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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Black Keys Are Still Really Good at Being the Black Keys
The economy might be slowing down, but they're still firing on all cylinders at the Black Keys' retro-rock factory. 'Time don't slow/It's passing you by/No matter how we try,' Dan Auerbach intones on the smooth-rolling title track from No Rain, No Flowers, the band's 13th album. If anything, Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney have built their success by sidestepping time rather than giving in to it. In their reality, rock remains suspended in arena-packing amber, 1970s radio drive-time vibes are an eternal power source, and two tight bros from Akron, Ohio, can still form bands that roll on for decades. Recently, though, the Keys' uniquely smooth career trajectory hit a bit of a bump. The tour planned for their last album, 2024's Ohio Players, got canceled, and Auerbach and Carney split with their management. So, instead of doing a big tour, they hunkered down and made a good album. On Ohio Players, the often hermetic duo brought in collaborators like Beck, Dan the Automator, and Noel Gallagher to add some new flavors to their signature high-definition garage-rock. No Rain, No Flowers is similarly collaborative, with big-name studio practitioners like Lana Del Rey producer Rick Nowels, hip-hop/R&B vet Scott Storch, and Daniel Tashian (who helmed Kacey Musgraves' landmark Golden Hour) joining the band in their Easy Eye Sound to help craft one of their most precision-tuned LPs yet. More from Rolling Stone Drummergeddon 2025: Why We're Witnessing a Global Percussion Apocalypse Noel and Liam Gallagher's Brother Charged With Rape Tom Cruise Rocks Out at Oasis Reunion Even Though the Gallaghers Don't Like His Movies In the Keys' utopian past, the top radio station in town plays hard rock next to punk next to blues next to funk and soul and glam, without any racial or social distinctions (or even record sales) gumming up the flow. Songs like 'The Night Before' and 'Babygirl' are euphoric bubble-funk workouts with clever twists, like the wobbly indie-rock guitar buzz in the former. 'Down to Nothing' is a begging, pleading stoner-soul benediction. 'Make You Mine' follows a sumptuous groove to a floating-falsetto, Bee Gees-tinged chorus. 'Man on a Mission' is a fuzzed-out blues-metal stomp. 'Kiss It' is a rough-hewn version of lovelorn soft-rock poetry. They close it out with the Southern-rock sweep of the Skynyrd-steeped boogie rocker 'A Little Too High' and the Allman Brothers-loving ballad 'Neon Moon.' Perhaps due to having A-list song shapers on board, the album is seamlessly smooth and often a poppy far cry from the garage-grind they built their career on, but it's not without heart. The band's recent travails (which include some personal challenges for Carney) seem to color their songwriting, adding a bit of emotional ballast for a band whose lyrics often just seem like riffs on fun rock & roll tropes. 'Don't let yourself get down too long/'Cause a change is coming soon/You can always find your way back home by the light of the neon moon,' Auerbach offers, perhaps alluding to the way music and the brotherhood of his band have grounded him. Disruptions come and go. The Black Keys' clockwork competence is a durable wonder. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked Solve the daily Crossword
The Irish Sun
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
We thought we should do something positive with free time, say The Black Keys on scrapped tour as duo open up on album
Their new album is the product of unplanned time on their hands and set about turning adversity into triumph BACK TO BLACK We thought we should do something positive with free time, say The Black Keys on scrapped tour as duo open up on album BY rights, I shouldn't really be talking to The Black Keys duo, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney. But here they are on a Zoom call with me to discuss their thirteenth studio album, No Rain, No Flowers. Advertisement 3 The Black Keys discuss their thirteenth studio album, No Rain, No Flowers Credit: Supplied 3 Last September, The Black Keys were supposed to start a North American arena tour in support of their previous album Credit: Supplied The 11 tracks are coming kicking and screaming into the sunlight earlier than expected — and for good reason. Last September, The Black Keys were supposed to start a North American arena tour in support of their previous album, Ohio Players, noted for songs written with Noel Gallagher and Beck. But, to their dismay, the dates were scrapped, prompting the pair to fire their management team. Without going into detail, Auerbach says: 'The first thing I wanted to do was kill somebody and the second thing I wanted to do was kill somebody.' Advertisement Carney adds: 'I don't want to get into it too much because we've gotten letters telling us not to talk about it by one of the most powerful people in the music industry. 