New Song: Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs Return With Wistful “Heart Of The Heartland”

I was surprised to see on social media that Mike Campbell and his intrepid Dirty Knobs (guitarist Jason Sinay, bassist Lance Morrison and former Heartbreaker Steve Ferrone on drums) were releasing a new album this year. I was surprised but certainly delighted. I’ve been a big fan of this band since their debut album, 2020’s Wreckless Abandon. It’s only been year since I saw the Dirty Knobs in concert, and a little more than a year since their last album came out, Vagabonds, Virgins & Misfits. Of course that album was preceded by the great single “Dare To Dream” which featured fabulous harmony vocals from none other than Graham Nash. The Knobs had been putting out new albums, almost like clockwork, every two years, 2022’s External Combustion followed the debut by two years, and preceded their last album by two years as well. The band plays ol’ time rock n roll so I guess they decided why not crank out an album every year like they used to back in the 70s! Any more, bands take decades to put out new music (the Cure, the Stones, Peter Gabriel). Thankfully Mike and the Knobs are working a little harder! I mean, “time is a jet plane, it moves way too fast,” so seize the day.

The Dirty Knobs not only play meat-and-potato rock n roll they’ve touched on country rock and even blues at different times over their three sensational albums. Many of their songs call up ghosts of Tom Petty for me. Mike Campbell was such an integral part of Petty’s sound, it’s hard not hear echoes of that in Campbell’s solo music. This new song, “Heart In The Heartland,” is a fabulous country song. It starts with a swirl of strings and then the acoustic guitar and Mike’s vocals kick in. The track asks the musical question, “Where is the heart of the heartland?” It’s awfully hard to find any compassion out here in flyover country these days. The track is so picturesque… “Yellow school bus under skies of blue, You could find your purpose, you can see the truth, Wild tornadoes, John Deere tractors…” I’ve spent a lot of time driving around the plains filled with wheat fields and silos and those lyrics hit home for me, like seeing a Thomas Hart Benton painting. The song rolls along on an easy groove.

Here’s a lyric video of the track:

It’s not an “official” video and the footage of farms and farmland is pretty grainy, but it gives you the gist of the song. Campbell name checks John Steinbeck’s Of Mice And Men, but I think The Grapes Of Wrath might have fit it better but that’s probably just me. High school English class still haunts the back corners of my mind, I suppose.

This is a great, quiet, little single that likely signals another great Mike Campbell & the Dirty Knobs album is on the way. I love it when an artist sneaks up on me with a new album. I remember collecting all those old Faces albums back in the day and in the liner notes Rod Stewart always said something to the effect of “See you next year…” As if a new album every year was just the assumption. The world needs great rock n roll and let’s hope other bands start upping the production schedule! It’s been a rather slow 2025 for new albums with really only Ringo, Billy Idol and the newly released Neil Young tribute album Heart Of Gold (check out Eddie Vedder & Fiona Apple’s covers) catching my attention… perhaps this new song signals that the dam is about to break on new music?

This is a good, late night reflection kinda song. Put it on the headphones and enjoy!

Cheers!