What does it sound like?:
Tom Petty’s right hand man Mike Campbell was a perfect sidekick – capable of coming up with hit making riffs (“Refugee” for example), solos long on melody and short on widdle, solid in the recording department and no desire to distract the audience from Tom, who was, after all, the main act. He could also make other acts sound great too when not on Heartbreaker duty or knock up the odd hit for others (“Boys of summer” for Don Henley).
With the tragic departure of Tom you might think he would disappear into special guest territory, sort of famous but unwanted (what else did Mitch Mitchell do, for example). But no, it seems he had a side band all the time, doing bar gigs and having fun. Their launch as a proper act was delayed by Mike disappearing on tour with Fleetwood Mac for a year, but finally in December the first album by The Dirty Knobs appeared. OK OK, it’s a terrible name.
There is nothing surprising and experimental here, but equally Mike’s songwriting chops are in fine form. The material ranges from good time country rock (“Pistol Packin’ Mama”), heartfelt country (“Irish Girl”), songs sounding like the rockier end of the Heartbreakers catalogue (“Southern Boy”), “Exile” era Rolling Stones swagger but with a real American singer (eponymous opener “Wreckless Abandon”) and even a country blues number you could think is about the unloved ex-US President but whose video suggests is also about Coronavirus (“Fuck that guy”). In interviews Mike references the bluesier and rockier end of the British invasion – Yardbirds, Kinks, Troggs – and the arrangements reflect this with crunchy guitars and at one point a delicious breakdown to fuzz bass which sounds like a Star bass through a knackered AC30 in some sticky floored pub in 1964. Of course, you can hear echoes of Tom in the music, though based on the evidence you could argue that the Heartbreakers albums are more infused with MC than people might have thought.
Mike’s voice is reminiscent of Tom without the stoned drawl and is perfectly up to the job. Not a “lead singer” but rather the guitarist singing but not to undervalue it – he never sang with the Heartbreakers so I did wonder but it’s fine. The sound of the album is tip top, beefy and well produced. The guitar playing is, of course, quite superb.
What does it all *mean*?
It means in these darkest of times I am well in the mood for some well-crafted, big hearted heartland rock. Things are dark enough and the idea of those carefree days returning when you could hire a car, drive down Highway 1 with the roof open listening to music like this make me well up with nostalgia. Not long now, though, eh?
Goes well with…
Well honestly, working from home in front of Microsoft bloody Teams, though I am sure driving don Highway 1 with the roof open would work too.
Release Date:
01/12/20
Might suit people who like…
Tom Petty, FM heartland rock, good chunes, good playin’.
Great review. I love the stuff I’ve heard, so the wallet will be taking a dent. I loved MC in the Heartbreakers on the one occasion I saw them, (Dublin, the final time,) and, like you, love his soloing.
Ta Niall. I thought you’d be in!
Cheers Twang. I did know about this album but it sort of slipped my mind and I forgot to listen and, well you know a hundred other things took up the bandwidth in my brain and out of my head it slipped ! Got it on the headphones now and two ciders in it sounds fab! This will be on rotation now for the next week or so. He’s a great band member, guitarist and song writer…I suspect other musicians knew this years before we all did.
I was a fan from seeing him play the solo on American Girl on TOTP in 1977.
I was a fan from their first ever tour of the USA – TP and the Heartbreakers and Nils Lòfgren now there is a bill. His guitar outtro on American Girl is just fabulous but my favourite is the languid blues riff on Breakdown, even better on the live versions.
I got this album on release which was a long wait as it was originally announced much earlier in the year. It is very good indeed but my first impression which I mentioned to @Baron -Harkonnen was that the second half of the album is much stronger than the first couple of songs which to me are just a tad formulaic. A great album though.
“Stop draggin’ my heart around” is another classic MC song. He wrote the music, terrific under stated guitar parts, that lead guitar melody. Another hit.
Here’s Mike whipping up a fine noise in his home studio. I think this is where the first Travelling Wilburys album was recorded.
He’s a fantastic and tasteful guitar player. I’ll check this out.
I hate to be a naysayer because for me Mike Campbell cannot put a foot wrong, but I thought the Dirty Knobs album was all a bit plodding and uninspired. There just aren’t really many great songs in there.
I`ve been enjoying this album for a while now. It was a long wait for the release but I wasn`t disappointed in any way when I first heard it. Mike Cambell is a fine musician as evidenced in his time as a Heartbreaker, let`s hope there`s more to come.
Good review Twang.
Cheers Baron, I’m in bed with covid so rediscovering some albums and the recent Word pod where they talk about MC put me in the mind for this. Still sounds great