THE BLACK KEYS: Let's Rock

Call it making up for lost time. It’s been five years since Turn Blue- by far, the longest stretch between Black Keys albums- but on Let’s Rock, the Akron, Ohio duo sound as terse and tough as ever. It’s refreshing to hear an album live up to such a plainspoken title, and a little surprising that AC/DC never used that one first.

To be fair, 2014’s Turn Blue also lived up to its title. That album was an excellent little departure, spacey and Pink Floydian, especially for a two-man band. But if Turn Blue was a nice little stretch from their signature sound, Let’s Rock is very much the mission statement that reclaims it. Standout tracks like Lo/Hi, Eagle Birds and Fire Walk With Me sound like they written for a pool hall jukebox. None of these songs eclipse the four-minute mark, but some are as densely packed with riffs as a latter-day Metallica record.

And sure, the riffs hit you right away. But give it a few spins, and the lyricism tends to sink in, too. I’ve heard other writers use words like functional and competent to describe the Keys’ lyrics- which is really just left-handed criticism where no criticism is necessary. Their lyrics are never over-written, sometimes a little obvious, but don’t mistake them for mindless, either. As a vocalist, Dan Auerbach tends to use words in the same way he uses his guitar: short, to the point, no bullshit. And sometimes two little words is all you need to express yourself. To that point, Let’s Rock is a pretty big statement. B+