The Black Keys: Peaches Review

On May 1st, 2026, The Black Keys released their 14th studio album, Peaches. Peaches is a cover album, just under 45 minutes long, made up mostly of lesser known songs from legendary blues artists of the 20th century. 

Peaches is not the first cover album released by The Black Keys, but it is likely their best. They do justice to the legends they are paying tribute to, and they add their own flair and signature sound to the historic tunes. The album strikes the perfect balance between sounding fundamentally like the recording band while maintaining the soul of the original music they’re playing.

The Black Keys are primarily made up of Dan Auerbach on vocals, guitar, and some organ, and Patrick Carney on drums and miscellaneous percussion. Additional credits on the album include Eric Deaton on bass, Kenny Brown on guitar, Jimbo Mathis on backing vocals and synthesizer, Chris Saint Hilaire on miscellaneous percussion, Cochemea Gastelum on alto sax. Jared Tankel on baritone sax, Ian Hendrickson-Smith on tenor sax, Dave Guy on trumpet, Andy Gabbard on backing vocals. and Kenny Kimborough on additional drums. 

For my money, the best track on the record is the third, “Who’s Been Foolin’ You,” originally written by Arthur Crudup. It’s a big and bold number with crooning vocals that feels very 1970s and has a big noteworthy organ part supporting the guitars. A couple of the other tracks stand out as well.

Particularly striking are the second song, “Stop Arguing Over Me,” a rocking fast tune, and “You Got to Lose,” the sixth track originally recorded by George Thorogood (and written by Earl Hooker), it has a big fun riff in the intro and a very appealing 1950s rock and roll feel. The second to last song, “Fireman Ring the Bell,” has big wailing vocals and a matching guitar rhythm, it’s a very tightly produced song.

The remainder of the record is also very high quality! The only real note I had was on track number five, “Tomorrow Night,” where the vocals feel a little buried in the mix. Overall, the song starts big and stays big and the big squealing guitar intro more than makes up for what might be some vocal issues in the mixing. 

After 13 previous albums, The Black Keys have their craft and their sound locked in, and here they’re firing on all cylinders. There’s a reason they are among the top most commercially successful blues rock acts performing currently and they show off those chops here very well. Peaches feels more stripped down and bare than some prior Black Keys records, which is befitting the goal of the record to honor blues players of times gone by. The record is entirely successful at delivering the tried-and-tested Black Keys sound while respecting and refreshing history for blues rock fans. 

The Review: 9/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– Stop Arguing Over Me
– You Got to Lose
– Fireman Ring the Bell
– Who’s Been Foolin’ You

The Big Hit

– Who’s Been Foolin’ You