New from Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs: Stream “Wicked Mind,” New LP ‘External Combustion’ Due 3/4

Back in November 2020, Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs released Wreckless Abandon, the debut studio album from the longtime Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers guitarist/songwriter.

The record had seen its release delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, though Campbell and his colleagues emerged with a vibrant introductory statement (click here to read our chat with Campbell).

On March 4, Campbell and the Dirty Knobs — guitarist Jason Sinay, bassist Lance Morrison and drummer Matt Laug — will return with a sophomore effort, External Combustion.

The album was officially announced on Tuesday and came with the premiere of “Wicked Mind,” a track bursting with garage-rock energy:

The song, and the album itself, find the Dirty Knobs heading in a new, more challenging direction:

“The band became this spontaneous type of combustion—to borrow a word,” Campbell said of the new record’s studio sessions. “The longer we played, the more intuitive it got.”

The track listing:

1. Wicked Mind
2. Brigitte Bardot
3. Cheap Talk
4. External Combustion
5. Dirty Job (featuring Ian Hunter)
6. State Of Mind (Featuring Margo Price)
7. Lightning Boogie
8. Rat City
9. In This Lifetime
10. It Is Written
11. Electric Gypsy

The Dirty Knobs are back! Our second LP External Combustion will be released on @bmg_us on March 4 & is available now for pre-order (link in bio). The first single “Wicked Mind” is out now with a fun video directed by George Mays. Stay tuned for lots more coming soon! Love, Mike pic.twitter.com/asKn8quhSO

— Mike Campbell // The Dirty Knobs (@MikeCampbellHQ) January 25, 2022

More on the album’s story:

Co-produced by Campbell and George Drakoulias (The Black Crowes, The Jayhawks), the 11-track album was recorded at Campbell’s home studio, Hocus Pocus Recorders in Los Angeles. External Combustion also features Margo Price and Ian Hunter as well as piano from fellow Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers founding member Benmont Tench on “Lightning Boogie.” Although Campbell wrote most of the songs on the new album within the past year, two of the tracks had been written in the 90’s, only to be rediscovered in Campbell’s extensive vault of unreleased compositions.

Mike Campbell & the Dirty Knobs will promote the record with their first headlining tour — which itself has been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, affording the group a unique perspective as it pertains to coming up with a set list:

“The band’s too good,” says Campbell as he prepares for the upcoming tour. “And now we have two albums to draw from when writing setlists.”

March 9—Tampa, FL—The Orpheum
March 11—Gainesville, FL—High Dive
March 12—Gainesville, FL— High Dive
March 15—Nashville, TN—Brooklyn Bowl
March 17—Philadelphia, PA—World Café Live
March 19—Boston, MA—Brighton Music Hall
March 20—Boston, MA—Brighton Music Hall
March 23—New York, NY—Brooklyn Bowl
March 25—Derry, NH—Tupelo Music Hall
March 26—Ridgefield, CT—Ridgefield Playhouse
March 28—Alexandria, VA—The Birchmere
March 30—Indianapolis, IN—The Hi Fi Lounge
March 31— Indianapolis, IN—The Hi Fi Lounge
April 2—Chicago, IL—Park West
April 4—Minneapolis, MN—Fine Line
April 15—San Francisco, CA—The Independent
April 16—San Francisco, CA—The Independent
April 19— Los Angeles, CA—Troubadour
April 20— Los Angeles, CA—Troubadour
April 23—Boulder, CO—Fox Theatre
April 24—Denver, CO—Bluebird Theater
April 26—Dallas, TX—Trees
April 28—Houston, TX—Warehouse Live Studio
April 30—Austin, TX—Antone’s
May 1—Austin, TX—Antone’s
June 2—Boise, ID—Ford Idaho Center Arena*
June 3—Portland, OR—Sunlight Supply Amphitheater*
June 4— George, WA—The Gorge Amphitheatre*
June 11—San Bernardino, CA—Glen Helen Amphitheater*
June 16—Bakersfield, CA—Mechanics Bank Arena*
June 17—Wheatland, CA—Toyota Amphitheatre*
June 18—Mountain View, CA—Shoreline Amphitheatre*
June 23—Salt Lake City, UT—USANA Amphitheatre*
June 24—Denver, CO—Pepsi Center*
June 25—Denver, CO—Pepsi Center*
July 23—Chicago, IL—Wrigley Field*
*w/ Chris Stapleton
BOLD—Sold out