The Black Keys - No Rain, No Flowers
★★★★
EASY EYE SOUND/PARLOPHONE
After restating their mainstream credentials (and working with Beck and Noel Gallagher) on last year’s Ohio Players – a record that surprisingly saw their chart positions slip slightly – The Black Keys have doubled down on commerciality.
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READ MORE: The Black Keys: We have the only album that has both Noel Gallagher and Alice Cooper on it."
The duo’s drafting in of pro songwriters on 13th album No Rain, No Flowers spotlights their ambition, but also undeniably hones the tunes. Daniel Tashian (Kacey Musgraves) helps to buff up the grimy rock of The Night Before, Rick Nowels (Lana Del Rey) adds a coat of radio gloss to the dreamy title track and The Roots/ Dr. Dre keyboard player Scott Storch colours Babygirl with tasteful piano and organ.
The Black Keys’ raw edges are retained amid the Hendrix fuzz of Man On A Mission, while on the slick, Philly-shaped soul standout Make You Mine, the pair soar to new poppy heights.
No Rain, No Flowers Is out August 8 via Easy Eye Sound/Parlophone.
ORDER: Amazon | Rough Trade | HMV
Track list:
No Rain, No Flowers
The Night Before
Babygirl
Down To Nothing
On Repeat
Make You Mine
Man On A Mission
Kiss It
All My Life
A Little Too High
Neon Moon
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