Brothers (Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version) [+digital booklet]

The Black Keys | Format: MP3 Music

Product Details

• Original Release Date: May 18, 2010
• Release Date: May 18, 2010
• Label: Nonesuch
• Copyright: 2010 Nonesuch Records, Inc.
• Record Company Required Metadata: Music file metadata contains unique purchase identifier. Learn more.
• Total Length: 59:25
• Genres:
  • Alternative Rock
• ASIN: B003LXSY60
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (322 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #509 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)
  • #96 in MP3 Downloads > MP3 Albums > Alternative Rock

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

177 of 182 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Can I Give It 6 Stars? Or is 5 the Max...? March 19, 2011

By Tracey Axnick

Format:Audio CD

I gotta be honest. I'm 43. I'm a mom to two teenagers. I work full time.... I'm TIRED. Not a LOT makes me feel like I'm 19 again. But dang y'all - this album is un-frikkin-believable. These boys make music that is solid, tight, and AMAZING. I haven't been THIS excited about an album (see, there I go, dating myself by using words like "album") since "Icky Thump".

Go out and get yourself a copy of "Brothers". (Heck, get 2 copies and give one away. Share the love.)
Gives me HOPE for the American music scene when we have incredible young musicians like The Black Keys at the helm.

Rock on, boys...

65 of 71 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Didn't like it at first, but it gets better with each listen May 23, 2010

By J. Watson

Format:Audio CD

This album is NOT like Thickfreakness or any of the other early Black keys albums. It is NOT full of raw, high energy, guitar driven songs. "Brothers" is a more complex and layered album. Bass and drums drive most of the songs and the guitars seem to be pushed to the background along with keys to fill the songs out. This makes it sound mellow and that is why I didn't care for it when I first heard it. None of the songs stand out or are as heavy as "Your touch" or "10 a.m. automatic". However, I continued to listen to it and I started to like it more and more. It took a while to grow on me, kind of like a Wilco or Radiohead album. You hear something different each time and start to like songs different reasons, not just because they have a great riff.

54 of 62 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Hits the right keys... May 18, 2010

By Nse Ette TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Audio CD

I got into the music of Blues Rock duo The Black Keys via their Danger Mouse-produced album "Attack & release". I also loved their Hip Hop collaborative venture Blakroc.

This time around, Danger Mouse produced just one track, the groovy organ-sprinkled tempo-shifting "Tighten up". Everything else was produced by the pair.

I love the sonic diversity among the songs, from the fuzzy falsetto-sung "Everlasting light", the funky Blues "Next girl" (very White Stripes), the psychedelic pair of "She's long gone" and falsetto-sung "The only one", the quivering guitar instrumental "Black mud", the absolutely beautiful harpsichord ballad "Too afraid to love you", the simmering ballad "I'm not the one", and the Sixties Soul-channeling pair of "Unknown brother" and "Never give you up" (the latter a Jerry Butler cover).

What an absolutely fabulous album this is. To those that think there is hardly any good music being made these days, you just need to switch off from top 40 radio and TV and discover gems like this.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars A Natural Progression February 17, 2011

By Tony Eusebio

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I suppose there are only so many ways you can iterate blues progressions and drums and keep it from becoming stale, something the Black Keys seemed to have realized awhile ago. As you go through the albums of the Black Keys you can hear a material maturation of both the music and the lyrics. Understandably, at some point the Black Keys must have gotten bored with using the same old formula, beginning with a few tracks here and there and progressing with Attack & Release and now Brothers.

That being said, there are still some very good blues based tracks on this album both stripped down and some with added substance and depth. I commend the Black Keys for doing what a lot of blues purists (both musicians and fans) refuse to do, step outside of their sandbox and explore elsewhere. The soul of the Black Keys is still evident in this album, but they have strayed away from their roots which will upset some, but is reasonable to me. I don't feel it's a ploy to gain more mainstream recognition, but of course I could be wrong. Either way I'm happy this talented tandem is getting a little attention.

"Sinister Kid," "Ten Cent Pistol," "She's Long Gone," and "Howlin' for You," are my favorites. Rubber Factory will likely always remain my favorite Black Keys album, but Brothers is a worthy installment to the Black Keys' catalog. I would have liked to have given this album 3.5 stars, but I suppose Amazon wants you to man up and make a decision. After listening to "These Days" and "The Go Getter" again I made my choice. Three stars.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Progression June 16, 2010

By C. Hoeppner

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I don't really understand the negative reviews. Just because the band continues to innovate with their music, people act like its a bad thing. I have nothing but admiration for this album and have been listening to it non stop since its arrival. From start to finish, it evokes emotion and sets a mood. I can't pick a favorite track because this is really a whole album that deserves a start to finish listen.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars what a great album ! June 27, 2010

By AZ Mutley VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'd heard these guys on KEXP a few times in the past, and thought that if they got a full band sound
behind them it'd be wonderful. The minimalist thing can only go so far.. well they certainly hit the nail
on the head with this album. It's got a sort of nostalgic yet totally original feel. Every song keeps me
interested.. and there are a lot more songs on the CD than the sleeve suggests. I can't really categorize
the disc, it's sort of White Stripes meets Lenny Kravitz with the studio precision of NIN and all rolling around
in the bed of some '65 pick up truck down south.. or not. It's hard to tell it grabs me every time.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Their best album yet February 9, 2011

By Guitarzan

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

If you are a fan of the earlier Black Keys albums and didn't like "Attack and Release", then chances are you won't like this one, either. Having said that, I have to say that they have come a long way since the release of their first album "The Big Come Up" in 2002, and this is their best release, yet. True, it's not as high-energy as the earlier releases, but I think the guys have shown how much they've matured, musically.

There is much more R&B and soul-influenced material on this album. It shows a deeper, more soulful, side of the band, in my opinion, and I like it. You could close your eyes and swear it was 1972, yet the music sounds fresh. They channel all of the funkiness of early '70's funk, soul, blues and R&B without sounding dated. How they can sound old, yet sound new at the same time, is beyond me! It's not as stripped-down and raw as the earlier albums, but it still has that funky, dirty, dark sound that you'd expect to hear on a Black Keys album. Growing up in cold, economically-depressed Akron, Ohio had something to do with that, no doubt.

Glad to see that these guys are still going strong, and I'm proud to say that they're from my home state of Ohio!