'We got f***ed by the person who was supposed to be looking out for us. 'So, because of some bad advice, we were left with no plans for the summer. We had to take one on the chin.' The situation was a rare mis-step in The Black Keys' upward trajectory, which stretches back nearly 25 years. Advertisement Starting out in a dingy basement in Akron, Ohio, childhood friends Auerbach and Carney took their exhilarating mix of bluesy garage rock to the world stage, drawing on soul, hip hop, psychedelia, you name it, along the way. Their new album, however, is the product of unplanned time on their hands. Still smarting from losing their tour, they convened at Auerbach's Easy Eye Sound studio in his adopted hometown of Nashville — and set about turning adversity into triumph. Scots promoter tells how an armada of Oasis fans arrived by boats and ripped up fences to attend iconic Balloch bash 'Reminder of the power of our music' 'We realised that maybe we'd better do something positive with this free time,' says the singer/guitarist. 'So we dove head first into working with people we'd never met and trying things we'd never tried before as a band. Ultimately, it really helped us.' Advertisement For drummer Carney, it was a natural reaction to what had happened. 'When Dan and I are not on the road, we're in the studio,' he says. 'So we thought, 'Let's just get back in there and reboot'.' One thing that remains undiminished is the cast-iron bond between Auerbach and Carney. Advertisement The latter affirms: 'We've been doing this together for almost 25 years — from the struggle to the big s**t. We got f***ed... so we thought we should do something positive Carney 'Dealing with being broke, dealing with getting money, headlining Coachella, dealing with getting married, getting divorced, having kids, we've been through it all. 'As screwed up as last year was, it had very little to do with us so we got back on it, to prove to ourselves what we can do.' As we speak, The Black Keys have been back on tour — on this side of the Atlantic. Advertisement Carney says it can be 'brutal chasing the festivals, sleeping on the bus or in hotel rooms. 'But getting out here and getting in front of these crowds has been the biggest reminder of the power of our music. 'Seeing the fans flip out has helped us to get our heads out of music-business bulls*t and back into what it's all about'. Auerbach agrees: 'The show in London [at Alexandra Palace] was the biggest headliner we've ever played. Advertisement 'It was great after the year we had. Whatever happens, we know the fans are still there for us.' Another thrill was playing Manchester's Sounds Of The City festival two days before the first Oasis homecoming gig at the city's Heaton Park. 'The atmosphere was electric. Our audience was so up for it,' says Auerbach. Noel and Liam are both incredible — we're really happy for them Auerbach He credits Oasis with lifting the mood. 'I feel like they've transformed the continent. We've never seen anything like it.' Advertisement And he couldn't resist visiting the Oasis Adidas store. 'I had one of the black soccer jerseys made — Oasis on the front and AUERBACH on the back. Had to do it, man, they're the kings.' It was in 2023 that The Black Keys visited Toe Rag Studios in Hackney, East London, to write three songs with Noel Gallagher, who they describe as 'the chord lord'. Auerbach says: 'It was amazing. We just sat in a circle with our instruments and we worked things up from nowhere. 'Not too long after that we played a song with Liam [in Milan] and hung out with him afterwards. He gave us some really good advice about our setlist. Advertisement 'Noel and Liam are both incredible — we're really happy for them.' 'We'd never written with a piano player' We return to the subject of their new album, No Rain, No Flowers, which involved a new approach for The Black Keys. Instead of big-name guests like Noel and Beck and, before them, ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, they turned to acclaimed songwriters — the unsung heroes — for their collaborative process. They welcomed into their world Rick Nowels (Madonna, Stevie Nicks, Lana Del Rey), Scott Storch (Dr Dre, Nas) and Daniel Tashian (Kacey Musgraves). Advertisement Auerbach had encountered Nowels while producing Lana Del Rey's 2014 third album Ultraviolence and had long been impressed with his keyboard skills. He says: 'We'd never written with a piano player before. After 20-plus years in the band, it was cool to try something new in the studio.' Carney adds: 'The way we worked with each one of these people was completely different. 'With Daniel, for instance, we'd start with a jam session. With Rick, it was all about getting the title of the song.' Advertisement And Auerbach again: 'Scott's all about instrumentation. He didn't want to think about the words. He just lets you do that stuff afterwards.' One of the co-writes with Nowels is the life-affirming title track which begins the album. With lines like, 'Baby, the damage is done/It won't be long 'til we're back in the sun', you could be forgiven for thinking it reflects on the band's recent woes. Auerbach says it does, but only up to a point. 'It started with the title and we built it from there. Advertisement 'We tend to shy away from diary-type songs. It gives us 'the ick' when it sounds like somebody's reading from their diary. 'But there's a lot of truth in the song. It's us trying to be positive, which maybe wasn't how we were feeling. 'It was a nice thought to write a positive anthem but still have blood in the eye.' If The Black Keys' go-to sound has been the blues, this album is remarkable for its funky, airy and soulful vibe. Advertisement Auerbach says: 'We were heavily influenced by soul growing up, maybe more than anything, and it really shows. 'With us, it's all about the feel. When we started out, we didn't know what the hell we were doing, but we knew when it felt right.' Another strong touchstone has been hip-hop, which is why Auerbach and Carney are thrilled to have worked with Scott Storch, another dazzling keyboard player, who started out in the Roots and went on to work with Dr Dre, 50 Cent, Beyonce and Nas. 'We are a product of where we were raised,' affirms Auerbach. 'We grew up in the golden age of hip- hop. That's what pop music was for us. Advertisement 'The first time I heard the Geto Boys was at the middle- school dance and it affected us. That's the s**t on those blues records I love so much. You hear Son House grunting when he's playing slide guitar Auerbach 'But then my mom's family played bluegrass — I would listen to my uncles sing. And when The Stanley Brothers sing, it's white soul music. I love it all.' As for Storch, Auerbach continues: 'We've obsessed over videos of him since we were in high school. Seeing him play all the parts of his hits makes our jaws hit the floor. 'You can hear Scott physically grunting' 'The idea of getting him in the studio seemed crazy because he seemed like a larger-than-life figure.' Advertisement Auerbach was mesmerised by Storch when he arrived at Easy Eye Sound. He says: 'Scott's a real player, an absolute musical savant. As a hip-hop producer, he tends to spend 99.9 per cent of the time in the control room. 'But we have all these acoustic pianos, harpsichords and analogue synthesisers. He was in heaven, and so were we watching him go from keyboard to keyboard. 'On Babygirl, he's on an acoustic piano with microphones and you can hear him physically grunting in time with his playing. That's got to be a first for Scott Storch on record. Advertisement 'That's the s**t on those blues records I love so much. You hear Son House grunting when he's playing slide guitar.' The No Rain, No Flowers album is loaded with hook-laden songs — the exhilarating rocker Man On A Mission, the psychedelic Southern rock swirl of A Little Too High. One explanation for their eclectic approach is The Black Keys' regular Record Hang in Nashville, which involves Auerbach and Carney hosting all-vinyl DJ dance parties. For these, they scour online marketplaces and record shops for obscure but revelatory old 45s. Advertisement Carney explains: 'We end up exposing ourselves to thousands of songs that somehow we've never heard. 'It's really cool to be so deep into our career and uncovering all this incredible music. It's totally reinvigorating — particularly when one of us finds a record that the other hasn't heard and it's a banger.' So check out Carney's discovery Nobody Loves Me But My Mama by Johnny Holiday, which he describes as 'f*ing insane — psychobilly fuzz rock'. Then there's Auerbach's fave, Yeah Yeah by Blackrock, 'a rare 45 instrumental which rearranged our minds. It still hits like crazy'. We just fell right into it, started playing it and luckily we were recording Auerbach With The Black Keys, you always get a sense of passion for their craft, and for other people's. Advertisement Auerbach says: 'Pat and I were talking about this earlier — music can hypnotise you. You can use it for good or for evil. It's a very powerful tool.' And Carney: 'It's my biggest passion and it has been since I was 11. 'Sensitive about what we listen to' 'I also think about the delicate balance you need when you do it for a living. You're taking the thing you love the most but you never want to ruin it for yourself. 'Dan and I are very sensitive about what we listen to. We were at a music festival in a spot in between seven stages. It sounded horrible. I said, 'This is the kind of thing that could make me hate music'.' Advertisement Finally, we talk about another of their own songs, the sublime, festival-primed anthem Neon Moon, which closes No Rain, No Flowers. Written with Daniel Tashian, Auerbach modestly calls it a 'first-take jam' but that doesn't really do it justice. 'I think it just started with the 'neon moon' lyric,' he says. 'We just fell right into it, started playing it and luckily we were recording.' As the song gets into its stride, he sings: 'Don't let yourself get down too long.' Advertisement It's a line that The Black Keys have taken to heart. THE BLACK KEYS No Rain, No Flowers ★★★★☆
