THE BLACK KEYS DO IT ONCE AGAIN WITH BRAND NEW ALBUM ‘PEACHES!’

Album Review | The Black Keys – Peaches! by Charlotte Cairnie

There’s always been a certain laidback authority to The Black Keys. They are the sort of band that doesn’t beg for your attention, but earns it anyway. When Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney first broke through, it was all blown out blues riffs ,scrappy, hypnotic, and refreshingly unrefined.

Lately, the mood has shifted. Records like Dropout Boogie and Ohio Players lean into groove over grit with more bounce, more polish, and a noticeable openness to collaboration. There’s funk creeping in with a bit of soul looseness and even flashes of studio gloss that would’ve felt out of place in their early days, yet it never tips into overproduction. The core remains intact, it’s less a reinvention than a widening of the frame. The Black Keys haven’t ditched the garage vibes, they’ve just opened the doors, let more light in, and invited a few new sounds inside.

Peaches! feels like the soundtrack to late summer evenings and long drives home with the windows down. It still has that bluesy, slightly gritty sound they’ve always been known for, but everything feels warmer and more relaxed this time around. The album leans more into groove and atmosphere instead of massive guitar moments that honestly suits them so well.

Dan Auerbach’s vocals feel softer and more effortless across the record, while Patrick Carney keeps everything steady with really clean, tight drumming that gives the songs this easy flow. Even the guitar work feels more subtle than on older albums. Instead of huge distorted riffs, there are loads of smaller details and textures that make the songs feel fuller without trying too hard.

What stood out the most is that the album sounds confident without being overly polished. It doesn’t feel like they’re chasing trends or trying to recreate El Camino. They just sound comfortable creatively, and you can hear that throughout the whole record. Compared to their earlier garage rock sound, Peaches! feels brighter, smoother, and a bit more open emotionally, but still still has that Black Keys sounds that everybody loves It’s probably one of their easiest albums to throw on and listen to all the way through in years. Nothing feels forced and the whole thing has this effortless cool to it that makes you want to replay it instantly.

A few songs instantly stood out because they feel so easy to listen to without blending into each other. Peaches! has this warm, slightly dreamy sound to it that feels really different from their older music, but still very ‘them’. The guitars are softer and the vocals feel more relaxed which gives the whole song this effortless vibe that makes you want to replay it straight away because how nice it sounds.

‘Only Love Matters‘ is probably one of the most underrated tracks on the album. It feels slower and more emotional without becoming overly dramatic and the chorus is genuinely beautiful. There’s something really calm about it. Especially with the softer production and lighter instrumentals in the background.

Another hit on this album is ‘Beautiful People (Stay High)’ because it brings a bit more energy to the album. It feels bright, fun, and really confident without trying too hard. The rhythm carries the whole song so naturally and it honestly feels like the kind of track you’d end up associating with summer.

Overall, the album feels really self assured. Nothing sounds forced and you can tell they’re making the kind of music they actually want to make now, which makes it even better to listen to. It is easy to imagine how popular this album will be especially coming into the warmer months where people just want to have a nice chill time and this album would be the perfect soundtrack for that.

Peaches! by The Black Keys is out now via Easy Eye Sound/Parlophone Records – buy/stream here