I figured listening to this would immediately inspire me to get a boatload of response done by the day it came out. Yet, I am still but one full listen in after having the album at my disposal for over a week. Attack and Release absolutely destroy(s)ed me, I have no reason to believe this one can’t… but I have no will to press on.
Trying to explain this phenomenon is tough. I think it is what happened to most people when they reviewed Midlake’s The Courage of Others. The critical edge was decimated by delusions of the last album’s grandeur. Like I said to a lady last week: this almost never happens to me. For some reason I am trapped in a no-listen zone with Brothers. Call it the opposite of album-oriented manifest destiny. I want to go no further with The Black Keys. I want them to remain as they were.
I can admit my bias should be overcome in the name of 10 Listens motto. However, I can also admit when I am defeated. I doubt highly I will make it to 10 with Brothers, but I guarantee I will not forget this album. One day it will rear its head again, and I will be sorry I missed the chance to talk in depth about it. Until then, however, it’s onward to other projects. Perhaps a mash-up? The Courage of Brothers? Probably not.
Early on in The Black Keys career I had multiple unexpected run-ins with them. They would often be opening for some other band that I was out to see, and no matter how many times I’ve seen them, when I saw their name on a billing I couldn’t remember if I liked them when I saw them before(If I remembered them at all).
This all culminated with me meeting them while standing in line at a Starbucks in Ohio. I introduced myself and told them about how I’ve been inadvertantly following them for about a year or so. I was on my way to see Grandaddy in Cleveland, and they had just returned from overseas and were heading straight to NYC to appear on Conan. Standing in line with them at Starbucks is the most that I’ve ever engaged with the band.
I always feel like I’m missing out on something by not listening to them, but everytime I’ve seen them I’ve found myself trailing off at some point during their shows.
The point of this long ass comment is that some bands can be really really good, yet struggle to make real connections or sound emotionally sincere.
By the way, awesome blog!
Thanks, Brian. Glad you like the blog. There have been several albums I have not reviewed; ones I could not listen to 10 times. But this album is good. I just can’t get obsessed with it. Good to know I am not the only on who thinks of them this way.