Day 32: The Black Keys - El Camino

I drive a mini-van. It's not as old and beat up as the one on the cover of The Black Keys' fantastic album El Camino, but it will be someday, and I'll probably still be driving it.

They Keys, a two man band (augmented these days by a few more players) now regularly sell out places like Madison Square Garden, but years ago they traveled around in a mini-van, guitar and drums in the back and played any place they could.

Their sound (scruffy blues rock that sounds like it comes from a different era) has remained the same since those humble days, it's just the ampage has been turned up a bit. The songs have always been great.

"Lonely Boy" opens up the album in fifth gear and is as tuneful as anything the Rolling Stones did at their peak. Likewise "Gold On The Ceiling", which has a black gospel soul singer in the background that burns the house down. "Black Submarine" builds like "Stairway To Heaven", and in someways mimics that tune a little too much. But that is a minor complaint. Mostly this album rocks in my mini-van's stereo.

4.5 stars