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Grief and Grit: The Black Keys' Latest Sonic Escape
7 May
Summary
- The Black Keys release 'Peaches!', their second covers album in five years.
- The album was recorded amidst personal loss and a difficult career period.
- The duo aimed to return to basics and process grief through music.
For over twenty-five years, the blues-rock duo The Black Keys has navigated a career built on salvaged sounds. Their latest offering, "Peaches!," is their second album of covers released within five years, signaling a return to their foundational influences.
The band's journey has seen them integrate numerous inspirations, from Mississippi blues to British rock. Following a less successful album, they revisited their roots with "Delta Kream" in 2021. This new covers album, "Peaches!," emerges after a particularly trying period, including a canceled tour and a subsequent album, "No Rain, No Flowers," which was criticized for lacking the band's signature grit.
"Peaches!" was born from personal tragedy. In September 2024, Dan Auerbach's father, Chuck, suffered a stroke, later diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Chuck Auerbach, an influential figure and folk-art dealer, had inspired the band's name. Shortly before his death in March 2025, Patrick Carney and Dan Auerbach recorded songs with friends, not with the intention of creating a record, but as a therapeutic escape from their grief.
