Thickfreakness

The band's debut album The Big Come Up had been tremendously successful for an independent rock band and Thickfreakness further increased their profile. It continues The Black Keys' tradition of raw, heavy blues-influenced garage rock.

Songs such as "Set You Free" won the pair some mainstream success as being featured in the soundtrack of the 2003 film School of Rock. Heavy comparisons to another American blues-influenced garage rock duo, The White Stripes, were often made by the music media.

Most of the album was recorded in December 2002 during a single 14-hour session in Patrick Carney's basement using an early 1980s Tascam 388 8-track recorder. This approach was necessary because the group spent its small advance payment from Fat Possum Records on rent.{{cite journal|url=https://www.spin.com/2010/08/blues-explosion-black-keys/|title=Blues Explosion!|journal=Spin|first=Dorian|last=Lynskey|date=September 2010|accessdate=August 30, 2012|pages=60–63|volume=26|issue=8}}{{cite news|title=Into the Black; Keys unlock a raw, bluesy sound|newspaper=Boston Herald|publisher=Herald Media Inc.|first=Larry|last=Katz|date=October 7, 2003|at=sec. The Edge, p. 47}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Thickfreakness|others=The Black Keys|year=2003|publisher=Fat Possum Records|type=CD booklet}}{{cite web |first=Davis |last=Inman |url=http://www.americansongwriter.com/2010/07/on-record-dan-auerbach/ |title=On record: The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach |work=American Songwriter |date=2010-07-21 |accessdate=2011-01-11}} The liner notes claim this is Carney's "patented recording technique called 'medium fidelity'". The result is a more vintage sound.{{cite web |first=Rhys |last=Tranter |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/A1082125 |title=The Black Keys — Thickfreakness |work=Collective |date=2003-06-17 |accessdate=2011-01-11}} Part of "Set You Free" was recorded by Jeff Saltzman.

The album included two covers: "Have Love, Will Travel" by Richard Berry and "Everywhere I Go" by north Mississippi bluesman Junior Kimbrough.

The cover art was made by Carney's brother Michael, who was responsible for the whole graphical process after the layout of The Big Come Up ended up done by Patrick Boissel of Alive Records. As the Carneys drove around Akron trying to think of an idea, they ended up in a Super K-Mart and eventually found a concept upon finding a can of Royal Crown pomade. Then they moved all of the lamps in his house into one room to light up the picture, where Patrick handled the pomade.[http://www.donewaiting.com/2009/02/10/behind-the-artwork-michael-carney-the-heartless-bastards-the-mountain/ Behind the Artwork: Michael Carney & The Heartless Bastard’s The Mountain]

{{Album ratings

| MC = 74/100{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/thickfreakness/the-black-keys |title=Reviews for thickfreakness by The Black Keys |website=Metacritic |accessdate=June 24, 2016}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/thickfreakness-mw0000022723 |title=Thickfreakness – The Black Keys |website=AllMusic |accessdate=June 24, 2016 |last=Deming |first=Mark}}

| rev2 = The Baltimore Sun

| rev2score = {{Rating|3|4}}{{cite news |title=Black Keys: thickfreakness (Fat Possum) |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=April 24, 2003 |last=Hogan |first=Ray}}

| rev3 = The Boston Phoenix

| rev3score = {{Rating|3|4}}{{cite news |url=http://www.bostonphoenix.com:80/boston/music/otr/documents/02857439.htm |title=Black Keys: Thickfreakness (Fat Possum) |work=The Boston Phoenix |date=May 2–8, 2003 |accessdate=November 8, 2017 |last=Bregman |first=Adam |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040203124013/http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/music/otr/documents/02857439.htm |archivedate=February 3, 2004 |url-status=dead}}

| rev4 = Houston Chronicle

| rev4score = 4/5{{cite news |url=https://www.chron.com/music/article/Williams-dark-World-paints-a-bleak-picture-2657411.php |title=White Boys Get The Blues |work=Houston Chronicle |date=April 6, 2003 |accessdate=June 28, 2019 |last=Sullivan |first=James}}

| rev5 = Mojo

| rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite journal |title=The Black Keys: Thickfreakness |journal=Mojo |issue=115 |date=June 2003 |page=93}}

