7/10

While their name is synonymous with bringing the dirty blues sound to the forefront of the international scene in recent years, the rise of The Black Keys was one of the slowest gains we have ever seen. Despite releasing music right back at the start of the century, it wasn't until their fifth full-length 'Attack & Release' where they finally broke through and landed their first top twenty record. Since then, their direction has morphed and adapted to the commercial climate, separating them further from their initial direction than ever. So for their tenth collection 'Delta Kream', they chose to release a covers record of all the music that first brought the pair together.

The aim of 'Delta Kream' is to bring The Black Keys out of their newly found fanbase's expectation of them, and send them back to those humble and grizzled origins that still hold so much weight behind their sound. From the start, this new full-length makes itself known as an experiment in nostalgia as they deliver one broad and breezy hill country blues cut after another, almost coming full circle with their direction. While it lacks the frenzied energy and spark they are most known for these days, it still makes for a smooth and laid-back listen, showing the great affinity they both still have for this music.

A covers album may have been a strange move to make at this point in their career, but you can definitely hear the passion and charisma these songs bring out in them. 'Delta Kream' is a strong and driven return from a group that have been wavering more than they should recently, and this rekindling of their roots will hopefully set them back on course.