Dropout Boogie
{{for|the song by Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band|Safe as Milk}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Dropout Boogie
| type = studio
| artist = the Black Keys
| cover = The Black Keys - Dropout Boogie.png
| alt = A black-and-white photo of the band dressed as a chef and a janitor. The band's name is colored in white and the album title is written in pink cursive text.
| released = {{Start date|2022|5|13}}
| recorded = June–October 2021
| studio = Easy Eye Sound (Nashville)
| genre = Blues rock, garage rock
| length = 33:55
| label = *Easy Eye Sound
| producer = The Black Keys
| prev_title = Delta Kream
| prev_year = 2021
| next_title = Ohio Players
| next_year = 2024
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Dropout Boogie
| type = studio
| single1 = Wild Child
| single1date = March 10, 2022
| single2 = It Ain't Over
| single2date = April 27, 2022
}}
}}
Dropout Boogie is the eleventh studio album by American rock duo the Black Keys. It was released on May 13, 2022, by Easy Eye Sound and Nonesuch Records. The album was preceded by the release of two singles: the lead single "Wild Child", which was released on March 10, 2022, in conjunction with the album announcement,{{cite web |last1=Rapp |first1=Allison |title=Hear the Black Keys' 'Wild Child' From New Dropout Boogie LP |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/black-keys-wild-child/ |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |access-date=March 10, 2022 |language=en |date=March 10, 2022}} and "It Ain't Over", which was released on April 27, 2022.
Dropout Boogie received favorable reviews from music critics and was nominated for Best Rock Album and Best Rock Performance for lead single "Wild Child" at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.{{cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/news/2023-grammy-nominations-complete-winners-nominees-list|title=2023 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Complete Nominees List|last=Lee|first=Taila|date=November 15, 2022|website=Grammys.com|access-date=November 15, 2022}}
Background
Work for Dropout Boogie began in summer of 2021, which initially saw the Black Keys plan ideas for the album as a duo before recruiting multiple musicians to collaborate with them such as Greg Cartwright of Reigning Sound and Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, the latter a longtime friend of the duo.{{Cite web |last=Drozdowski |first=Ted |date=2012-11-13 |title=Interview: ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons and the Black Keys' Dan Auerbach |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/interview-zz-tops-billy-gibbons-and-black-keys-dan-auerbach |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509162717/https://www.guitarworld.com/features/interview-zz-tops-billy-gibbons-and-black-keys-dan-auerbach |archive-date=2021-05-09 |access-date=2022-05-13 |website=Guitar World}}{{cite magazine |last1=Browne |first1=David |title='It's F-cking Insane That We're Still Here': The Black Keys Talk New Album |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/black-keys-new-album-intervie-dropout-boogie-1317396/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=March 10, 2022 |date=March 10, 2022}} The album was recorded at Dan Auerbach's Easy Eye Sound studio in Nashville, Tennessee.{{cite web |title=The Black Keys' New Album, Dropout Boogie, Due May 13 on Nonesuch - Nonesuch Records |url=https://www.nonesuch.com/journal/black-keys-new-album-dropout-boogie-due-may-13-nonesuch-2022-03-10 |website=Nonesuch Records Official Website |access-date=March 13, 2022 |language=en |date=March 10, 2022}}
Promotion
=Singles=
