Album Review: Blakroc - Blakroc
You say The Black Keys have a new album? I’m in. And you say that’s a rap album? No lie, but hesitancy crept up on me in the worst way possible. It may have been the fear that rap-rock albums are either very good (e.g. Aerosmith and Run DMC, Linkin Park and Jay-Z) or just plain bad (Kid Rock or Kid Rock). It may have been the horror that could have resulted if it were the Black Keys playing a beat for rappers or the rappers rhyming over some staple blues rock beat. Regardless, the play button was almost never pushed. Thankfully, the resulting album, a 11-track effort titled Blakroc, is simply incredible.
Here’s the interesting thing about the rappers they chose: Not huge names; sure, Ludacris appears on one and Mos Def and RZA appear on a couple, but guys like NOE, Jim Jones, and Billy Danze make up most of the tracks (plus the gorgeous tones of Nicole Wray). They do, however, use the big names in grandiose fashion. A song like “Ain’t Nothing Like You” has Mos Def singing, which takes him out of his comfort zone we’ve built up for him. They even get RZA to pull back from his normal delivery style on “Telling Me Things” and let him do a bit of “singing.” The result is almost indescribable and to hear his thick Brooklyn accent lay it down smooth behind this big sonic explosion is a gleeful moment for any fan regardless of their stance on the marriage of rap and rock. The intro track “Coochie” is this heavy country ditty that spins into Led Zeppelin territory, complete with a “big guitar” sound. It’s also a wonderful pairing of the more “absurd” lyricists. Luda’s southern drawl and ODB’s drunken berzerker style together make a song epic enough to sound like they’d been alongside one another for years.
Other than the Keys themselves, Jones and Wray are the standouts of this entire album. Wray is a singer who has had one solo album, and even that was almost 12 years ago. She is this unbelievably dynamic musical goddess. “Hope You’re Happy” is a G-D explosion led by Wray. Her voice is so fierce and funktacular throughout the album and with a range that is incredible. Whether it’s being very heart broken and lonely (”Hope You’re Happy”) or acting like a diva with a chip on her shoulder (”What You Do To Me”), she always comes out on top, which only insists she’s about due for a new album ASAP. Though much of this success is due in part to the Keys’ decisions.
“Why Can’t I Forget Him” is an interesting example of making concessions. The band’s backing track moves toward a mid-’90s neo soul vibe without losing any of their original kind of dark rock and swagger. But necking out Wray for album MVP has to be Jones. If you’d asked me about Jim Jones before this album, I would’ve told you he was popular and talented, but nothing more than a faceless Dipset member who could occasionally snag a hit. But in “Aint Nothing Like You”, Jones is the man who has to push the song along in this very Revolver-esque blues boogie. And he does a great job being kicked away from the beats he’s used to and works well with a simplistic style that is less braggadocios and more of a gravel-voiced storyteller.
“Dollaz and Sense” is a great move where the song does its best to keep the work of Black Keys in line with their previous rock while making a beat that is reminiscent of some old Wu Tang track that sounds like it’s stomping through Bed-Stuy. However, “On The Vista” is the best example of a synthesis of the two factions. Mos Def is a frantic spoken word poet while the band plays this mid-tempo old dirty jazz club beat that’s heavy on some stand up bass. And speaking of jazz, Raekwon on “Stay Off The Fucking Flowers” is a journey through the haunted history of jazz music while he kicks it like he’s the ghost in your bad acid trip. Of course, you’ve got to love the band when they’re right in their wheel well. “What You Do To Me” is like some slowed down ’60s blues jam that wonderfully melds some old school Al Green-esque chorus calls and Wray’s best Temptations impression and this really modern rhyme set-up by Jones and Danze. While Jones does his best to keep it cool and confident, Danze explodes like lightning in a bottle.
Blakroc is so breathtaking because it takes two very different sets of sounds and creates something cyclical that enhances all parties involved. Not to mention, the album brought to light talent that had previously been unable to flourish properly. For once, being oh-so wrong felt oh-so wonderful.
