The Black Keys worked with Noel Gallagher and Beck on new album
Akron, Ohio band The Black Keys have revealed some of the collaborators that are set to be featured on their new studio album. According to drummer Patrick Carney, the blues rockers will release their 12th studio album in 2024.
“We’re working with a lot of people and the vibe of the record is fun,” Carney told NME. “It’s reflective of our DJ nights in a way; it’s a big Saturday night party record. We just had people come through the studio and throw a little bit of special sauce at each song. There are just so many different collaborations, but there’s a thread through it, with Dan and I filtering everything. It just feels really fucking amazing.”
The first outside musician who came in to contribute was Beck. “We started writing with him and that was the beginning of what we’re finishing now, an epic album that’s our best record for sure,” Carney explained. “We’ve known him for 20 years now and he’s the lynchpin in the new evolution of the Black Keys.”
Carney also revealed that former Oasis guitarist and songwriter Noel Gallagher would be featured on the new LP. Carney calls Gallagher “hilarious and super-talented. We were referring to him as ‘the Chord Lord’ because he’s just a perfectionist with it. Dan and I are big fans of him and Liam.”
Explaining why it took so long for the band to open up to outside collaborators, Carney explained that the band were naturally reluctant to do so. “We used to be pretty insular. We were two friends from Akron who didn’t really take part in any music scene, and we weren’t able to hang out backstage early on in our career, because we had to drive to the next show,” Carney claimed. “Now, we’re thriving because we’re including our friends and being more inclusive. That’s what the vibe is with this record.”
The band’s most recent album, Dropout Boogie, was released in 2022.
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