The Black Keys release “Fever” ahead of new album Turn Blue

The Black Keys are back, and they’ve brought a touch of psychedelia with them. We approve.
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It’s been a little more than two years since Ohio natives The Black Keys released their previous album El Camino. We knew it was only a matter of time before the blue rock duo returned, and now they’re back.

First came the strangely delivered news of their new album Turn Blue. The video announcement was delivered via Mike Tyson’s Twitter account for a reason we still can’t ascertain. It was mostly nonsensical with a creepy hypnotist slowly luring viewers into a trance by using a neon pink spiral spinning on a record player. Once the hypnotist was “inside” viewers, the “credits” rolled and revealed the album’s details.

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The pink spinning spiral made an appearance again on Monday when it served as the backdrop for the video release for the official audio of their first single off the record titled “Fever.” Is the pink spiral a placeholder “video” for the single with an actual music video to debut in the coming weeks? Or is the simple, entrancing spiral the only music video we’ll get for the track? With The Black Keys, it’s safest not to speculate.

What we can tell you, though, is that “Fever” is sheer perfection. Once again, The Black Keys have found the line between going too far from what they do best and staying stagnant, and they managed to straddle the two planes. Still just as rough and rowdy as their previous blue rock, “Fever” is familiar even as the duo Patrick Carney and Dan Auerbach weave in new elements. This time, they’ve gone for a slightly psychedelic vibe that is especially noticeable thanks to the addition of an organ.

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Is “Fever” our favorite song from The Black Keys? No. And it’s not poised to come anywhere close, honestly. Still, we like where “Fever” is taking us and the promise it holds for Turn Blue. The album’s track listing was also released on Monday.

1. “Weight of Love”
2. “In Time”
3. “Turn Blue”
4. “Fever”
5. “Year in Review”
6. “Bullet in the Brain”
7. “It’s Up to You Now”
8. “Waiting on Words”
9. “Lovers”
10. “In Our Prime?”
11. “Gotta Get Away”

Turn Blue releases on May 13. You’re going to want this for your summer. We promise.

Warning: The reviewer is from The Black Keys’ home state of Ohio. Therefore, they can do no wrong in her eyes.

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