I recognized Howlin’ For You because I heard it during a commercial. I don’t even remember what the fucking product was, but I remember the song. This album is not abysmal. It’s okay. But I think I’m good with anything from the Black Keys ever again. Favorite track: Howlin’ For You Other hits: Sinister Kid, Black Mud, The Only One, Tighten Up
I liked this. It's like if you want a little T-Rex in your blues.
A lot of bangers on this but as a Black Keys fan, even I think this album is a little long. Favorites: Next Girl, Howlin' For You, She's Long Gone, Sinister Kid Would I listen to it again: Yes
The music is simple and huge, loved the mix as well. The songs didn't overstay their welcome, but the album did. I would guess Danger Mouse added a lot of the interesting ideas we hear, I thought it was well-produced. After looking at DM's catalogue, I do notice some intangible groovy element which carries across the music he's worked on. That said, the songs are good but the "same"-iness of suburban white guy blues made for Chevy commercials got a bit much after a straight hour of it - so IMO the consistency, while a good thing, still doesn't justify not cutting the album down to, say, 12 tracks. Solid 3.25/5. Favorite track: still Tighten Up
Really loved this album when it came out and lots of nostalgic tunes - feels a bit out of place compared to the scale and quality of some other albums on this list.
Iconic sound and some catchy melodies, but could have benefited from more diversity.
#620. Some of this is catchy enough, but you find yourself asking who cares? This is blues rock for people who hate blues and rock. 3/5: by hipsters, for hipsters.
Good background listen. A few great highlights 3
It's fine. Competently executed vintage fetishism. Feels like they want you to hear how fine their gear and how exquisite their taste is above all else.
Initially I was grooving on this one, but every song sounds kind of the same and every song sounds like it was designed to be in the background of a kia commercial. Not bad but a little variety would have been nice
A few good tracks, feels a bit try hard and monotonous at times
everything sounds the same and nothing is really peaking my interest. it’s okay.