What fucking energy. God damn. What happened ;(
I assume you mean what happened to the Black Keys, as I'm not aware of any solo work from Auerbach since 2009. It does seem they have lost touch with the grittier blues sound that they used to have though. Their latest single "Fever" just feels so empty by comparison, simple, and repetitious. I don't know if they are just trying to reach more off a mass market audience, or if they are simply burning out themselves.
I dont like fever. the album and the single. It's a wash, it's lazy and it's a pandering. I say this out of all the love I have for Auerbach's album as well as Rubber Factory, The Come Up, hell even Brothers. Coincidence that they played played last year's Grammy's and they just got superfamous since El Camino? No! But just as shameful and sad. Their sound growled and whimpered out of a tiny town somewhere in the middle of nowhere, it's not the same in Madison Square Garden.
Commercialisation. I have all the black keys albums (altbough not this auerbach one, must get it). From Brothers on there has been a noticable shift in their music on each album. The days where it was a simple guitar, drums and vocal arrangement are over it seems, which is a real shame. I suppose musicians have to grow and change and their path was to a more widely appealing style. I still listen to all their stuff including the new album. Its different from what they have done before but i still enjoy it.