The Black Keys - Dropout Boogie (LP)

Dropout Boogie finds The Black Keys doing what they do best, then sharpening the edges. Released in May 2022 on Nonesuch, it lands right on the 20th anniversary of their debut, The Big Come Up, and you can hear that full circle feeling in the first minute of Wild Child. Dan Auerbach’s guitar has that greasy, midrange bite, Patrick Carney’s drums sound like they are mic’d in a garage with the door open, and the hook is pure Ohio swagger that has long since taken root in Nashville. Wild Child didn’t just rattle car stereos, it became a radio staple and topped the US Alternative Airplay chart, which makes sense. It is one of those singles that sounds inevitable the second the riff kicks in.

The record was cut at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound in Nashville, and you can tell they wanted the tape to catch sparks, not polish them away. They wrote in the room and brought in friends who speak their language. Greg Cartwright of Reigning Sound lends his tough, tuneful touch to several co-writes, Angelo Petraglia slips in that economical Southern melodicism, and Billy F Gibbons turns Good Love into a barroom victory lap with greasy slide and a grin you can hear. It is a small touch, but it gives the album a communal feel that sits nicely beside the duo’s core telepathy.

It Ain’t Over thrums with clipped rhythm guitar and a melody that keeps opening up, like a window catching more breeze. Your Team Is Looking Good is a beer-spilling chant tailor-made for footy highlights and post‑gig jukeboxes, the kind of tune that reminds you The Black Keys have always known their way around a terrace chant. For the Love of Money swings with a swampy, minor‑key strut, while How Long leans into slow-burn soul without getting syrupy. They still write like crate diggers who know the value of space, a snapped snare, and the right fuzz pedal.

There is a nice bit of rock history in the title too. Dropout Boogie shares its name with a Captain Beefheart tune from 1967, which feels like a tip of the hat to the weird corners of the blues these two have always loved. That thread ran through their 2021 covers set Delta Kream, and it still hums here. The difference is the focus. These songs are tighter and friendlier without losing grit, the sound of a band that can make a filthy groove feel like common ground.

Critics heard it. Outlets like NME and Rolling Stone called out the back‑to‑basics bite and the sturdy songwriting, and the Grammys took notice too, with a nomination for Best Rock Album at the 65th awards. It is not hard to see why. Even the deep cuts have personality. Burn the Damn Thing Down stomps like a storm rolling over bitumen. Happiness, with its major‑key lift and harmonies, feels like the sun cracking through after a week of rain. Baby I’m Coming Home and Didn’t I Love You tilt toward classic soul balladry, but Carney’s drum sound keeps everything grounded and a little dirty.

If you are chasing The Black Keys vinyl, this one is a beaut to spin. The mix is punchy and unfussy, guitars sit forward, and the low end doesn’t smother the room. Dropout Boogie vinyl copies have been easy to find in a decent Melbourne record store, and if you prefer to buy The Black Keys records online, you will have no trouble adding it to the cart alongside the obvious earlier hits. Lining it up on the shelf with other The Black Keys albums on vinyl tells a tidy story too, from scrappy Blues‑punk beginnings to seasoned songwriters who still love a loud amp.

The best part is how relaxed it all feels. No grand concept, no bloat, just two lifers with good taste and better instincts, having a jam that turns into a hook, then letting the tape run. When Good Love slides into that ZZ‑tinged boogie, it feels like being a couple of pints deep at Cherry Bar, nodding along with strangers. That is the sweet spot they hit here, familiar but not tired, polished enough for radio but still scuffed in the right places. If you are browsing vinyl records Australia wide and want something that will kick a room into gear, Dropout Boogie does the job on side A and keeps paying off on side B.