Two decades out from their debut record, the Black Keys return today with their 11th studio album Dropout Boogie via Nonesuch.
The follow-up to last year's Delta Kream, the self-produced Dropout Boogie — named for Captain Beefheart's menacing 1967 track — features ZZ Top's Billy F Gibbons, who lends his guitar wizardry to the nearly-instrumental "Good Love."
The album also features contributions from Kings of Leon producer and co-writer Angelo Petraglia and Memphis songwriter Greg Cartwright, who have writing credits on several tracks including lead single "Wild Child."
"Living in Nashville and making records here has opened both of our minds to that experience a little bit more," Dan Auerbach said of Dropout Boogie's collaborative nature. "I knew Pat [Carney] would love working with both of these guys, so we decided we'd give it a shot."
He continued: "It was the first time we'd ever really done that. It was fun as hell. We just sat around a table with acoustic guitars and worked out a song ahead of time."
The rest of the record finds the blues-rock duo in fine, familiar form, pulling crunchy grooves and bruised guitar workouts from the sounds and textures of rock history.
Stream the record below.
The follow-up to last year's Delta Kream, the self-produced Dropout Boogie — named for Captain Beefheart's menacing 1967 track — features ZZ Top's Billy F Gibbons, who lends his guitar wizardry to the nearly-instrumental "Good Love."
The album also features contributions from Kings of Leon producer and co-writer Angelo Petraglia and Memphis songwriter Greg Cartwright, who have writing credits on several tracks including lead single "Wild Child."
"Living in Nashville and making records here has opened both of our minds to that experience a little bit more," Dan Auerbach said of Dropout Boogie's collaborative nature. "I knew Pat [Carney] would love working with both of these guys, so we decided we'd give it a shot."
He continued: "It was the first time we'd ever really done that. It was fun as hell. We just sat around a table with acoustic guitars and worked out a song ahead of time."
The rest of the record finds the blues-rock duo in fine, familiar form, pulling crunchy grooves and bruised guitar workouts from the sounds and textures of rock history.
Stream the record below.