Attack & Release

In the end we’re left with a solid, sympathetically-performed record that only intermittently comes to life, which is either a subtle victory or a hollow triumph of taste over gutbucket soul, depending on which way you look at it.

Maneuvering between the King of Rhythm's joie de vivre and their crestfallen, crossroads-blues heritage, Attack and Release subtly expands the Black Keys sound.

What’s most impressive about Attack & Release is how they’ve raised their vocal and compositional game in accord with the sonic enhancements, bringing an unexpected poignancy to their earthy funkiness. Every track is a stunner.

The result is a flawless (post)modernisation of heartland rock that wears its lovelorn pessimism proudly on its ruffled sleeve.

The Black Keys are on the cusp of greatness--Attack and Release, produced by Danger Mouse, takes them one step closer, but not quite over the edge.

From the tip to full metallic thrust, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney slap and caress romantic lyricism deep into the tunnels of harmonic structure, curried by Brian Burton’s (aka Dangermouse) rollicking production.

Odd touches, from the choir that materializes halfway through 'I Got Mine' to the sonar ping keeping time in 'Oceans & Streams,' add texture yo these impressionistic tales of ramblin' and being done wrong, without ever sacrificing the Keys' raw power. [Apr 2008, p.76]

To be sure, it's an accomplishment and one that showcases the Black Keys' deepening skills but at times it's hard not to miss how the duo used to grab a listener by the neck and not let go.

Burton was drafted to produce the next album by the group from Akron, Ohio, and the result is the Keys' most multicolored set.

Mostly the Keys just staple stuff to their good ol' R&B raunch and let 'er rip. [Apr 2008, p.92]

The bottom line is that most of the songs here do fit well within the framework of their blues-rock aesthetic, and that's what makes Attack work as a Black Keys album.

Enter Brian Burton, better known as Danger Mouse, the beat scientist behind Gnarls Barkley, whose shape-shifting production – from the swelling organ of moody opener 'All You Ever Wanted' to the backward guitar in the heavy blues of 'I Got Mine'--results in the Akron, Ohio, duo's most diverse and subtly psychedelic work to date (just check the flute solo on 'Same Old Thing').

Their soul is in no way hurt by the production but instead, this is one of those many times where Danger Mouse’s production has truly aided in creating a terrific album from start to finish.

Clever but tasteful arrangements and an impeccable shine make songs like 'Same Old Thing' seem anything but.

While the sound of this blues-rock duo has been fleshed out, none of its grit has been glossed.

After four self-produced albums, the Ohio-based duo enlists Gnarls Barkley's Danger Mouse to infuse their guitar-and-drums minimalism with a fuller roots-rock feel, and the results are fresh, intriguing, and often inspiring.

With its varied sound and newly expansive songwriting, "Attack & Release" is a bold but entirely fitting way for the Black Keys to prove they know more than one way to make a statement.

For the two Akronites, Attack & Release is a musical grand slam, and their career is one long winning streak.

As it is, it's an encouraging (re)start.

Attack & Release falters on the rockers, which sound like the same old Keys, for better or worse. But when Danger Mouse coaxes out the band's soul side on the slow 'n' sexy 'All You Ever Wanted,' The Black Keys suddenly find a way around their self-imposed restrictions.

Danger Mouse asked the pair to write songs for Ike Turner and ended up producing the best album of their career so far. [May 2008, p.111]

Attack & Release is a great accomplishment for both The Black Keys and Danger Mouse, who have proven good things can not only last, but sometimes, actually get better. [Winter, 2008, p.91]

Somehow the quirks enhance the power of the desolation at the core, and prove that gut-grabbing and ear stroking needn't be mutually exclusive. [4 Apr 2008, p.61]