The album's lead single "Wild Child" was released on March 10, 2022. The song topped Billboard{{'}}s Adult Alternative Airplay chart and would later be used as the theme song for the 2024 WWE Royal Rumble premium live event.{{cite magazine |last1=Rutherford |first1=Kevin |date=April 14, 2022 |title=The Black Keys' 'Wild Child' Reigns on Adult Alternative Airplay Chart |url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/black-keys-wild-child-top-adult-alternative-airplay-chart/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=April 28, 2022 |magazine=Billboard}} The second single from the album, "It Ain't Over", was released on April 27, 2022.{{cite web |last1=Ng |first1=Scott |title=The Black Keys release latest single 'It Ain't Over' from upcoming album Dropout Boogie |url=https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/the-black-keys-release-latest-single-it-aint-over-from-upcoming-album-dropout-boogie-3214537 |website=NME |access-date=April 28, 2022 |language=en-AU |date=April 28, 2022}}
=US Tour=
To promote the album, the Black Keys embarked on the Dropout Boogie Tour, which consisted of 32 dates across the United States with Band of Horses as a supporting act alongside Ceramic Animal, Early James, and the Velveteers as opening acts on select dates.{{cite web |last1=Campbell |first1=Erica |title=The Black Keys announce 2022 'Dropout Boogie' US tour |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-black-keys-us-tour-2022-dropout-boogie-band-of-horses-tickets-3150617 |website=NME |access-date=March 10, 2022 |date=January 31, 2022}}
= European Tour =
File:The Black Keys o2 Arena.jpg, June 21, 2023]]
On December 8, 2022, the band announced a European and UK tour, consisting of seven dates across Europe, with support of Austin rock band Spoon.{{Cite web |title=The Black Keys announce 2023 UK Tour Dates |url=https://www.radiox.co.uk/news/music/the-black-keys-2023-uk-dates-support-buy-tickets/ |access-date=2023-06-22 |website=Radio X |language=en}}
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| MC = 73/100{{cite web |title=Dropout Boogie by The Black Keys |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/dropout-boogie/the-black-keys |website=Metacritic |access-date=May 23, 2022 |language=en}}
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/dropout-boogie-mw0003684526|title=Dropout Boogie Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine|date= May 13, 2022|website=allmusic.com|access-date= May 13, 2022}}
| rev2 = American Songwriter
| rev3 = DIY
| rev3score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web |last1=Goggins |first1=Joe |title=The Black Keys - Dropout Boogie - Review |url=https://diymag.com/2022/05/11/the-black-keys-dropout-boogie-album-review |website=DIY |access-date=May 13, 2022 |language=en |date=May 11, 2022}}
| rev4 = NME
| rev5 = Pitchfork
| rev5score = 6.0/10{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/the-black-keys-dropout-boogie/|title=The Black Keys: Dropout Boogie Album Review|website=Pitchfork|last=Berman|first=Stuart|date=May 13, 2022|access-date=May 13, 2022}}
| rev6 = PopMatters
| rev7 = Rolling Stone
| rev7score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine |last1=Gross |first1=Joe |title=Black Keys Get Loose and Stretch Out on Dropout Boogie |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/black-keys-dropout-boogie-1350727/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=May 13, 2022 |date=May 11, 2022}}
}}
Upon release, Dropout Boogie received positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized score out of 100 based on reviews from mainstream publications, the album has a score of 73 based on 12 critical reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave the album a score of 6.9 based on their assessment of the critical consensus. Hal Horowitz of American Songwriter gave the album four out of five stars, and concluded his review by writing: "Fame, fortune and influence haven't dulled [the band's] initial impulses, something made clear on the hypnotic unvarnished vibe created throughout the superb Dropout Boogie." Writing for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine also gave the album four out of five stars and noted how the material on the album "feels open and lively in a way" in contrast to the band's most recent work and added that the album as a whole "gives the impression of a jukebox filled with a bunch of excavated gems".
Joe Goggins of DIY said that the album was "a step forward rather than back for The Black Keys" and had the possibility of being their "most varied record" since their 2011 album El Camino.
