The Black Keys are set to release their 14th studio album, Peaches!, on May 1 via Easy Eye Sound/Warner. Arriving just a year after No Rain, No Flowers, this 10-track covers collection represents the band at their most unvarnished and instinctive since their 2002 debut.
From Personal Crisis to Creative Release
The origins of Peaches! are deeply personal. The duo began recording during a period of intense emotional strain following the esophageal cancer diagnosis of Dan Auerbach’s father. What started as a series of informal jams in Nashville—intended only as a way to lift their spirits—eventually evolved into a full-length project.
Auerbach describes the sessions as “primal,” born from a mindset of total creative abandon. The raw nerves of the moment translated into a “scream” for catharsis, stripping away the polished expectations of a typical studio cycle.
A “Filthy” Sonic Landscape
Technically, the album embraces a high-risk, high-reward recording style. Patrick Carney notes that every track, including the vocals, was captured live in a single take with no separation between instruments. While Carney admits this created a “nightmare” during the mixing process, the result is a sound that the band characterizes as “raw and filthy.”
The lead single, a reimagining of George Thorogood & The Destroyers’ “You Got To Lose,” sets the tone. Its accompanying music video, directed by E.J. McLeavey-Fisher, captures the duo’s energy during a surprise performance at Hernando’s Hide-A-Way, a legendary Memphis juke joint.
On the Road
The release of Peaches! coincides with a busy summer schedule. The Black Keys will kick off their tour at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on May 1, followed by several major European festival appearances and headlining shows in London throughout August and September.
Peaches! Tracklist:
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Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire
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Stop Arguing Over Me
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Who’s Been Foolin’ You
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It’s a Dream
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Tomorrow Night
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You Got to Lose
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Tell Me You Love Me
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She Does It Right
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Fireman Ring the Bell
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Nobody But You Baby