The Black Keys: Ohio Players [NONESUCH]

Why you'll love it

This LP comes with a large foldout poster carrying the credits. "Beautiful People (Stay High)" earned Grammy nominations for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song, and Rolling Stone called the album one of the duo's best.

This edition

• Foldout poster with credits
• Pressed in the Netherlands

About the album

Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney have been making records together since they were kids in Akron, and on their twelfth album they finally invited the neighbours round. Beck, Noel Gallagher and producer Dan the Automator all pitch in, and the result is the loosest, most colourful Black Keys record in years.

"Beautiful People (Stay High)" opens the party with a strutting groove and a singalong chorus, "This Is Nowhere" stomps, and "Don't Let Me Go" and "Beautiful People" carry Dan the Automator's crate-of-breaks touch. The duo also cover William Bell's 1968 soul song "I Forgot To Be Your Lover" with real affection, while Greg Kurstin co-produces the closing "Every Time You Leave." Pitchfork called it lively, fresh and colourful. The duo produced most of it themselves, keeping the sound bright, punchy and built for turning up loud.

The album came out on the band's own Easy Eye Sound with Nonesuch, keeping the garage-blues roots in sight. Naming it after a famous Ohio funk band is either a tribute or a very efficient way of confusing record-store filing; we've put it under B.

Also at Kops: more The Black Keys on vinyl · browse Alternative

Tracklist

Listen

On Easy Eye Sound / Nonesuch, the 2024 album.