Of all the two-piece rock bands (Dresden Dolls, The White Stripes, The Kills, John & Jehn) out there making a royal racket, The Black Keys are by far the least affected by the last three decades of popular music, and evolution. Even more so than Jack & Meg. Which makes you check the album credits twice and then seek a second opinion--produced by celebrated uber-producer, superstar DJ and one half of Gnarls Barkley, the ubiquitous and really quite modern Danger Mouse?! No, your eyes do not deceive you, but thankfully neither do your ears. He may have brought a discipline and expensive sheen to Attack & Release, the riffing is buffed up real good, but this is essentially the same band that continues to live less of a life and more a Jimi Hendrix Experience. If there is a change it's that for the first time their foot is teased off the accelerator, with "Lies", "Remember When (Side A)" and "Oceans & Streams" loosening their shoulders and playing a more chilled brand of dusty sunset southern blues, adding in keys and new layers of texture (is that really a flute on "Same Old Thing"?!). There's still plenty of chance, on the massive Zeppelin-esque "Strange Times" and "Remember When (Side B)" for instance, to leave a boot mark though. More release than attack this time around, but the key still fits. --James Berry

Limited Edition pressing of their 2008 album comes in double fold digipak packaging. On Attack and Release, Danger Mouse is more creative co- conspirator than traditional figure behind the boards. He doesn't radically alter the duo 's sound so much as coax out more of its inherent soulfulness, groove and bittersweet emotion. Two versions of 'Remember When' illustrate how the duo can swing easily from smoldering ballad to thrashing rocker. 'I' m more pleased with the sound of this record than any one we'v e ever made,' says Carney, and Auerbach concurs: 'We never let it all go l ike we did for this one, anything was game. It was just fun to make, and that's why I t hink it's so successful.' V2.

This is the first Black Keys record I've heard and I am completely hooked. There isn't much music out there that's really truly, raw, bluesy, that rocks, and that has captured much of my listening time but this record is pure genious. a MUST for any music collection....any GOOD music collection that is...

The Black Keys have ventured far from their break-out album The Big Come Up, and while some of the songs still rock, most of the album sounds over-produced. The gritty, wailing guitar sound that makes the The Black Keys so great seems to have taken a haitus. But, all that said, tracks 1 and 2 seems to be a step in the right direction, hopefully they'll see that for their next album.

Attack and Release
If you love BK, fer the love of MUSIC -- start hunting! There is more great stuff out there. MUCH more. Blues-based rock bands have been neglected and ignored for years. And no, you don't have to go to classic rock catalogs to find them (check out Tishamingo's "The Point"). The irony is that it took Danger Mouse, a "hot" hip hop producer, to put this band on the national new music map.

Attack & Release is no doubt the most accessible album released by The Black Keys. It was the first one recorded "properly", and the sound quality is noticeably more clean.

That said, it does not tamper with the band's raw blues-rock sound. Their first single getting airplay in Detroit, "I Got Mine" is a mind-blowing rock tune. Attack & Release is perhaps more funky sounding than previous works, such as the strange flute sounds on "Same Old Thing". "Strange Times" is a very powerful track, and also can be heard in Grand Theft Auto IV. "Psychotic Girl" is funky and seems to be a crowd favorite during live shows.

Attack & Release is a fresh, blues rock sound that really shows the Black Keys flexibility in the studio. People looking to listen to this band for the first time, try this CD.

highly recommend, have told a lot of freinds about them and all that could have purchased for themselves.ty