SOD: Dr. John "Revolution"

Nothing in music has excited me more than Dr. John's new album. The anticipation itself was challenging, but now that the album is out, all I want to do is get to the point where I know every single song inside out. It's unbelievably well done.

This album is real. I can't describe it any other way. It's an album by a man that's 100% about the music. Everything these days is surrounded by marketing campaigns, press releases, interviews, and just straight fluff. Anything that will draw your attention away from the music, and to all the other pop-culture surrounding it. That's the nature of the entertainment industry in general. But there is no distracting the issue with this album. The music is everything, from the first note of the first track, to the last chord.

Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys lends his guitar to this album, and though I really do enjoy that band, I was not overly excited about him teaming up on Dr. J's album. It seemed like another one of these contrived pairings to expand the marketability of it. Even if that's what was intended at the start, boy was I wrong. It works better than I could have imagined. Auerbach's guitar adds this stripped down, soulful layer to Dr. John's songs that actually takes it to the next level. These songs are authentic sounding, they're the real deal. And maybe some of the impact comes from Dan Auerbach's producing of the album. Actually, I'm sure that's where a lot of the impact comes from. I feel his influence in the nuances of the tracks. There's that sound in the spaces between notes that makes this album feel and sound like an original piece of the past. It's thick and thin all at once. Young and old. Just like Auerbach and Rebennack Jr.

The first time I listened to it, I looked right over the dichotomy between them. I went straight for the obvious sound that was in front of me, and for the songwriting. But there was no denying in that first listen through, that there was far more to the sound of this album, than the notes themselves. Songs like this one (Revolution) sound like Amy Winehouse tracks almost. The choppy, simplistic guitar chords, the horns and Saxophone, and of course the soul (musically and spiritually) of Dr. John himself. It's a new kind of Dr. John sound, that's more accustomed to the Black Keys. But good music, is good music, and Dr. John is the best at what he does. It just so happens that his style works quite well with Dan Auerbach's sound. It's that simple. I don't know if anyone can predict these things with 100% accuracy, but pairing these two together was a masterful move, and props to Dr. John for being so open minded. The album is truly not a note short of amazing. A follow-up after a few more listens through will certainly yield more insight. But for now, enjoy.