In the early days, the band played small gigs in venues in their hometown of Akron. The name of the band is a reference to an artist who used the phrase ‘black keys’ to insult them. In 2002, the band released the album ‘The Big Come Up’ through Alive Records. The album contains thirteen tracks such as ‘240 Years Before Your Time,’ ‘She Said, She Said’ and ‘I’ll Be Your Man.’ For a first release, the album did exceptionally well; earning four out of five stars from critics such as Rolling Stone Magazine and webzine AllMusic. These positive reviews enabled the band to establish a strong fan base, therefore making it easier for them to climb up the musical popularity ladder.
The band’s second album was released just a year later, in April of 2003. ‘Thickfreakness’ is an eleven-tracked album featuring the songs ‘Have Love Will Travel,’ ‘Hold Me In Your Arms’ and ‘Midnight in Her Eyes.’ The album yet again did well amongst critics: webzine AllMusic gave the record four and one half out of five stars, and Pitchfork Media rated the album seven out of ten. One track from the album ‘Set You Free,’ received a large amount of media coverage, appearing in the soundtrack of films such as School of Rock and I Love You, Man.
The band’s third full length album was released in 2004, and was titled ‘Rubber Factory.’ The album features thirteen tracks including ‘Till I Get My Way,’ ‘Just Couldn’t Tie Me Down,’ and ‘All Hands Against His Own.’ Once again, the album was favoured by critics, earning four and one half out of five stars from webzine AllMusic, as well as three out of five stars from Rolling Stone magazine.
For those who have seen The Black Keys performing live, it is agreed that the band demonstrates a passion for the music they have created, as well as for their fans. On stage, there is a definite energy about the group that easily transfers through to the audience. For information on upcoming shows by The Black Keys, be sure to check the band’s official website or any of the various online ticketing services that are available today.
