Dropout Boogie. The Black Keys

Following the cover album 'Delta Kream', filled with North-Mississippi style blues songs, The Black Keys returns with an album filled with The Black Keys' style boogie songs. Despite the fact that I wrote half-jokingly about red peppers in combination with The Black Keys in a Larkin Poe review, Dropout Boogie is a fine album. Perhaps too predictable but certainly good.

Admittedly, like most people in the world I got on board things The Black Keys with that fantastic single 'Lonely Boy' and album 'El Camino'. The breakthrough did not necessarily catapult the band further. In fact, it did not become better from then onwards. Private issues and inter band relations deteriorated, leading to a break up record first in 2014 and then a long silence. The 2019 album 'Let's Rock' was certainly okay. Dropout Boogie tops it and shows The Black Keys in the form the world ought to want it to be in.

The blues is back in the band's music. The influence of 'Delta Kream' is very much present and lifts several songs on this album. If you look beyond the fact that the touch of brilliance, like e.g. 'Gold On The Ceiling' has, is missing, you will hear a band that lays it all down for people willing to listen. Dropout Boogie has that groove, it has a rough and dirty edge and offers the real thing. Dirty guitars, real slide guitar and a dark organ playing short chords and notes. With ease I am moving to the grooving for the whole record. If anything, Dropout Boogie proves the lyric and conclusion to 'Play That Funky Music' so wrong. No laying down the boogie here, thank you.

Dropout Boogie contains a few tips of the hat to artists from before. Let me just mention the nod Electric Light Orchestra gets in 'It Ain't Over' and J.J. Cale in 'Burn The Damn Thing Down'. There's also a thank you to the North Mississippi blues. Without not being The Black Keys a small tribute is easy to work in. Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney seem not to have passed that opportunity by.

When I heard the first single of Dropout Boogie, Wild Child', for the first time, I had my doubts. Nice but not more than that. Listening to songs like 'Your Team Is Looking Good' and 'Good Love', took every doubt away. Dropout Boogie holds it all. The Black Keys is back at a level the band is supposed to be at. This is as good as the band can be. It's always nice when a good band delivers the goods.

Wout de Natris