On his new single “Shine On Me,” Dan Auerbach couldn’t have gotten farther from the sound he’s known for while staying within the Earth’s atmosphere. So he left. In the half-animated video, the Black Keys guitarist travels into space for an all-animal demolition derby to tunes that sound like a blend between Cayucas and George Harrison at his poppiest.
And it seems like Auerbach couldn’t trust his own scuzz-leaning instincts to get him to such giddy heights. If the rhythm guitar gives you flashbacks of block-headed delivery drivers straining against the limits of CGI, you aren’t alone. And with good reason. That really is Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits playing the rhythm in his unmistakeable style.
“I’d never met him before, but I decided to call him anyway to see if he would add a guitar part to it,” Auerbach told NPR. “I gave him no instructions — just told him to do whatever he felt. He sent it back two days later with that rhythm guitar part on it and it was perfect! And that guitar sound couldn’t be mistaken for anyone else.”
In addition to the new single and video, Auerbach shared the tracklist for his upcoming album Waiting On A Song. Check that out below and snag it when it drops on June 2.
1. “Waiting On A Song”
2. “Malibu Man”
3. “Livin’ In Sin”
4. “Shine On Me”
5. “King Of A One Horse Town”
6. “Never In My Wildest Dreams”
7. “Cherrybomb”
8. “Stand By My Girl”
9. “Undertow”
10. “Show Me”