Scottish Sun
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
We thought we should do something positive with free time, say The Black Keys on scrapped tour as duo open up on album
Their new album is the product of unplanned time on their hands and set about turning adversity into triumph BACK TO BLACK We thought we should do something positive with free time, say The Black Keys on scrapped tour as duo open up on album Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BY rights, I shouldn't really be talking to The Black Keys duo, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney. But here they are on a Zoom call with me to discuss their thirteenth studio album, No Rain, No Flowers. 3 The Black Keys discuss their thirteenth studio album, No Rain, No Flowers Credit: Supplied 3 Last September, The Black Keys were supposed to start a North American arena tour in support of their previous album Credit: Supplied The 11 tracks are coming kicking and screaming into the sunlight earlier than expected — and for good reason. Last September, The Black Keys were supposed to start a North American arena tour in support of their previous album, Ohio Players, noted for songs written with Noel Gallagher and Beck. But, to their dismay, the dates were scrapped, prompting the pair to fire their management team. Without going into detail, Auerbach says: 'The first thing I wanted to do was kill somebody and the second thing I wanted to do was kill somebody.' Carney adds: 'I don't want to get into it too much because we've gotten letters telling us not to talk about it by one of the most powerful people in the music industry. 'We got f***ed by the person who was supposed to be looking out for us. 'So, because of some bad advice, we were left with no plans for the summer. We had to take one on the chin.' The situation was a rare mis-step in The Black Keys' upward trajectory, which stretches back nearly 25 years. Starting out in a dingy basement in Akron, Ohio, childhood friends Auerbach and Carney took their exhilarating mix of bluesy garage rock to the world stage, drawing on soul, hip hop, psychedelia, you name it, along the way. Their new album, however, is the product of unplanned time on their hands. Still smarting from losing their tour, they convened at Auerbach's Easy Eye Sound studio in his adopted hometown of Nashville — and set about turning adversity into triumph. Scots promoter tells how an armada of Oasis fans arrived by boats and ripped up fences to attend iconic Balloch bash 'Reminder of the power of our music' 'We realised that maybe we'd better do something positive with this free time,' says the singer/guitarist. 'So we dove head first into working with people we'd never met and trying things we'd never tried before as a band. Ultimately, it really helped us.' For drummer Carney, it was a natural reaction to what had happened. 'When Dan and I are not on the road, we're in the studio,' he says. 'So we thought, 'Let's just get back in there and reboot'.' One thing that remains undiminished is the cast-iron bond between Auerbach and Carney. The latter affirms: 'We've been doing this together for almost 25 years — from the struggle to the big s**t. We got f***ed... so we thought we should do something positive Carney 'Dealing with being broke, dealing with getting money, headlining Coachella, dealing with getting married, getting divorced, having kids, we've been through it all. 'As screwed up as last year was, it had very little to do with us so we got back on it, to prove to ourselves what we can do.' As we speak, The Black Keys have been back on tour — on this side of the Atlantic. Carney says it can be 'brutal chasing the festivals, sleeping on the bus or in hotel rooms. 'But getting out here and getting in front of these crowds has been the biggest reminder of the power of our music. 'Seeing the fans flip out has helped us to get our heads out of music-business bulls*t and back into what it's all about'. Auerbach agrees: 'The show in London [at Alexandra Palace] was the biggest headliner we've ever played. 