When we last left off, Jack Cannon had just finished giving his run down of the new album by The Black Keys.  Stepping up to the plate now to give her opinion on the matter is Lucy Valentine, so let's jump right in and see what she thought of Brothers.

Label: Nonesuch Records

Brothers sees Ohio duo The Black Keys return with their sixth studio album, a cruisey blues-rock record which keeps the dying blues genre firmly in the mainstream.

Brothers takes the band back to basics, but is far from simple. While at times it ventures too much into the blues clichés, the majority of the album is quirky and captivating, mixing The Black Keys’ distinctive aggressive rock with a more mellow and emotive soul sound. A little experimental and a little retro, Brothers sees the band maturing and venturing from their typical punchy sound into a more defined and perhaps Motown-esque type of funk-rock. And it works.

The album is rich with laid back blues charm, infused with a classic rock ambience and flowing melodies. Opener “Everlasting Light” is a gem, with thick basslines, a dance-inducing drum beat and smooth falsetto vocals. One of the great things about Brothers is that it exhibits the versatility and range of Dan Auerbach’s gorgeous blues voice. “Never Gonna Give You Up” (not a cover of the Rick Astley classic, as I’d hoped) is a charming blues ballad, rich with emotion and a soulful groove. You’ll find yourself nodding your head through the entire album, loaded with irresistible hooks and hard-hitting rhythms.

The big let-down for Brothers is that it noticeably lacks the grunge-rock energy that defined The Black Keys in their previous releases. As a whole the album flows beautifully from start to finish, but with no real highlights or lowlights in between. I found myself waiting through the whole album for that stand-out, punchy rock track (like 2003 single “Set You Free”, featured on the School of Rock soundtrack), but it just wasn’t there. That being said, none of the tracks seem like filler, and whilst not being extraordinary the album is consistent and definitely enjoyable.

As a whole Brothers is an inspired and beautifully produced album, setting the band firmly in place as an industry mainstay.

By Lucy Valentine