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The Black Keys: Ohio Players review – a little soul, a little lush, less magic
A diffusion of the band’s hallmark earwormy blues feels somewhat lightweight, albeit with splashes of classy experimentation
In the early 2000s, the Black Keys were celebrated in indie circles for Thickfreakness: their breakthrough second album and a useful descriptor of the Akron, Ohio duo’s sound, a grungy, almost obscenely visceral take on 60s garage and soul. A lush, magnetically melancholic cover of William Bell’s 1968 classic I Forgot to Be Your Lover proves the pair still have soul to spare – an impression reinforced by gratifyingly grimy throwback Please Me (Till I’m Satisfied). They keep one eye on their new establishment status with dumbly repetitive yet cleverly catchy songs including Beautiful People (Stay High) – co-written, like half the record, with Beck; the other guest songwriter is Noel Gallagher, for some reason.
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