Track listing
{{Track listing
|headline = Dropout Boogie track listing
|title1 = Wild Child
|writer1 = {{hlist|Dan Auerbach|Patrick Carney|Angelo Petraglia|Greg Cartwright}}
|length1 = 2:44
|title2 = It Ain't Over
|writer2 = {{hlist|Auerbach|Carney|Cartwright}}
|length2 = 3:48
|title3 = For the Love of Money
|writer3 = {{hlist|Auerbach|Carney|Petraglia}}
|length3 = 3:31
|title4 = Your Team Is Looking Good
|writer4 = {{hlist|Auerbach|Carney}}
|length4 = 3:05
|title5 = Good Love
|note5 = featuring Billy F. Gibbons
|writer5 = {{hlist|Auerbach|Carney|Billy Gibbons}}
|length5 = 3:37
|title6 = How Long
|writer6 = {{hlist|Auerbach|Carney}}
|length6 = 3:20
|title7 = Burn the Damn Thing Down
|writer7 = {{hlist|Auerbach|Carney}}
|length7 = 2:57
|title8 = Happiness
|writer8 = {{hlist|Auerbach|Carney}}
|length8 = 3:44
|title9 = Baby I'm Coming Home
|writer9 = {{hlist|Auerbach|Carney|Cartwright}}
|length9 = 3:08
|title10 = Didn't I Love You
|writer10 = {{hlist|Auerbach|Carney}}
|length10 = 4:01
|total_length = 33:55
}}
Personnel
The Black Keys
- Dan Auerbach – vocals, bass, guitar, production (all tracks); synthesizer (1, 2, 6), Hammond organ (5)
- Patrick Carney – drums, production (all tracks); bass (1), guitar (1, 4), synthesizer (1–3, 6), percussion (2, 3, 5, 9)
Additional musicians
- Andy Gabbard – background vocals (1–3, 5–10), Wurlitzer (1), piano (7), guitar (5, 7)
- Sam Bacco – percussion (1–7, 9, 10)
- Ray Jacildo – Hammond organ (3, 6); harpsichord, piano (6)
- Sierra Ferrell – background vocals (4)
- Billy F Gibbons – featured guitar (5)
Technical
- Greg Calbi – mastering
- Steve Fallone – mastering
- Tchad Blake – mixing, editing
- Tom Elmhirst – mixing, editing
- Caleb VanBuskirk – engineering
- M. Allen Parker – engineering
- Jonny Ullman – engineering assistance
- McKinley James – engineering assistance
- Tyler Zwiep – engineering assistance
Imagery
- Perry Shall – design and layout
- Jim Herrington – photography
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Chart performance for Dropout Boogie ! scope="col"| Chart (2022) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{album chart|Australia|35|artist=The Black Keys|album=Dropout Boogie|rowheader=true|access-date=May 20, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Austria|7|artist=The Black Keys|album=Dropout Boogie|rowheader=true|access-date=May 25, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Flanders|9|artist=The Black Keys|album=Dropout Boogie|rowheader=true|access-date=May 22, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Wallonia|6|artist=The Black Keys|album=Dropout Boogie|rowheader=true|access-date=May 22, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardCanada|8|artist=The Black Keys|rowheader=true|access-date=May 24, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Netherlands|7|artist=The Black Keys|album=Dropout Boogie|rowheader=true|access-date=May 20, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Finland|27|artist=The Black Keys|album=Dropout Boogie|rowheader=true|access-date=May 22, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Germany4|11|id=495244|artist=The Black Keys|album=Dropout Boogie|rowheader=true|access-date=May 20, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Hungary|9|year=2022|week=20|rowheader=true|access-date=May 26, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Ireland3|33|date=20220520|rowheader=true|access-date=May 20, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Italy|42|artist=The Black Keys|album=Dropout Boogie|rowheader=true|access-date=May 21, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|New Zealand|6|artist=The Black Keys|album=Dropout Boogie|rowheader=true|access-date=May 21, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Poland|36|id=1437|rowheader=true|access-date=May 26, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Portugal|5|artist=The Black Keys|album=Dropout Boogie|rowheader=true|access-date=June 2, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Scotland|3|date=20220520|rowheader=true|access-date=May 21, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Spain|18|artist=The Black Keys|album=Dropout Boogie|rowheader=true|access-date=May 28, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Switzerland|6|artist=The Black Keys|album=Dropout Boogie|rowheader=true|access-date=May 22, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|UK2|5|date=20220520|rowheader=true|access-date=May 21, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Billboard200|8|artist=The Black Keys|rowheader=true|access-date=May 24, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardAlternative|2|artist=The Black Keys|rowheader=true|access-date=May 24, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardRock|2|artist=The Black Keys|rowheader=true|access-date=May 24, 2022}} |