THE BLACK KEYS: No Rain, No Flowers (Parlophone)
Verdict: Blues-rockers in bloom.
Never a band to stand still for too long, American blues duo The Black Keys have taken to hosting their own club nights — or ‘record hangs’ — in their spare time. Playing an eclectic mixture of vintage soul and rockabilly on vinyl, musicians-turned-DJs Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney have used the parties to expand their musical horizons.
The nights have also had a knock-on effect on their live shows, which now feature covers such as Marvin Gaye’s I Heard It Through The Grapevine; and how they approach the studio. Their last album, 2024’s Ohio Players, embraced pop and soul with such relish that some saw it as a betrayal of their bluesy, garage-rock roots.
Their latest offering, No Rain, No Flowers, delivers more of the rawness that was a hallmark of earlier albums. The blistering guitar that Auerbach delivers on tracks such as Man On A Mission wouldn’t have sounded out of place on 2010’s Brothers or 2011’s El Camino. But this is still a group going for the commercial jugular with slick choruses and infectious hooks.
Raw talent: The Black Keys – drummer Patrick Carney and guitarist Dan Auerbach – have returned to their trademark sound on new album No Rain, No Flowers
On their previous album, the band, originally from Akron but now based in Nashville, collaborated with Noel Gallagher, Beck and Alice Cooper. This time, they’ve changed tack and worked with elite songwriters rather than performers, with Kacey Musgraves’ producer Daniel Tashian, keyboardist Scott Storch and musician Rick Nowels all chipping in.
The presence of Nowels, co-writer of Belinda Carlisle’s 1980s hit Heaven Is A Place On Earth, is immediately apparent. The title track, which opens the LP, is a catchy, optimistic anthem destined to be sung back at the band in a huge arena. ‘There’s evil people in this world,’ cautions Auerbach, before promisiing that ‘it won’t be long ’til we’re back in the sun.’
The upbeat mood continues into The Night Before, a funky track co-written with Tashian, and Babygirl, a retro-R&B number driven by Storch’s organ, piano and clavichord. Both tracks feature the kind of warm, analogue production you might hear on an old seven-inch single.
The rawness of old sometimes resurfaces: Down To Nothing is a 1960-style period piece; A Little Too High a Telecaster-driven stomp that finds The Black Keys back in their original, bluesy world.
You’re playing what?! The Black Keys’ Patrick Carney (left) and Dan Auerbach hold regular ‘record hang’ nights, where they entertain guests with a mix of vintage soul and rockabilly
Rocking in Rome: Dan Auerbach performing with The Black Keys at this summer’s Rock in Roma festival, held at the Capannelle Racecourse in the Italian capital
The best moments pair soulful sounds with lyrics of pain and regret. ‘Darkness when you left me, heartache since you’ve been away,’ laments Auerbach during On Repeat, while Make You Mine is an old-school ballad. ‘I’ve cried The Tears Of A Clown,’ sings Auerbach, nodding to Smokey Robinson’s Motown classic.
If that sounds downbeat, the album ends on a positive note. Frontman Auerbach and drummer Carney have seen some behind-the-scenes upheaval in the past year, with a change of management and record label, and Neon Moon celebrates the fresh start.
‘A change is coming soon,’ promises Auerbach. ‘You can always find your way back home, by the light of the neon moon.’ A ballad recorded in a single take, it rubber-stamps a return that balances hit-making instincts with a love of the blues.
GOOD CHARLOTTE: Motel Du Cap (Atlantic)
Verdict: Worth checking in
The Eagles gave us Hotel California, while The Doors hung out at the Morrison Hotel. Before that, Elvis Presley found a new place to dwell, down at the end of Lonely Street, at Heartbreak Hotel. Given that musicians have such a long-standing relationship with such establishments, it was only going to be a matter of time before someone added to the list.
Step forward American pop-punk outfit Good Charlotte, now residing, according to their latest album, at the Motel Du Cap. Its title inspired by a private gig that the Maryland band played two years ago at the luxury Hôtel Du Cap-Eden-Roc on the French Riviera, it’s the group’s first new LP since 2018’s Generation Rx — and that hotel show played a key role in its creation.
‘That night became the heartbeat of the album,’ explains singer Joel Madden, who fronts the band with his guitar-playing twin brother Benji. ‘It became a love letter to stripping things back and letting the music speak for itself.’
Double trouble: Identical twins Joel and Benji Madden, of Maryland pop-punk band Good Charlotte. Or was that Benji and Joel. Their new album, Motel Du Cap, is their first for 7 years
Celebrity couple number one: Good Charlotte singer Joel Madden with his wife, media personality Nicole Richie, in Los Angeles last spring
Celebrity couple number two: Good Charlotte’s guitarist Benji Madden with his wife, actress Cameron Diaz, at an event in LA in 2016 – a year after they got married.
The record puts the public focus back on Good Charlotte’s songwriting rather than their business interests and celebrity relationships. Joel and Benji run their own music management company and are married to Nicole Richie and Cameron Diaz respectively. But they pull out the stops as musicians here, rebooting their traditional sound while weaving country, rap and orchestral strings into the mix.
It’s business as usual at first. After voice actor Marcus Anderson welcomes listeners to the motel with a spoken-word intro, the guitars are cranked up on Rejects, an angsty anthem in the style of the band’s 2002 breakthrough album The Young And The Hopeless. With punky pop enjoying a renaissance thanks to young contenders like Olivia Rodrigo and Reneé Rapp, it’s a timely return.
Things get more varied as guests appear. Rapper Wiz Khalifa changes the mood on the mellow but optimistic Life Is Great, while two fellow Marylanders fly the flag for the band’s home state: country singer Luke Borchelt duets on Deserve You; female newcomer Zeph (Zephani Jong) adds a bedroom pop flavour on Pink Guitar.
There’s a sense that Motel Du Cap is a bid to cement Good Charlotte’s legacy. Closing track GC Forever starts with audio clips from old interviews before growing into an autobiographical ballad. ‘We were built to last, we stayed together,’ sings Joel. If the group can add European shows to the festival dates planned for North and South America, this could be a comeback with real purpose.