| rev6 = Now

| rev6score = 3/5{{cite news |url=https://nowtoronto.com/music/album-reviews/black-keys/ |title=Black Keys |work=Now |date=April 24, 2003 |accessdate=June 28, 2019 |last=Perlich |first=Tim}}

| rev7 = Pitchfork

| rev7score = 7.7/10{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/766-thickfreakness/ |title=The Black Keys: Thickfreakness |work=Pitchfork |date=April 22, 2003 |accessdate=June 24, 2016 |last=Carr |first=Eric}}

| rev8 = Q

| rev8score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite journal |title=The Black Keys: Thickfreakness |journal=Q |issue=203 |date=June 2003 |page=94}}

| rev9 = Rolling Stone

| rev9score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/blackkeys/albums/album/271873/review/5940461/thickfreakness |title=Black Keys: Thickfreakness |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=April 17, 2003 |accessdate=June 24, 2016 |last=Caramanica |first=Jon |author-link=Jon Caramanica |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416051430/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/blackkeys/albums/album/271873/review/5940461/thickfreakness |archivedate=April 16, 2009 |url-status=dead}}

| rev10 = Spin

| rev10score = C+{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GPg1GS3vHxEC&pg=PA105 |title=The Black Keys: Thickfreakness / The Gossip: Movement |journal=Spin |volume=19 |issue=6 |date=June 2003 |accessdate=June 24, 2016 |last=Harvilla |first=Rob |page=105}}

}}

Thickfreakness was The Black Keys' first breakthrough album, as it established them as an indie-rock blues band.{{cite web|last1=Dansby|first1=Andrew|title="Black Keys Open "Factory""|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/black-keys-open-factory-20040624|website=Rollingstone|date=24 June 2004 |accessdate=7 July 2015}} Their recognition from Thickfreakness led them on a rigorous tour schedule including opening for singer/songwriter Beck (on his Sea Change summer tour) in the summer of 2003.{{cite news|date=September 8, 2004|work=The Washington Post|page=C5|last1=Hunter|first1=James|title=The Black Keys: Hardly Retreads; on 'Rubber Factory' the Indie Rockers Get High Out of Steel-Belted Blues|id={{ProQuest|409754325}}}} According to The Boston Globe, "Thickfreakness is an album that's meant to be felt as much as heard, rigged with plunging riffs, Auerbach's charcoal-smoke singing voice, and rhythmic pockets as deep as quicksand".{{cite news|last1=Perry|first1=Jonathan|title=Blues crush the Black Keys create gritty, bluesy rock that sounds as if it rolls down from the hills but actually comes right from the suburbs Black Keys get down and dirty with the blues|newspaper=Boston Globe|date=2003-05-16}} It was during this time that Auerbach began writing material for their next album. When the two returned from touring, Auerbach's landlord had sold his house where the duo wrote Thickfreakness in the basement.{{cite magazine|last1=Dansby|first1=Andrew|title=Black Keys Open "Factory|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/black-keys-open-factory-20040624|magazine=Rolling Stone|accessdate=2015-07-07}}

{{Tracklist

| all_writing = Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney except where noted

| title1 = Thickfreakness

| length1 = 3:48

| title2 = Hard Row

| writer2 = Dan and Chuck Auerbach (lyrics)

| length2 = 3:15

| title3 = Set You Free

| length3 = 2:46

| title4 = Midnight in Her Eyes

| length4 = 4:02

| title5 = Have Love Will Travel

| writer5 = Richard Berry

| length5 = 3:04

| title6 = Hurt Like Mine

| length6 = 3:27

| title7 = Everywhere I Go

| writer7 = Junior Kimbrough

| length7 = 5:40

| title8 = No Trust

| length8 = 3:37

| title9 = If You See Me

| length9 = 2:52

| title10 = Hold Me in Your Arms

| length10 = 3:19

| title11 = I Cry Alone

| length11 = 2:47

}}

{{Tracklist

| headline = Japanese bonus track

| title12 = Evil

| length12 = 2:27

}}

• Dan Auerbach - guitar, vocals, bass
• Patrick Carney - drums, percussion, production

{{Reflist}}

{{The Black Keys}}

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Category:The Black Keys albums

Category:2003 albums

Category:Fat Possum Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Patrick Carney

Category:Albums recorded in a home studio