The Black Keys Return to Raw Form on Ohio Players
The Black Keys have always sounded best when the distance between a riff and a recording microphone feels almost nonexistent. On Ohio Players, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney reconnect with that instinct, shaping a loose, soulful rock record that favors movement and texture over polished perfection.
Released in 2024, the album expands the duo’s familiar blues-rock foundation with funk, garage pop, hip-hop production, and a surprisingly bright sense of melody. It is a collaborative record, with contributions from Beck, Noel Gallagher, Greg Cartwright, and others, yet the core identity remains unmistakable: Auerbach’s worn-in vocals, Carney’s muscular drumming, and guitars that sound built for loud speakers.
For readers who follow Red Rock Magazine, this is the kind of release that rewards close listening. Ohio Players is accessible on the surface, but its strongest moments come from the rough edges, rhythmic shifts, and small production choices hiding beneath the hooks.
Guitars With Dirt Under Their Fingernails
The opening stretch establishes the album’s physical character. “This Is Nowhere,” featuring Beck, arrives with a thick, distorted groove and a chorus that feels deliberately oversized. “Don’t Get Me Wrong” follows with a tighter, more direct pulse, while “Beautiful People (Stay High)” brings a buoyant rhythm that makes the band sound looser than it has in years.
This is not a return to the stripped-down arrangements of The Big Come Up, and it does not pretend that 2002 can be recreated. Instead, the Black Keys recover the urgency of their early work through restraint. The drums hit hard, the guitars retain their grain, and the production leaves enough space for the performances to breathe.
A Wider Palette Without Losing Focus
The album’s greatest risk is also its defining feature. The Black Keys move between psychedelic soul, classic rock, danceable funk, and vintage R&B without settling into a single mood. “Read Em and Weep” has a smoky, late-night feel, while “On the Game” leans into a more dramatic, almost glam-rock swagger.
Some of these stylistic turns land more convincingly than others. The smoother tracks can feel less immediate beside the heavier cuts, and the album’s 14-song length occasionally dilutes its momentum. Still, the variety keeps the record from becoming a predictable blues-rock exercise. Each detour gives Auerbach and Carney another way to test their chemistry.
The Songs That Carry the Record
“Wild Child” remains one of the clearest examples of the band’s pop instincts. Its handclaps, compact guitar figure, and singalong chorus make it instantly memorable, but the arrangement never becomes sterile. “Crawling Kingsnake” offers a darker, more traditional blues workout, with a crawling bass line and a vocal performance that sounds equal parts controlled and haunted.
The quieter “You’ll Pay” is another standout. Its minor-key tension and spacious guitar lines create an atmosphere that lingers after the song ends. These tracks work because the Black Keys understand that rawness is not simply distortion or volume. It is the feeling that a song has a pulse, a point of view, and a little danger.
How Ohio Players Compares
| Element | Early Black Keys | Ohio Players |
|---|---|---|
| Core sound | Lo-fi blues rock | Blues rock blended with soul, funk, and pop |
| Production | Sparse and abrasive | Fuller, layered, and still tactile |
| Songwriting | Short, riff-driven sketches | Bigger hooks and broader arrangements |
| Best quality | Immediate physical energy | Energy paired with melodic range |
| Main weakness | Limited tonal variety | Occasional loss of momentum |
The comparison shows why calling the album a “return” requires some qualification. The Black Keys are not retreating from their later career; they are revisiting the attitude that made the early records compelling. The result is a modern studio album with an old-fashioned preference for feel over technical display.
Collaboration That Serves the Songs
The guest appearances could have pulled the record away from the duo’s center, but most are used intelligently. Beck adds a sly vocal contrast, while the songwriting partnerships broaden the arrangements without burying the band’s character. The collaborators function as catalysts rather than replacements for the Black Keys’ identity.
Carney’s drumming deserves special attention. He gives even the more polished tracks a physical backbone, switching from clipped garage patterns to deeper, funk-influenced grooves. Auerbach, meanwhile, balances raspy conviction with a more relaxed melodic approach, proving that his voice can carry tenderness as effectively as swagger.
The Best Way to Hear It
Ohio Players makes the strongest impression when treated as an album rather than a collection of singles. Its peaks are immediate, but its personality becomes clearer through the transitions: grit gives way to polish, then polish bends back toward grit. Fans exploring current releases can also browse new rock singles for shorter bursts of guitar-driven energy.
- Start with “This Is Nowhere” for the album’s heaviest groove.
- Follow it with “Beautiful People (Stay High” for its bright, infectious rhythm.
- Give “You’ll Pay” a focused listen on headphones.
- Return to “Crawling Kingsnake” when you want the band at its most rooted.
- Hear the full record in sequence before choosing individual favorites.
The Black Keys have made a record that sounds confident without sounding comfortable. Ohio Players does not erase the polished experiments of their later catalog, but it restores a sense of friction and spontaneity. For listeners who want rock music with hooks, history, and a little dust on its boots, this is a welcome reawakening. Add it to the queue, turn up the volume, and let the rougher edges do their work.