Review: The Black Keys ‘Dropout Boogie’

By Mike O’Cull

Five-time Grammy winners The Black Keys continue to refine their profound chemistry into highly-listenable rock music on their latest album Dropout Boogie.

Released May 13th, 2022 by Nonesuch Records, the set is the duo’s eleventh studio effort and delivers the indie/blues/rock goods in a big way. It features principal members Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney working out together and with guest artists Billy F. Gibbons (ZZ Top), Greg Cartwright (Reigning Sound), and Angelo Petraglia (Kings of Leon). The Keys produced the record themselves and the sessions happened at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound recording studio in Nashville.

Dropout Boogie is a full-circle record of sorts, populated by several first-take tracks that take Auerbach and Carney back to the raw, stripped-down sound they started out with in the basements of Akron, Ohio. They first connected through records by Junior Kimbrough, The Wu-Tang Clan, and Captain Beefheart and turned those influences into a fast and loose rock band capable of blowing the roof off of any venue in town.

Even now, their sound allows the passionate imperfections of the blues and 1970’s experimental rock to create the happy accidents that make every Black Keys record vibrant and alive. They’ve been at this for 20 years and still sound as enthusiastic as they were when they started jamming together as teenagers.

Auerbach and Carney kick off Dropout Boogie with the stomping, riff-based funk of “Wild Child,” which is also the record’s lead single. The track starts off small but quickly builds to a rather large riff built on a perfect balance of notes and space. Auerbach’s vocals ride Carney’s pocket directly into your headphones and quickly plant the chorus hook into your psyche. It’s a killer lead-off cut that sets the tone for all that comes after.

“It Ain’t Over” channels a 70s pop/funk vibe that again leaps into an ultra-catchy chorus. Auerbach’s guitar work here is both solid and unique, combining groove and grit with a minimalist sensibility that always puts the song first. His vocals are hypnotic and undeniable, showing an ability to keep you listening without ever resorting to grandstanding or pretentiousness. If more artists mastered that trick, our world would be a better place.

One of the coolest musical moments on Dropout Boogie is the mid-tempo, minor key chugger “Good Love,” which is enriched by a guest appearance by the singular talent of ZZ Top frontman Billy F. Gibbons. Gibbons throws down with the kind of Texas blues/rock guitar solo that made him a household name on the song and adds another layer of irresistible might to this already-powerful band. Don’t miss it if you know what’s good for you.

“Burn The Damn Thing Down” is old school garage rock done right. It starts with an almost Jimmy Reed-like motion but ends up vibing like The Animals jamming with the Grateful Dead on a blues kick. It’s the sort of straight-ahead rock and roller that got many of us hooked on guitar music in the first place and The Black Keys know how to make it count. Play it loud and feel something real.

Dropout Boogie is only ten songs, which makes reaching the deep cuts a cinch. Outstanding tracks like “Happiness” and the closer “Didn’t I Love You” occupy the back end of the album and find The Black Keys pushing hard and creating a future for blues-informed music in the mainstream. The set is engaging and entertaining from end to end and all fans of genuine human music are going to quickly put it into daily rotation.

Watch “Wild Child” HERE

The Black Keys website