Imagine the Rolling Stones up to and including Let It Bleed mixed with the White Stripes but with a soulfull lead singer that channels late sixties, early seventies rock vocal stylings. Now add some fuzzed out bluesy guitar and slide and you'd have an approximation of the Black Keys' sound. They have just the right amount of "slop" to their sound, ie any more and they would stink, any less and they wouldn't be as charming. But really the best thing about these guys is the songwriting which is emotional and melodic with a good amount of bluesy grit and feel. This is rock before it was called "classic". The only thing that mars the cd is the crappy, er, "lo-fi" recording, but what do you want from two guys from Ohio who recorded in a rubber factory? This is the first recording I've heard by these guys and I'm convinced, good stuff.