'It was great after the year we had. Whatever happens, we know the fans are still there for us.' Another thrill was playing Manchester's Sounds Of The City festival two days before the first Oasis homecoming gig at the city's Heaton Park. 'The atmosphere was electric. Our audience was so up for it,' says Auerbach. Noel and Liam are both incredible — we're really happy for them Auerbach He credits Oasis with lifting the mood. 'I feel like they've transformed the continent. We've never seen anything like it.' And he couldn't resist visiting the Oasis Adidas store. 'I had one of the black soccer jerseys made — Oasis on the front and AUERBACH on the back. Had to do it, man, they're the kings.' It was in 2023 that The Black Keys visited Toe Rag Studios in Hackney, East London, to write three songs with Noel Gallagher, who they describe as 'the chord lord'. Auerbach says: 'It was amazing. We just sat in a circle with our instruments and we worked things up from nowhere. 'Not too long after that we played a song with Liam [in Milan] and hung out with him afterwards. He gave us some really good advice about our setlist. 'Noel and Liam are both incredible — we're really happy for them.' 'We'd never written with a piano player' We return to the subject of their new album, No Rain, No Flowers, which involved a new approach for The Black Keys. Instead of big-name guests like Noel and Beck and, before them, ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, they turned to acclaimed songwriters — the unsung heroes — for their collaborative process. They welcomed into their world Rick Nowels (Madonna, Stevie Nicks, Lana Del Rey), Scott Storch (Dr Dre, Nas) and Daniel Tashian (Kacey Musgraves). Auerbach had encountered Nowels while producing Lana Del Rey's 2014 third album Ultraviolence and had long been impressed with his keyboard skills. He says: 'We'd never written with a piano player before. After 20-plus years in the band, it was cool to try something new in the studio.' Carney adds: 'The way we worked with each one of these people was completely different. 'With Daniel, for instance, we'd start with a jam session. With Rick, it was all about getting the title of the song.' And Auerbach again: 'Scott's all about instrumentation. He didn't want to think about the words. He just lets you do that stuff afterwards.' One of the co-writes with Nowels is the life-affirming title track which begins the album. With lines like, 'Baby, the damage is done/It won't be long 'til we're back in the sun', you could be forgiven for thinking it reflects on the band's recent woes. Auerbach says it does, but only up to a point. 'It started with the title and we built it from there. 'We tend to shy away from diary-type songs. It gives us 'the ick' when it sounds like somebody's reading from their diary. 'But there's a lot of truth in the song. It's us trying to be positive, which maybe wasn't how we were feeling. 'It was a nice thought to write a positive anthem but still have blood in the eye.' If The Black Keys' go-to sound has been the blues, this album is remarkable for its funky, airy and soulful vibe. Auerbach says: 'We were heavily influenced by soul growing up, maybe more than anything, and it really shows. 'With us, it's all about the feel. When we started out, we didn't know what the hell we were doing, but we knew when it felt right.' Another strong touchstone has been hip-hop, which is why Auerbach and Carney are thrilled to have worked with Scott Storch, another dazzling keyboard player, who started out in the Roots and went on to work with Dr Dre, 50 Cent, Beyonce and Nas. 'We are a product of where we were raised,' affirms Auerbach. 'We grew up in the golden age of hip- hop. That's what pop music was for us. 'The first time I heard the Geto Boys was at the middle- school dance and it affected us. That's the s**t on those blues records I love so much. You hear Son House grunting when he's playing slide guitar Auerbach 'But then my mom's family played bluegrass — I would listen to my uncles sing. And when The Stanley Brothers sing, it's white soul music. I love it all.' As for Storch, Auerbach continues: 'We've obsessed over videos of him since we were in high school. Seeing him play all the parts of his hits makes our jaws hit the floor. 'You can hear Scott physically grunting' 'The idea of getting him in the studio seemed crazy because he seemed like a larger-than-life figure.' Auerbach was mesmerised by Storch when he arrived at Easy Eye Sound. He says: 'Scott's a real player, an absolute musical savant. As a hip-hop producer, he tends to spend 99.9 per cent of the time in the control room. 'But we have all these acoustic pianos, harpsichords and analogue synthesisers. He was in heaven, and so were we watching him go from keyboard to keyboard. 'On Babygirl, he's on an acoustic piano with microphones and you can hear him physically grunting in time with his playing. That's got to be a first for Scott Storch on record. 'That's the s**t on those blues records I love so much. You hear Son House grunting when he's playing slide guitar.' The No Rain, No Flowers album is loaded with hook-laden songs — the exhilarating rocker Man On A Mission, the psychedelic Southern rock swirl of A Little Too High. One explanation for their eclectic approach is The Black Keys' regular Record Hang in Nashville, which involves Auerbach and Carney hosting all-vinyl DJ dance parties. For these, they scour online marketplaces and record shops for obscure but revelatory old 45s. Carney explains: 'We end up exposing ourselves to thousands of songs that somehow we've never heard. 'It's really cool to be so deep into our career and uncovering all this incredible music. It's totally reinvigorating — particularly when one of us finds a record that the other hasn't heard and it's a banger.' So check out Carney's discovery Nobody Loves Me But My Mama by Johnny Holiday, which he describes as 'f*ing insane — psychobilly fuzz rock'. Then there's Auerbach's fave, Yeah Yeah by Blackrock, 'a rare 45 instrumental which rearranged our minds. It still hits like crazy'. We just fell right into it, started playing it and luckily we were recording Auerbach With The Black Keys, you always get a sense of passion for their craft, and for other people's. Auerbach says: 'Pat and I were talking about this earlier — music can hypnotise you. You can use it for good or for evil. It's a very powerful tool.' And Carney: 'It's my biggest passion and it has been since I was 11. 'Sensitive about what we listen to' 'I also think about the delicate balance you need when you do it for a living. You're taking the thing you love the most but you never want to ruin it for yourself. 'Dan and I are very sensitive about what we listen to. We were at a music festival in a spot in between seven stages. It sounded horrible. I said, 'This is the kind of thing that could make me hate music'.' Finally, we talk about another of their own songs, the sublime, festival-primed anthem Neon Moon, which closes No Rain, No Flowers. Written with Daniel Tashian, Auerbach modestly calls it a 'first-take jam' but that doesn't really do it justice. 'I think it just started with the 'neon moon' lyric,' he says. 'We just fell right into it, started playing it and luckily we were recording.' As the song gets into its stride, he sings: 'Don't let yourself get down too long.' It's a line that The Black Keys have taken to heart. THE BLACK KEYS No Rain, No Flowers ★★★★☆
Scotsman
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Album reviews: The Black Keys Jack Garratt
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Black Keys: No Rain, No Flowers (Easy Eye Sound/Parlophone) ★★★★ Jack Garratt: Pillars (Cooking Vinyl) ★★★ Humour: Learning Greek (So Young) ★★★★ Ohio duo The Black Keys hit the lucky 13th album stage in free and easy mood. Oscillating between garagey blues and sparkling, soulful indie pop for much of their career, they stick in the latter territory for No Rain, No Flowers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Black Keys | Contributed Like its equally upbeat predecessor Ohio Players, this is a collaborative effort with singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney welcoming some additional musical voices. Last time round, the high profile likes of Beck and Noel Gallagher joined the party; on this occasion, The Black Keys work with backroom songwriters who have penned hits for the likes of Madonna, Adele and Stevie Nicks (Rick Nowels) and country stars Kacey Musgraves, Tim McGraw and Tenille Townes (Daniel Tashian) and can bring some piano-led chops to their deceptively economic set-up. Auerbach is an experienced production ace, and has already worked with Nowels on Lana Del Rey's Ultraviolence. Unsurprisingly, the sound of No Rain, No Flowers is sumptuous, not least on the title track, with its burnished guitar tones, pop soul vocals and touch of disco synth. The Beck-like funk blues of The Night Before pairs fuzztone guitar with a cheery melodic hooklike, while Babygirl layers on a light blues piano line to breezy pop effect. Down to Nothing leans back into their signature psych blues while there is further blues rock heft behind Man on a Mission and its beseeching realization that 'you've become my new obsession'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad On Repeat is a rapturous trip with a heady guitar figure, ecstatic vocals and shuffling drums coalescing to produce an escapist dreaminess. Make You Mine is even more euphoric, with falsetto vocals and glorious strings drawing on the influence of 70s soul and disco outfits such as The Stylistics. In contrast the feelgood pop funk of All My Life is rooted in Eighties style while the closing, country-flavoured ballad Neon Moon stands apart from