The Black Keys is one of all the retro-rock bands, the one that’s figured out how to sound distinctive while always quoting other musicians. The duo can do the blues or 70s pop-rock alright.
Oftentimes, their new tunes sound just like the samples on an old rap song. But they are a good enough band so as not to merely appear like they are rehashing old formulas. Most retro-tributary groups won’t hit upon a unique idea if the lives of their members depended on it.
The Black Keys aren’t old hat. But they’re very laid back now that they’re returned. Comfortable in an old leather jacket while playing to festival crowds made up of kids.
“Ohio Players” isn’t revolutionary. But it does sound very good throughout, one of the more pleasant recent rock releases, and an album audiences won’t have to work hard to enjoy.
Auerbach and Carney Enjoy Making Records Again
Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney are done being a novelty act, even if they were often a really great one. They were a power duo when, apart from The White Stripes and Two Gallants, few bands operated in this way. They played the blues with manic abandon. And, then they used the bones of the blues to create the basis for a modern commercial sound that many bands, and even pop and hip-hop artists copied.
And while The Black Keys haven’t quite had a chart-topping hit on the level of “Lonely Boy” or “Howlin’ for You,” their records’ sounds have improved consistently, while most of their alt-rock/indie rivals’ albums seem to sound worse and more overly produced with each new year.
Dan Auerbach is now also a respected producer and a musician who has been putting out material at a steady pace. Not all of the songwriting is sharpened to perfection, but his albums nearly always sound pleasant.
“Ohio Players” Review
That’s exactly where The Black Keys are at on “Ohio Players.” They’re delivering more songs than they need would need to. They put out an album in 2022, “Dropout Bogie.” And it’s clear that they haven’t been laboring on potential hit singles this time. They’ve got enough of those to play the festival circuit.
But they have something that, unfortunately, few bands will ever get. They’re gigantic fans of blues and classic rock who can replicate that sound beautifully. When in the groove and in a good mood, few can score points as easily as Dan and Patrick. These points are always, nowadays, easy tap-ins.
Take the album opener, “This is Nowhere,” as an example. In the hands of a less experienced group, this would merely sound like an early 70s pop radio song. The fuzzed-out bass, the claps, the synth flourishes, and Auerbach’s confident, steady singing make it sound good, even fresh.
If people already love The Black Keys, the band is making it easy on them. “Don’t Let Me Go” echoes the lonely road songs that have been a big part of their discography. And “Beautiful People (Stay High)” is pure, anthemic fun that somehow doesn’t reduce the band sounding like old folks crashing a teenager’s birthday party. Don’t let other aging rockstars try though.
Arctic Monkeys was, perhaps, the only other modern rock band that could inspire the same kind of near-universal acclaim as The Black Keys. And while Alex Turner has, in recent years, opted for obscure sounds and impenetrable lyrics, which have distanced his group from average listeners, Dan Auerbach relishes that support.
Still, The Black Keys aren’t exactly populists. They are merely curating an imaginary 70s AM radio station with tunes that they’re creating and with production skills that make this resonate in 2024.
Like an Old Billy Wilder Movie, It’s Hard Not to Enjoy The Black Keys Once They Come On
The bluesy “I Forgot to Be Your Lover” may just reveal Auerbach as one of the most underrated modern rock singers. Beck and Juicy J drop by for the funky fun of “Paper Crown,” a song that, once more, has an impossibly obvious yet catchy hook.
And even when the band makes pop songs, as on “Every Time You Leave,” they bring enough guitar and acoustic drums so as not to divorce them wholly from their rock audience.
The Black Keys are populists, yes, but not cynics. It’s not always easy to be a lifelong fan of a band. You have to put up with a lot. All the greats produce many songs and albums that are nearly unlistenable.
That’s not the case with The Black Keys. “Ohio Players” is exactly what you’d expect down to the sounds and themes. But it’s easy to like them, even if you’re unlikely to fall madly in love with the album any time. On Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney’s imaginary retro-rock radio station, there aren’t many songs you’ll want to skip.
