The Black Keys find a new groove on ‘Ohio Players’

Review by Rob Hinkal

The Black Keys: Ohio Players Album Review | Pitchfork

Akron-based rock duo, The Black Keys, are back with their newest LP, Ohio Players. Undoubtedly their strongest record in years, Players sees the band collaborating with various artists as they expand their musical palette in several (some of them befuddling) ways. From collaborations with rock veterans Beck and Noel Gallagher and other, more unexpected artists such as Juicy J and Dan the Automator, this is, by far, the Black Keys’ most expansive and technically progressive album yet. Lead singer/guitarist, Dan Auerbach, and Dan the Automator split producing credits on the album, the first time the Keys have shared production duties with a collaborator since working with Danger Mouse on 2014’s Turn Blue. Almost every song feels as though it has its own distinct identity. From the surf-rock-tinged guitar licks of Read Em and Weep to the 70’s inspired, techno-infused, Fever Tree, the producing duo brings new angles to the Keys signature sound in a way that vastly expands the band’s musical dialect. That isn’t to say that every experiment on display is a complete success. Juicy J’s inclusion alongside Beck on Paper Crown remains a fun, yet somewhat confusing moment on the album, and a few of the album’s tracks do feel as though they are retreading familiar ground in the band’s discography. Not every song is a masterpiece, and some listeners may feel as though the Keys are trying to grasp beyond their reach only to arrive at a familiar conclusion, but when a band still sounds this damn good 12 albums into their career, you can’t help but be impressed. Equal parts undeniably groovy and flat-out fantastic with only a few near misses in its tight runtime, Ohio Players is one of the most enjoyable rock releases so far this year and features some of the band’s best work to date.