The Black Keys' twelfth studio album, Ohio Players—a title inspired by the legendary Dayton, Ohio, funk band of the same name—features several collaborations between band mates Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney with various friends and colleagues, like Dan “The Automator” Nakamura, Beck, Noel Gallagher, Greg Kurstin, and others. “We had this epiphany: ‘We can call our friends to help us make music,’" Carney says. Auerbach adds, “No matter who we work with, it never feels like we're sacrificing who we are. It only feels like it adds some special flavor ... But when it came time to finish the album, it was just Pat and me.”
The Black Keys released their twelfth studio album, Ohio Players, on April 5, 2024, alongside a new music video for the album track “On The Game,” co-written with Noel Gallagher, via Nonesuch/Warner Records.
The music video for “On the Game” further highlights the album’s nature of fun, serving as a check-in on fan-favorite Derrick Tuggle, who was the breakout star of the music video for the band’s 2011 single “Lonely Boy.” Also making a special appearance is skateboarding legend Tony Hawk.
Rolling Stone said of the album, which was inspired by band members Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney’s recent “record hang” parties, “Whether they set their retro-rock wayback machine to Memphis in the Sixties, the Midwest in the Seventies, or Manchester, England, and L.A. in the Nineties, it all flows together like a beautifully paced DJ set,” calling it “arguably the sharpest collection of songs the Keys have come up with.” Ohio Players is a fresh departure from the band’s previous releases, invoking brand-new influences while still maintaining the signature, well-loved sound they are best known for. With an emphasis on collaboration, the album features contributions from friends and colleagues, including Beck, Noel Gallagher, Dan “The Automator” Nakamura, Greg Kurstin, Juicy J, Lil Noid, and others.
Mojo states that Ohio Players is “the sound of a band rejuvenated,” echoing Carney’s thoughts on the record: “We had this epiphany: ‘We can call our friends to help us make music.’” Auerbach adds, “No matter who we work with, it never feels like we're sacrificing who we are. It only feels like it adds some special flavor. We just expanded that palette with people we wanted to work with.” “We'd never worked harder to make a record,” he continues. “It's never taken us this long to make an album. We took our time and did it right.”
“What we wanted to accomplish with this record was make something that was fun,” Carney says. “And something that most bands 20 years into their career don’t make, which is an approachable, fun record that is also cool.”
You can take a quick look inside the vinyl here:
