Since the Black Keys made their commercial breakthrough with 2010s Brothers and 2011s Camino, the duo have latched on to a signature sound, a likably dirty groove thats part blues, part soul, and part dancefloor-filling R&B, filtered through some vintage rock & roll raunch and with a mildly stoned vibe for seasoning. Its their sound, they own it, its what their fans want, and they deliver it in hip-shaking form on 2024s Ohio Players, a title that tips its hat both to their home state and one of the key bands of the 70s funk boom thats part of their inspiration. Of course, its no fun having a party all by your lonesome, and Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney have brought in a bunch of guests to help bring this home; while theres a small irony in these two guys wanting so much help to create sounds that seem second nature to them by now, the results show they know what theyre doing. Beck co-wrote the opening track, "This Is Nowhere," which does reflect a bit of his sense of anxiety thats somehow fun, and he sings and/or plays on seven songs overall. Noel Gallagher adds some Britpop guitar shimmer to "On the Game," Dan the Automator helped build the hip-hop-infused backing track for "Beautiful People (Stay High)," Juicy J drops some world-class braggadocio on "Paper Crown," and Leon Michaels, formerly of Sharon Jones Dap Kings and part of Auerbachs side project the Arcs, is a key utility player, bringing guitar, keyboards, and sax to the mix. Despite the abundance of high-priced help, the final product sounds like nothing other than the Back Keys, and if the music doesnt always speak loudly of their deep roots in the blues, their potent cover of William Bells "I Want to Be Your Lover" is pure classic soul and one of the most effective tracks on the LP. "This Is Nowhere," "Only Love Matters," and "Every Time You Leave" all bear a moody undercurrent, as if the Keys were throwing this whole bash to forget some bad times, and it isnt entirely working. Which is to say Ohio Players isnt the most frantic celebration the Black Keys have delivered, but more than enough of it will get your body moving that it qualifies as a success. ~ Mark Deming

Rovi