CD Review: The Black Keys

By Aaron Davis (12.08.11 for Jackson Hole Weekly, JHWeekly.com)El Camino THE BLACK KEYS Top album lists of the year have already flooded my inbox, and despite not hitting the shelves until this week, most included El Camino. The band’s seventh release has me thinking that it can and should do no wrong. Which is perhaps even true should it decide to diverge far from its gritty blues roots and minimal chord economy.The duo’s early progression from the lo-fi dark and dreary into wider-reaching rock and pop forms, even hip-hop, stays consistently rock through this set. Adding dimensions are a couple of acoustic moments and extra dirty keyboard textures. Danger Mouse’s return as producer is evident, as instrumentation is full and production is tight.While not a major diversion from anything the Keys have done, this is a glitzy, thrusting rock ‘n’ roll album that makes everyone want to plug an extra guitar into a tube amp and crank it to ultra-fuzz. Fun is the end game here. This is what we’ve come to expect from Auerbach and Carney, right? The ironic album cover of an old Dodge Caravan (far from the coolness of an El Camino) earns bonus points.  tags: jackson hole music musician live band singer songwriter nightlife concerts wyoming center arts photographer  planet teton venues screen door porch boondocks guitar