​Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs (from the album Mission of Mercy

​Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs (from the album Mission of Mercy

​Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs (from the album Mission of Mercy available on Mike Cambell & The Dirty Knobs/Soundly Music) (by Bryant Liggett)
 
Mike Campbell knows the importance of the full album. Sure, it’s okay to acknowledge a single or two, but founding Heartbreaker Campbell comes from a time when musicians banged out a full 10 to 15 song piece of art, which he’s done alongside his band, The Dirty Knobs, on their latest release, Mission of Mercy.
Draw in listeners with the album opener, then knock them dead with cut number two seems to be the motive behind the first two tracks. “No Regrets” is a lazy jangle that harkens back to Tom Petty Pop times, and the following “Let Me Back in My Dreams” has a Rock-noir, spy-music vibe, and the great line ‘living in a digital world and I’m an analog tape’. “More Than Gold” could be pulled from one of those John Prine releases where Prine’s vocals come with female backing harmonies, Campbell nailing a duet with Morgane Stapleton, while the title track is a full blown, Brian Wilson-inspired gem pulled from the pages of The Beach Boys Pet Sounds release.
“Bongo Man” (with Katie Pierson) is part Santana with hints of Afrobeat, part Radio Birdman, and the album closer, “Vagrant”, is Cocktail Lounge spoken word for your alley bar.  Mike Campbell’s credentials have likely led him to plenty of over-produced sessions; this isn’t one, and benefit for us is he and The Dirty Knobs carry below the radar Rock-cred. (by Bryant Liggett)
Listen and buy the music of Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs from AMAZON
For more information head on over to the Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs website