The Black Keys “El Camino” 2011. Nonesuch Records. Today, April 15th, is Keys drummer Patrick Carney’s 40th birthday (b. 1980) so I’m spinning their 7th LP, also one of their most successful (I really like it, but it’s not my favorite; I’m partial to their earlier releases). It hit #2 upon its release in the US and went to #6 in the UK and earned a Grammy for the Best Rock Album. El Camino’s lead single, “Lonely Boy” went to #64 in the US on the Hot 100 chart but went to #1 on the alternative charts and to #1 on the rock chart and won Grammy’s for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song; it’s a great rocker filled with infectious hooks, super radio-friendly. Also released as singles were “Gold on the Ceiling” (which I really like) which hit #94 on the Hot 100 and #1 on the alternative chart, “Dead and Gone” (Europe only; it’s a fine song but there are better on the LP) and “Little Black Submarines” (#2 alternative chart) which is my favorite track on El Camino. I love the quiet acoustic melancholy bluesy ballad start that explodes into a massive rocker, reminiscent of a good old Zeppelin track that has jock-rock” guitar jams (Dan Auerbach’s words, not mine) mixed with garage rock/punk blues rhythm. I also really like the groovin’ “Money Maker” with its 60′s style garage rock melodic beat and “Stop Stop” that also has a 60′s vibe, but it’s a more psychedelic mixed with soul 60′s. Produced (and largely co-written) by Danger Mouse, El Camino is way slicker than their early super-lo-fi releases, so of course it sounds better but it does lose that DIY charm.