The Black Keys [ tickets ] and their brand of blues-rock are back with "Magic Potion," their first album since leaving longtime label Fat Possum for their new home at Nonesuch.

In your face from the moment you press play, "Magic Potion" establishes itself as a gritty rock record from the get-go. Singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney have long been known for their energetic and spontaneous live shows, and the duo manages to harness that energy in full here.

The Black Keys' specialty is deftly re-creating the magic first captured by the short-lived, late-'60s Jimi Hendrix outfit Band of Gypsys, a niche that has earned the group a loyal following in today's fickle indie-rock underground.

Built on a foundation of solid chops and the wisdom of four previous albums, "Magic Potion," combined with their furious, near legendary live shows, just might be the album that breaks the Keys big.