The gap between The Black Keys December 2011 release El Camino and the April release of its follow-up Turn Blue is almost cavernous by their workaholic standards. Having pumped out seven albums in little more than nine years since 2002's The Big Come Up, BK's fans would be forgiven for inquiring as to the reason for this apparent tardiness. The answer to that question is, well, they got pretty damn busy.
The touring schedules of post 'Lonely Boy' Black Keys to any earlier incarnation of the band is almost unrecognisable. That song - the lead single from El Camino - catapulted childhood friends Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney to arenas and radio airwaves across the world. Then there was the fact that Dan Auerbach is now a highly revered producer in his own right, having spent time recording with Dr. John and upcoming releases from Lana Del Rey and Ray LaMontagne - work that has seen the Akron, Ohio, native add a Grammy for Best Producer to his mantelpiece.
And now we land at 'Fever'. While hardly to be considered an instant classic by the band who boast more than one song which could be described as such, it nonetheless harnesses the band's sonic spectrum capably. Adorned with a pounding bassline (does anyone else remember when they didn't have bass in their music?), punchy beats and an odd synth (which we're not sure about yet) the song has the ingredients for a radio hit because apparently The Black Keys are that band now.
It's far from the best Black Keys lead single we've heard but it certainly piques our interest in the full record and we'll be looking forward to giving it a spin in April.
