Attack and Release

Spin - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "Here, the Akron, Ohio twosome teams with producer Danger Mouse, who quietly unfolds in the occasional breakbeat, even adding that classic hipster signifier -- the funk flute -- to 'Same Old Thing.'" Blender - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[T]heir music often sounds broadcast from another planet. Thank indie-minded hip-hop producer for that; he fleshes out the band's bare-fisted approach..." Rolling Stone - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he Keys' most multicolored set: A psychedelic hybrid of vintage Southern R&B, brutish British invasion rock, and country blues..." Entertainment Weekly - "[T]he quirks enhance the power of the desolation at the Keys' core, and prove that gut-grabbing and ear-stroking needn't be mutually exclusive." -- Grade: A- Pitchfork - "ATTACK AND RELEASE subtly expands the Black Keys sound....A sequence of slow burns, the record's tempos allow you to relish the details and the textures." Clash - "[A] harrowingly dark yet astoundingly brilliant batch of songs..." Uncut - 4 stars out of 5 -- "The Black Keys are on the cusp of greatness....'Lies' is Motown-apeing bliss, while 'Things Ain't What They Used To Be' is a bone fide classic." Vibe - "[T]he album has a pedigree -- originally written for Ike Turner, A&R now stands as a graceful marker of the legend's last planned project." Mojo - 4 stars out of 5 -- "The signature raw blues sound is still there, but now it's spiced up with classic R&B, garage, country and even electronic flavours, all rich with melody and driving power." Q - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Danger Mouse's effect is apparent, the sparse guitar-and-drums template fleshed out with organ and banjo..." Magnet - "[T]here's no question that singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney are proficient purveyors of heavy-duty, greased-up garage blues with a ridiculous amount of swagger." Rolling Stone - Ranked #15 in Rolling Stone's 50 Best Albums Of 2008 -- "You don't count the parts inside; you just dig the sum." Mojo - Ranked #40 in Mojo's "The 50 Best Albums Of 2008" -- "[A] cascade of country-soul, heavy-psych and melancholy balladry..." Rolling Stone (p.66) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he Keys' most multicolored set: A psychedelic hybrid of vintage Southern R&B, brutish British invasion rock, and country blues..." Rolling Stone (p.90) - Ranked #15 in Rolling Stone's 50 Best Albums Of 2008 -- "You don't count the parts inside; you just dig the sum." Spin (p.92) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "Here, the Akron, Ohio twosome teams with producer Danger Mouse, who quietly unfolds in the occasional breakbeat, even adding that classic hipster signifier -- the funk flute -- to 'Same Old Thing.'" Entertainment Weekly (p.61) - "[T]he quirks enhance the power of the desolation at the Keys' core, and prove that gut-grabbing and ear-stroking needn't be mutually exclusive." -- Grade: A- Uncut (p.88) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "The Black Keys are on the cusp of greatness....'Lies' is Motown-apeing bliss, while 'Things Ain't What They Used To Be' is a bone fide classic." Magnet (p.98) - "[T]here's no question that singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney are proficient purveyors of heavy-duty, greased-up garage blues with a ridiculous amount of swagger." Vibe (p.74) - "[T]he album has a pedigree -- originally written for Ike Turner, A&R now stands as a graceful marker of the legend's last planned project." Q (Magazine) (p.126) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Danger Mouse's effect is apparent, the sparse guitar-and-drums template fleshed out with organ and banjo..." Mojo (Publisher) (p.111) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "The signature raw blues sound is still there, but now it's spiced up with classic R&B, garage, country and even electronic flavours, all rich with melody and driving power." Mojo (Publisher) (p.65) - Ranked #40 in Mojo's "The 50 Best Albums Of 2008" -- "[A] cascade of country-soul, heavy-psych and melancholy balladry..." Blender (Magazine) (p.76) - 3.5 stars out

Their fifth LP, 'Attack And Release' sees US garage rock duo The Black Keys unleashing another blast of rootsy, bluesy and gutsy songs on eager fans. In a departure from usual form, the duo drafted in Danger Mouse to produce the record, lending the sound a comparably polished quality not present on previous outings. Indeed, 'Attack And Release' is the first Black Keys album to be recorded in a professional studio. Furthermore, 'Things Ain't What They Used To Be' features a duet with country singer Jessica Lea Mayfield. Includes the single 'Strange Times'.|

ムサ苦しいオッサンたちが世界を震撼させる!?　映画「スクール・オブ・ロック」に楽曲が起用されて話題となったギター／ヴォーカルとドラムスから成るブルース・ロック・ユニットの新作は、あのデンジャー・マウスがプロデュースを担当。隙間だらけの無骨な楽曲に、鼠印の偏執的なアレンジが加わると……アラ不思議!　2枚歯から一気に5枚歯カミソリになったような、ソリッドなサウンドが展開されているじゃないですか。幽玄なシンセ・サウンドなどこれまでになかった驚きのアイテムが追加されているが、バリバリのファズ・ギターと力強いドラムでロック街道のド真ん中を相も変わらず大爆走。彼らを前座に抜擢したレディオヘッドのトム・ヨークも、ジャック・ブラックも黙っちゃいられないね、こりゃ!
bounce (C)柴田 かずえ