The Black Keys Rubber Factory

A rugged, lo-fi funk runs through The Black Keys' third album. Drummer Patrick Carney's grooves at times hit home like breakbeats sampled from dusty old LPs, making plain the duo's claim that their stripped-down sound is as much inspired by Wu-Tang Clan as by their garage rock bedfellows. Over this powerful foundation, Dan Auerbach's hypnotic guitar lines and sorrow-filled lyrics add weight and mystery. The low-slung swagger of "When the Lights Go Out" and the brooding, gloomy "Grown So Ugly" are particularly potent.