Will The Black Keys save rock?

INSPIRATIONAL THOUGHT OF THE DAY: “While I appreciate much of what’s happening in indie rock at the moment, El Camino reminds me how much I miss straightforward rock records that are made for a mainstream radio audience and are actually really good. That’s the kind of album that got me into music in the first place. More than anything, rock desperately needs gateway bands right now, groups with roots in the music’s history that can get on the radio and compete in the pop marketplace while building on rock’s continuum. The Black Keys want to be that band, and I’d like to see them pull it off.” — Steven Hyden, Milwaukee’s finest rockcrit, from his essay, “The Black Keys’ class war on indie rock,” posted on The Onion’s A.V. Club. (1/17a)