the rest of the album in invoking the spirit of The Band. Jack Garratt | Wolf James Several years before Lewis Capaldi went public on his mental health struggles, one man band Jack Garratt felt compelled to take his own musical hiatus. Having hit the ground running with both the Brits Critics Choice and BBC Sound of 2016 awards, he promptly ran into the ground. His delayed second album Love, Death & Dancing then got lost in the Covid shuffle and there have been further crises of confidence - a reminder in particular of the loneliness of the long distance solo artist. Garratt returns with a third album of mixed blessings. No doubt the Ed Sheeran-style formulaic feelgood pop of Catherine Wheel and the Coldplay-with-a-breakbeat vibes of Shaftesbury Avenue will keep daytime radio programmers happy but he also takes a leaf out of Jungle's loose, carefree funk book on Ready! Steady! Go! and the positive build of Manifest/It'll Be Alright in the End which opens as luminous piano R&B, dappled with autotuned and pitch shifted vocals, before opening out into an exultant soul track. Later in the album, Garratt loses a bit of momentum around the introverted electro mantra Flower Girl Confetti but brings things up again with the suitably liberated Higher. Humour | Rosie Sco Glasgow post-hardcore quintet Humour follow up some well-received EPs with an ambitious debut album produced by Idlewild's Rod Jones. Learning Greek is themed around singer Andreas Christodoulidis's burgeoning interest in his Hellenic heritage with lyrics inspired by his family's history under Greek military rule, sampled readings from his father and recurring motifs of death, war, stoicism and making peace with the past, all wrapped up in bludgeoning drums, churning guitars, quieter moments of brooding desperation and contrasting passages where Christodoulidis lets rip with full metal throttle. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad CLASSICAL Sparks from Ashes: Nicky Spence and Dylan Perez (Chandos) ★★★★ If anything can rescue the mediocre Moravian poems of Gustav Pfleger-Moravský, it's surely Dvořák's affectionate settings: that scented cycle of 18 songs he published as Cypresses. Add to that this carefully considered performance by Scots tenor Nicky Spence and pianist Dylan Perez and the outcome is about as good as it can get. Spence delves deep into the shifting, sometimes dark sentiments yet delivers it with seemingly effortless rapture. Bartók's five Village Scenes provide a grittier complement, which the duo embrace with compelling verve. But that's just part of the story with Sparks from Ashes, an album title borrowed from the four-song Op 5 collection by the sadly short-lived Czech composer/conductor Vítezslava Kaprálová, which is featured alongside her later Op 15 songs, Waving Farewell. Spence and Perez finish with Jaroslav Křička's quirky folk-inspired Three Fables Op 21, ending a fascinatingly characterful recital with the engaging buoyancy it always promises. Ken Walton FOLK Magnus Turpie & Friends: Hold On Tight! (Brechin All Records) ★★★★ Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Los Angeles Times
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Hermanos Gutiérrez will make national television debut on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!'
Hermanos Gutiérrez are heading to late night. Known for their dreamy, guitar-heavy instrumental tracks that fuse Latin music with Western sounds, the Ecuadorian-Swiss duo will take a break from their current European tour to make their national television debut on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' on Tuesday, June 24. 'We are incredibly honored to be performing on national TV for the very first time,' Hermanos Gutiérrez told The Times. 'Sharing our music with the world means so much to us, and we can't wait to step onto that stage.' The siblings, Estevan and Alejandro Gutiérrez, released their sixth studio album, 'Sonido Cósmico,' last summer to critical acclaim. It was the second consecutive LP produced by Dan Auerbach, the Black Keys frontman, and released via his record label, Easy Eye Sound. Hermanos Gutiérrez were tapped to perform at Coachella last year and recently had sold-out performances at L.A.'s Greek Theatre and Mexico City's Teatro Metropólitan. The band announced on Instagram in April that they were following their summer tour across Europe with a 12-date turn across the U.S. Hermanos Gutiérrez will bring their psychedelic atmospheric sound to California with a stop in Saratoga on Sept. 19, followed by a show in Ojai the following night. The duo recently collaborated with Mexican singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade on her latest album, 'Cancionera,' and will be featured in Adrian Quesada's upcoming 'Boleros Psicodélicos II,' which will be released on June 27.
