The Black Keys: Turn Blue [NONESUCH]

Why you'll love it

This Nonesuch LP comes with a fold-out poster and carries a longer version of "In Our Prime" than the CD. Turn Blue debuted at No. 1 in the United States, Canada and Australia, the band's first chart-topper in all three, and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Album.

This edition

• Fold-out poster included
• Extended version of "In Our Prime"

About the album

The Black Keys announced Turn Blue with a tweet from Mike Tyson and a run of cryptic YouTube videos starring a hypnotist, which is one way to tell people your next album is a bit trippier than the last one. After the hook-heavy smash of El Camino, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney slowed things down and let the grooves sprawl.

Danger Mouse came back as co-producer and an equal songwriting partner, and most of the record was cut at Sunset Sound in Hollywood in the summer of 2013, with extra sessions in Benton Harbor, Michigan, and at Auerbach's Easy Eye Sound in Nashville. "Weight of Love" opens the album at a slow burn, "Fever" rides a bouncing keyboard line, "Bullet in the Brain" glows with psychedelic soul, and "Gotta Get Away" closes on a sunny rock-radio stomp. The title nods to the 1960s Cleveland horror host Ghoulardi, a hero to both Akron boys.

"Fever" picked up Grammy nominations for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song, and the band took the album around the world on tour. It's their late-night record, the one you put on after the party; Mike Tyson, as far as we know, has yet to review it.

Also at Kops: more The Black Keys on vinyl · browse Rock

Tracklist

Listen

On Nonesuch (cat# 542300-1), the 2014 album.