MAGIC POTION - THE BLACK KEYS
On its Nonesuch debut, guitar/drums duo the Black Keys deserts the garage-blues that has defined it for a more straightforward classic rock sound. Dan Auerbach’s precision-crafted riffs are as menacing as ever, but his once-primal howl has been softened with reverb, and many of the songs take a less direct route for the soul, making the album’s best numbers its least likely ones. “You’re the One” is a tender ballad featuring Beatles-esque double-tracked vocals and gentle chord progressions, while the use of delayed guitar on “The Flame” makes each stinging down-stroke resound like shattering glass. Of course, some of the tunes just plain rock, like the sweaty, hormonal “Your Touch” and the dynamic “Elevator.” It may take a while to sink in, but “Magic Potion” enhances its effects with every listen. Billboard