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Blakroc
And G, too bad you also seem to have missed so much of the lyrical content. You don’t sound like a fan of hip-hop in general. The stereotypical rap fodder that’s interwoven with much deeper lyrics serves to add a touch of humor to the whole project, which may have sounded a bit too self-important without it.
Finally, a review that fully recognizes the musical greatness of this album.
But all the reviewers so far seem to be missing the major themes of this record. I guess reviewers have become accustomed to listening to music track by track, but I recommend listening to this album all the way through several times to begin to catch the strongest themes. It actually sounds very much to me like a conceptual album that hangs together beautifully not only musically but lyrically.
Very sick album, pretty much a perfect mix of black keys and rough and raw hip-hop. A little tip for “G” aka Gargantuangayguy–as for the “hype” and “garbage” you’re thinking of, some Lil’ Wayne and a lil’ bit o’ Soulja Boi would probly suit you a lil’ better.
Hey, whatever you guys think about the album, it SOUNDS freaking awesome. Wasn’t Joel Hamilton a producer?
hey g…
if each part of the music were complex, the overall sound would be muddled and confusing.
the way you make a complex sound overall is by meshing many simple rhythms that are different from one another.
great album!
Hmmm, they needed to spend more time on this album. Some songs are good, some not so good. It’s a decent album but it could have been so much better if they spent more time writing and recording. The songs are short and seem to end before they even get good. Tellin’ Me Things should have been left off the album, it’s awful. Everyone seems to like On The Vista but it’s far from the best song on this album. I bought the album and enjoy most of it but I’m starving for good new hip hop and there isn’t much out there these days. 7 out of 10 is my rating, it’s average.
This album is a combination of Hype and Garbage … You want proof? Separate the lyrics from the music and you end up with washed out rhymes feigning as poetry. Play the music independent of the lyrics and you encounter rhythms so simplistic they could be made by an adolescent on a drum machine.
With this album ended up being was a series of comprises between two styles that have no energy in synergy
Whoop, been looking forward to this album for a while. I think pretty much anything the Keys do is a win. Great review, Chris.
Justin, while I agree with most of your thoughts, I think that in terms of both time and your disappointment regarding what could be a called a lack of innovation, I think that it’s important to state that those are the pitfalls when you do such a huge and drastically different side project. Plus, that just means they’ll have to make another album.
As to your thoughts, Chris, I agree that Monch’s influence is so minimal that I didn’t deem it necessary to mention; same goes for Q. But it did make me want to listen to go and listen (or in Q’s case re-listen) to both, so mission accomplished. Sorta.
Bman, not sure where you’re looking for it at, but if it’s Best Buy or another chain, you’re out of luck. Look on the website, it gives the locations that are carrying it. I had to drive over an hour to get this album, but it was totally worth it.
Two omissions in this review. The oversight of not mentioning how this is the brain-child of Dame Dash. I’m no fan of Dash, but the man deserves credit where it is due. Second, no mention of Pharoahe Monch or Q-Tip. While Q-Tip contribution was less than electric to me, Monch is a beast on the mic and deserves his recognition as well. I would have liked to see a bigger contribution to this album from him.
My other gripe was that it’s too short… I need more!
Overall I’m happy with how the album turned out - but I have some gripes to go along with the praise.
+: I agree with your thoughts on Nikki Wray. I was quite simply blown away. She steals the show here. I think her and Dan Auerbach need to release an album of duets after the way the banter back and forth on ‘What You Do To Me’. Loved how you could feel each rapper’s contribution in various tracks.
Gripes: I love hip-hop, but I came into this album as a fan of The Black Keys looking for their influence on it. So, it’s not surprising that I was let down a teensie bit when they weren’t quite at the forefront as much as I’d liked to have seen. At times they are basically a drum machine and a provider of small riffs. I was hoping they’d shred it a little more and have guys flowing over loud, dirt, gritty, in-yo’-face blues. I didn’t really get this vibe until ‘Hope Your Happy’… So, it’s no surprise that that track and ‘Done Did It’ came out on top for me.
Solid review, I enjoyed reading your thoughts. Everyone go out and BUY this- support the real music and fun collaborations so the industry will keep ‘em coming!
I was looking for this album in the store yesterday.
Dec 1st, 2009 at 7:54 am
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