Album Review: The Black Keys - Turn Blue

On their darkest and heaviest album yet, The Black Keys draw influences from their past albums while adding influences from new collaborations and styles. While elements of rock and blues from 2011’s El Camino still remain, personal hardships have added a more emotional and melancholy affect to the album.

The change in emotion on this album is to the credit of lead singer and guitarist Dan Auerbach’s recent split from his wife. The raw depression is most evident on “Weight of Love,” a ripping seven-minute track filled with lyrics of inner turmoil and Auerbach soloing, creating an outer space like vibe.

The Black Keys announce 'Turn Blue' world tour

Ohio duo The Black Keys (who tour as a quartet) have become one of the biggest rock bands in the world in recent years with the release of their last few albums. The band will release their eighth full-length album on Tuesday, May 12, titled Turn Blue and they have just announced a big world tour in support it that will traverse North America this fall.

The Black Keys will play the PNC Arena in Raleigh on Friday, December 5. St. Vincent will open. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 16, via the venue box office and Ticketmaster for $35 to $75.

Check out the groovy tune "Fever" from Turn Blue below. The Black Keys will be the musical guest on Saturday Night Live on May 10 with host Charlize Theron.

The Black Keys & Flaming Lips extend tour, coming to Raleigh

The Black Keys will be joined by The Flaming Lips on a tour beginning this spring that will bring the pair to Raleigh.

The bands will play the Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek on Thursday, July 11. Tickets go on sale Friday, Feb. 15 for $31 to $61.

The past year has been another big one for the Ohio-based rock band, culminating with this weekend's Grammy Awards, where they're nominated for five awards, including album and record of the year.

The Black Keys opening for Kings of Leon in September

Powerful Ohio duo The Black Keys have just announced that they will join Kings of Leon on the final leg of their summer tour. The band will be out from Sept. 3 to 23. That includes the stop in Raleigh at the amphitheatre at Walnut Creek on Monday, Sept. 13. Tickets for the show are on sale now here.

Check out The Black Keys full list of dates with Kings of Leon below and Kings of Leon's full summer tour schedule here.

The Black Keys have a new album titled Brothers due out on May 18. Check out the videos for the songs "Tighten Up" and "Next Girl" from the album below which feature a dinosaur puppet named Frank. If you believe the scrolling text during "Next Girl," the band do not approve of these videos. Either way, the songs are pretty groovy.

The Black Keys take side projects on tour, play the Triangle

The members of The Black Keys are setting out on their own this fall with their side/solo projects and it just so happens that they're both coming to the Triangle.

First, guitarist and singer Dan Auerbach is embarking on a new new leg of his solo tour in November. He will play the Cat's Cradle November 14 with Jessica Lea Mayfield opening the show. Tickets will go on sale "soon" via etix.com for $20. Auerbach's debut solo album Keep It Hid was released in February.

Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney started a new five-piece band featuring five drummers aptly named Drummer. Don't worry though, not all of them play drums in the band. Carney actually plays bass. The group will make a stop in Chapel Hill at Local 506 on October 14. The Royal Bangs will open the show. Tickets for the show will be $10, but are not currently available online. Drummer will release their debut album Feel Good Together on September 29.

Check out the dates for both tours below.

Dan Auerbach dates:
08.08.09 - Chicago, IL - Schuba’s
08.09.09 - Chicago, IL - Lollapalooza
11.05.09 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
11.06.09 - Detroit, MI - The Majestic Theatre
11.07.09 - Toronto, ON - Phoenix Concert Theatre
11.08.09 - Montreal, QC - Le National
11.09.09 - Boston, MA - The Paradise
11.11.09 - New York, NY - Webster Hall [Tickets]
11.12.09 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of the Living Arts
11.13.09 - Baltimore, MD - Sonar
11.14.09 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle
11.16.09 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
11.17.09 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
11.18.09 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues [Tickets]
11.20.09 - Memphis, TN - Minglewood Hall
11.21.09 - Nashville, TN - Cannery Ballroom
12.03.09 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall
12.04.09 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue [Tickets]
12.06.09 - Bloomington, IN - The Bluebird [Tickets]
12.08.09 - Newport, KY - Southgate House
12.09.09 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues


Drummer dates:
08.07.09 - Arkon, OH - Musica
10.08.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Southpaw [Tickets]
10.09.09 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s [Tickets]
10.10.09 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge [Tickets]
10.11.09 - Boston, MA - TT the Bears [Tickets]
10.12.09 - Washington, DC - DC9
10.13.09 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
10.14.09 - Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506
10.15.09 - Knoxville, TN - Pilot Light
10.16.09 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl
10.17.09 - Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge [Tickets]
10.19.09 - Louisville, KY - Skull Alley
10.20.09 - Indianapolis, IN - Spin Nightclub
10.21.09 - Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon
10.22.09 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry
10.23.09 - Chicago, IL - Schuba’s
10.24.09 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom [Tickets]

The Black Keys announce tour, stop in Triangle

The Black Keys will launch a big North American tour in late July after spending June "down under" in Australia and New Zealand. The duo just released a new album, Attack & Release, in April and are setting out play it for the masses.

The North American tour will include two North Carolina stops. The one that set off our radar is the Raleigh date at Disco Rodeo on October 5. Tickets for that date go on sale on June 13 for $22. The other North Carolina date is at the ever popular Orange Peel in Asheville. That show is on October 3.

Royal Bangs will open the Disco Rodeo show.

Check out the video for "Strange Times" from Attack & Release.