The Black Keys became famous for all the wrong reasons. Since their 2002 breakout The Big Come and even more so with last year's Thickfreakness, the Black Keys have been compared over and over again in the media to many of today's garage rock revival stars, most notably the White Stripes. Yet, the only similarity the Akron, Ohio musicians share with the more famous Stripes is that they too are a duo. With Rubber Factory, singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney continue to distance themselves from their garage rock counterparts, as well as mold their unique blues and soul influenced garage rock.

The album opens with "When the Lights Go Out," a slow, melodic number that seems quite simple with its drawn-out beat complete with a soft guitar twang. Thankfully, the song "10 A.M. Automatic" stirs life into the album.

Auerbach's soulful yowl takes hold of this track all the while enfolded in the familiar feedback reminiscent of their previous albums. Carney's beautifully crafted drumming pulls the song together.

The upbeat rythyms categorize the song as a dance number despite its blues influx. This is the one song on the album that could find its way into modern rock radio charts.

Other gems in the album include "All Hands Against His Own." Carney gets to use his drum kit to its fullest extent, employing in this bouncy number every possible part of the structure that could make an awe-inspiring sound.

"Aeroplane Blues" is a hard-hitting number that seems to want to stir up the magic of their single from Thickfreakness, "Set You Free." It succeed; the song seems to smash through the feedback intro with Carney's strong drum-work and Auerbach's growl and guitar chords.

"Keep Me" is a testament to Auerbach's perfected Blues' singing.

He's in perfect pitch with every jumpy chord his guitar throws at him, seeming to meld with the ever present (but not bothersome) feedback to turn his voice into a third instrument. "Keep Me" is truly the Black Keys at their best.

While the album provides a good number of excellent tracks, there are unfortunately a number of slip-ups along the way. "The Desperate Man" is a crazy attempt at a modern blues version of a Johnny Cash song that completely misfires. "Just Couldn't Tie Me Down" gives off the feel of a blues/country mash up that dies off as the chorus nears.

The rest of the album is hit or miss with the average track here and there, such as "Girl is on My Mind" that offers up an interesting flash of a guitar solo by Auerbach.

The truly interesting track is "the Lengths," which offers less feedback on Auerbach's vocals and allows for him to have more vocal range, and a piercingly powerful guitar flow.

Rubber Factory is more than just another album by the Black Keys. The band continues reveal their identity and leave the other garage rock revival counterparts in the dust.

Moreover, it is another step in crafting their ingenious sound that combines blues tunefulness with punk impatience and garage rock brashness.

Soon, the Black Keys won't have to worry about being compared to the White Stripes. This may or may not have been the subject Auerbach was contemplating on "All Hands Against His Own": as he uttered the lyrics, "Don't talk about it/can't live without it.