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Since their breakthrough 14 years in the past with Brothers, the Black Keys have held regular with a string of albums which have concurrently tried to increase their restricted musical palette (initially solely singer-guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney performed on their information) whereas not straying too removed from the primal blues-based rock ‘n’ roll that made them well-known.
All this has made the 5 albums launched since Brothers‘ tightly packed follow-up El Camino a bit related on the floor, together with their twelfth LP, Ohio Gamers. Solely on repeated listens do intricacies reveal themselves, and, as a rule, they hardly ever require greater than a yr or title to differentiate them. But for a band whose status is so wedded to a selected sound, the Black Keys have been open to widening their horizons over time (see: their four-album business and inventive peak with producer Hazard Mouse).
Ohio Gamers – a nod to the Dayton-based ’70s funk group and the Black Keys’ beginning state – falls someplace between the unfiltered storage stomp of their early information and more moderen detours reflecting a maturing songwriting focus. With the opening observe, “This Is Nowhere,” Auerbach pushes towards expectations. Perhaps probably the most pop-oriented track they’ve ever recorded, it options hand claps, zooming synths, chiming backing vocals and a radio-friendly hook miles away from the Akron basements the place they acquired their begin.
READ MORE: The Black Keys ‘Dropout Boogie’ Album Review
“Do not Let Me Go” maintains Ohio Gamers‘ deep dive into ’60s and ’70s soul, as does a strings-abetted cowl of William Bell’s “I Forgot to Be Your Lover.” However a pair of songs with Noel Gallagher – “On the Recreation” and “Solely Love Issues” – sidetrack the album’s theme and bear the Oasis songwriter’s distinctive stamp, and “Stunning Individuals (Keep Excessive)” sounds extra prefer it was dusted from the shelf of co-writer Beck than a brand new collaboration with Auerbach and Carney.
Beck additionally seems on “Paper Crown” together with rapper Juicy J, whereas “Reside Until I Die” comes approach too near Neil Young‘s “Cinnamon Lady.” Largely although Ohio Gamers can not help however sound like a Black Keys album: “Please Me (Until I am Glad)” and “Learn Em and Weep” might have been randomly pulled from their two-decade catalog. Ohio Gamers has an important begin however loses some of its enthusiasm alongside the way in which.
Black Keys Albums Ranked
From lo-fi 8-track recordings to multiplatinum hits, a roundup of each studio LP by the blues-rock duo.
Gallery Credit score: UCR Employees
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