Its been five years since the Black Keys have released any music together, but with their new song Lo/Hi, the duo seem to have picked up right where they left off. Dan Auerbachs signature bluesy, fuzzy guitar and Patrick Carneys thumping garage rock drum beat are alive and well. And yes, before you ask there are female background singers.
After achieving mainstream success in 2010 withBrothers and its hit single Tighten Up, the Keys funneled their raw, soulful energy and streamlined it withEl Camino a year later. Their next move was surprising: 2014s Turn Blue was a decisive turn to psychedelic rock, but the duo went on hiatus shortly after. Now it seems the Keys are eager to keep rolling onward. Recorded at Auerbachs Easy Eye Sound studio in Nashville, Lo/Hi continues their ongoing exploration of trippy Sixties territory.
The song kicks off with Carneys delicate cymbal taps. As Auerbachs vocals slide along the rumbling, muffled rhythm, he bluntly lays it down: Nobody to love you/Nobody to care. The tone is reminiscent of the El Camino track Sister, in which a lover is abandoned: Wake up/youre gonna wake up to nothing. When the sizzling guitar riff shifts to a soloincreasing the voltage from 0 to 1,000the Keys have officially returned, louder than ever.