The Black Keys - El Camino (2011)

I was just about to start writing my Black Keys "El Camino" review, when I read a couple other professional reviews. SPIN magazine said everything I wanted to say, and they said it perfectly. I didn't even realize it. This is my reason from refraining from writing that particular review. Instead I want to share with you the link to SPIN's review of it.

My own comments on this album are pretty basic. It's a phenomenal album, just not an A+ for casual listening. It's an album I would like to experience with friends, at a party, or live. Without a doubt those guitar grooves would get me dancing like a mad man. Alright! Now I have plans for this weekend!

The Fray - "Scars & Stories" (2012)

The Fray have slipped into a hole.

By this, I mean they have truly discovered their "sound" on the third album; a mistake that select bands make by being too consistent. The artist(s) loses much originality by doing this. Producer Brendan O'Brien (Incubus, Stone Temple Pilots) seems to have an influence over the band though, steering the group away from Coldplay comparisons, and instead into a more guitar-based direction; something that fans could be disappointed about. With lead single Heartbeat, we hear Issac Slade's signature cry over a band playing their parts a bit too enthusiastically. There is simply too much commotion. To say that the Fray are still making effortless and timeless hits like 'How to Save a Life' would be a very, very long stretch of the truth.

As the Fray decide to attempt to wiggle in the small space they've created for themselves, the danceable track, Turn Me On proves awkward for anyone familiar with Issac and his piano, as the band has nixed it completely at this point. The lyrics don't seem to line up either; something about running away from family into the arms of a lover. Even more unorthodox, the post-punk Hear We Are gives off a provocative vibe that no one is quite ready for.

With inspiration coming from vacations to third-world countries, the stories still roll out with every tune, but even the most keen listener would not be able to read between the lines of Slade's clichés . What the Fray lacks on Scars & Stories is something that they used to be very good at, and that was giving us songs to sing along to. With less anticipation than it's predecessor, it is difficult to decide if our boys tried too hard this time around, or didn't try enough.

RATING: 5/10