The Black Keys – Ohio Players (2024) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

The Black Keys – Ohio Players (2024)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 44:02 minutes | 885 MB | Genre: Blues Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Nonesuch

The Black Keys kick off the New Year with the release of their new single ‘Beautiful People (Stay High)’. The song arrives alongside the announcement of the Akron, Ohio natives’ twelfth studio album, Ohio Players. Written by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney with longtime friends Dan “The Automator” Nakamura and Beck, the celebratory, joyful ‘Beautiful People (Stay High)’ is one of several songs on the album that feature collaborations between the band and various additional friends and colleagues, including Noel Gallagher, Greg Kurstin, and others. Speaking on the collaborative nature of the album, Carney shares, “We had this epiphany: ‘We can call our friends to help us make music.’ It’s funny because we both write songs with other people – Dan all the time [as a solo artist and producer], me when I’m producing a record. That’s what we do.” Auerbach adds, “No matter who we work with, it never feels like we’re sacrificing who we are. It only feels like it adds some special flavor. We just expanded that palette with people we wanted to work with. We were there to support them and their ideas, to do whatever we could to see that moment flourish. But when it came time to finish the album, it was just Pat and me. We’d never worked harder to make a record,” he continues. “It’s never taken us this long to make an album. We took our time and did it right.” “What we wanted to accomplish with this record was make something that was fun,” Carney says. “And something that most bands 20 years into their career don’t make, which is an approachable, fun record that is also cool.” While making Ohio Players, a title inspired by the legendary Dayton, OH funk band of the same name, The Black Keys were also DJing dance parties in cities around the world that they called “record hangs”, spinning 45s from their own eclectic and growing collections. Mojo reports, ‘The spirit of those parties infused the album’s DNA. ‘That’s been the fun of it,’ [says] Auerbach. ‘Letting go a little bit.’”

Drummer Patrick Carney recently said the goal for the Black Keys’ twelfth album was to have “fucking fun.” Sounds like mission accomplished. If you’ve been waiting for Beck to make a sequel to Midnite Vultures, this might be as close as we get. He’s pretty much a third member of the band on Ohio Players—co-writing and/or guesting on eight of the 14 songs. His SoCal sunshine (and backing vocals) can be heard on the relaxed fit of “This Is Nowhere” and freak-show single “Beautiful People (Stay Here),” a co-write with Dan the Automator that borrows the groove of “Feeling That Vibe” by Richard Mead. Beck takes the vocal lead on “Paper Crown,” a thick slab of greased-up R&B decorated with deep bass, sassy Hammond, Moog, Vocoder and 808—and that’s before Three 6 Mafia’s Juicy J rolls in and brings the strut down to a cool, slow roll.

It’s hard to say who’s zoomin’ who here, but something about the collision of Beck, Carney and Dan Auerbach brings out a wonderfully weird, playful side of the Black Keys. Delightful “Don’t Let Me Go” melds Four Seasons-style pomp, mod garage rock and funk horns while “Read Em and Weep” gives Halloween haunted house vibes—with Beck on organ and Auerbach’s revved-up surf guitar conjuring the spirit of teen-tragedy splatter platters (á la Jan and Dean’s “Dead Man’s Curve”). And it’s not just Beck along for the ride. “… It’s a big Saturday night party record,” Carney has said. “We just had people come through the studio and throw a little bit of special sauce at each song.” The band also brought in Memphis horrorcore legend Lil Noid for sleazy-sounding “Candy and Her Friends.” And Noel Gallagher—”We were referring to him as ‘The Chord Lord’ because he’s just a perfectionist with it,” Carney told NME—leaves his mark on three songs, including “Only Love Matters,” a tight stomp meant for cutting a rug. The Oasis songwriter was apparently in a real dance mood; “You’ll Pay” is hip-swiveling, Question Mark and the Mysterians cool, with Auerbach perfectly working his falsetto. Gallagher picks up backing vocals on both of those as well as “On the Game,” a mellowed-out live take with a Derek and the Dominos feel. “Fever Tree”—another Beck joint—has a psyched-out stomp. Carney’s drums are monstrous, and Auerbach’s guitar is like a buzzsaw, on dangerous “Please Me (Till I’m Satisfied).” “I Forgot to Be Your Lover,” meanwhile, is solid gold soul: Auerbach really sweats the line “And I’m sorry/ I’m so sorry” for the gritty cover of William Bell and Booker T. Jones’ silky Stax single. There’s apparently even more to look forward to: A rumored Alice Cooper song didn’t make the album, but may be out later this year. – Shelly Ridenour

Tracklist:
1-01. The Black Keys – This Is Nowhere (03:44)
1-02. The Black Keys – Don’t Let Me Go (02:34)
1-03. The Black Keys – Beautiful People (Stay High) (02:47)
1-04. The Black Keys – On The Game (04:02)
1-05. The Black Keys – Only Love Matters (03:22)
1-06. The Black Keys – Candy and Her Friends (feat. Lil Noid) (03:25)
1-07. The Black Keys – I Forgot To Be Your Lover (02:27)
1-08. The Black Keys – Please Me (Till I’m Satisfied) (02:44)
1-09. The Black Keys – You’ll Pay (02:45)
1-10. The Black Keys – Paper Crown (feat. Beck and Juicy J) (04:17)
1-11. The Black Keys – Live Till I Die (02:23)
1-12. The Black Keys – Read Em And Weep (03:23)
1-13. The Black Keys – Fever Tree (03:05)
1-14. The Black Keys – Every Time You Leave (02:57)

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