One could easily argue that The Black Keys have achieved full musical and cultural saturation at this point. Nationwide arena gigs with opener Arctic Monkeys, a stomping return appearance on SNL, and the omnipresent soundtracking of the 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament (“Gold on the Ceiling” has been mainlined into sports fans’ collective psyches after week one of the tourney) have all chased the late 2011 release of killer single “Lonely Boy” and the Ohio duo’s 7th LP, El Camino.
While it may be easy to get sucked in by the single driven facade of the now commercialized Keys, it is important to consider that Dan Auerbach (guitar, vocals) and Patrick Carney (drums) have been arguably the one of the most consistent generators of quality albums in the last decade. Breaking free from The Black Keys’ rollicking singles may be a challenge for some, but deeper cuts, like today’s Jam of the Day “Stop Stop,” permeate the Keys’ records and make for a first-rate, whole album experience.
“Stop Stop” is a little gem of bluesy pop-rock precision. Catchy, soulful, and danceable, the track is a grower. While not as punchy as the well known El Camino singles, “Stop Stop” showcases the Keys’ innate ability to crank out a cracking tune, make it look effortless, and fill out a record that gets better with each successive spin.
Check out “Stop Stop” below. If you’re in Chicago, love it live tonight at the United Center. Tickets are still available here.