IIn the early 2000s, the Black Keys were celebrated in the indie world as sick freaks. The album was his groundbreaking second, and helped explain the Akron, Ohio duo’s sound, a grungy, almost obscenely visceral interpretation of ’60s garage and soul. By the start of the next decade, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney had entered the rock mainstream, gaining attention on the Grammy Awards and the Billboard charts. Singles like “Tighten Up” and “Gold on the Ceiling” diluted their trademark guitar lilt and combined harsh choruses, gradually making their way into pop culture. It has become the type of song that you know even if you think you don’t.
On their 12th album, the Black Keys seem to be the opposite of themselves. This is a band you think you know but may actually have a hard time understanding. Ohio His Players is truly a mixed bag in terms of style, quality, and intent. Their gorgeous, melancholy cover of William Bell’s 1968 classic “I Forgot to Be Your Lover” proves that the pair still have some soul left in them, giving the impression of a poignant, dirty, nostalgic “I Forgot to Be Your Lover.” Please Me (Till I’m Satisfied)”. They draw attention to their new establishment status with stupidly repetitive yet expertly catchy songs, including Beautiful People (Stay High), which they co-wrote with Beck for about half the record. Another guest songwriter is Noel Gallagher for some reason.
The duo also allows room for tasteful experimentation, deftly combining junky blues with languid hip-hop on “Paper Crown.” The gap is filled with a series of jaunty, Beatles-esque numbers that feel lighthearted and often rather insane. It’s an all-bass approach that feels less like an identity crisis and more like a dispersion of the magic of a band you were once obsessed with that feels a little overwhelming.
