LP Review: Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs, ‘Mission Of Mercy’ – Their Most Eclectic Record Yet!

Mike Campbell & his Dirty Knobs have returned with a new album, Mission Of Mercy. The album was preceded by the fabulous first single “I Remember.” The Dirty Knobs have put out an album every two years since their debut Wreckless Abandon in 2020, including External Combustion in 2022 and Vagabonds, Virgins, & Misfits in 2024.

I had the pleasure of seeing the Dirty Knobs live on their last tour in ’24 and if they come around again, you can bet I’ll be there. I just need my buddy Doug to drive his RV back through town when and if the Knobs come back as I don’t see the Rock Chick attending with me. Marriage is a compromise.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that the new album is the first we’ve heard from the Knobs since last year’s (2025) beautiful, wistful single, “Heart In The Heartland.” I thought perhaps that track was heralding a new album but we had to wait another year.

Mission Of Mercy finds the Knobs stretching out their signature riff rock/bar band sound a bit. It’s their most eclectic album of songs yet. I will tell you, after the first third of this album I thought it might displace Vagabonds, Virgins & Misfits as my favorite of their LPs, but I think Vagabonds still holds that title. Although I’ve got a soft spot for their debut album as well… but then I’ve always liked debut LPs.

Despite stretching out their sound palette on this album – more on that later – the Dirty Knobs still deliver what they’ve always delivered – a good time. I went back and listened to their entire catalog in anticipation of this new release and I have to say, their music is just fun to listen to.

The Dirty Knobs are still Mike Campbell (vocals/guitars) whose name is now in the band’s name, Lance Morrison (bass), Campbell’s erstwhile bandmate in the Heartbreakers Steve Ferrone (drums), and Chris Holt (guitar/keyboards).

Even with the more eclectic stuff we get on Mission Of Mercy, the Dirty Knobs still deliver some blistering rock n roll. Opening track/second single “No Regrets” will now be listed amongst my favorite Dirty Knobs tracks. It’s got that Byrds-like guitar jangle. It’s the perfect Dirty Knobs track. That and first single “I Remember” (a total ear worm for me) might just be worth the price of admission here.

“Let Me Back In My Dreams” (which is now included on our Playlist: Songs About Dreams/Dreaming) and “My Mama Told Me” are both great riff rockers that help kick the album off. I love the guitar on both of those tracks. “My mama told me, you better leave that liquor alone,” sounds vaguely like advice my mom gave me… but we best leave that story alone.

“Wrecking Ball” is another great rock song that I really like. “I need a wrecking ball to break down the wall between me and you.” That track has big guitars. “Done To Me” is a great “baby, why?” kind of track.

And as the “Bourbon” in our name might imply, “Wicked Hangover” is another personal favorite. In this case the titular hangover is caused by, yes you guessed it, a woman. I immediately put that one on our Playlist: Songs About Drinking.

Along with all that great rock n roll we get some change ups from the Mike and the gang. “More Than Gold” is an acoustic/country weeper with guest Morgane Stapleton. Her husband Chris Stapleton has done a duet with the Dirty Knobs as well. I have a proclivity for rockers doing country, but this one left me a little cold. It’s not bad, but just didn’t grab me as hard.

“Mission Of Mercy” is a tribute to Brian Wilson who passed last year and it’s very Beach Boys. I was never a big Beach Boys fan – as Bad Company sang, “The Beach Boys didn’t get me, but Fats Domino did…” – but even I recognize his huge influence. Chris Holt shares lead vocal duties. This song is a great tribute to Wilson. It kind of reminds me of Springsteen’s “Queen Of The Super Market,” also a heavily Wilson influenced track.

Even I will admit the craziest track on the album is “Bongo Mania” which features the B-52’s Kate Pierson. And yes, the song has plenty of bongos. I mean, why not? At first it gave me Blue Stingrays (Campbell’s other side project) vibes. It’s silly but they seem to be having a great time.

One of the most interesting tracks on the album is “Armageddon,” a track that conjures Zeppelin’s “Kashmir.” It’s got the same sort of string arrangement and it’s an epic track. The track is almost ominous… the opening line sets the tone, “The inmates have taken over the asylum…”  Perhaps it’s a political statement about the current state of the union? The guitar solo is searing.

Finally, the album ender is a jazzy, spoken word, fever dream kind of track called “Vagrant.” It’s the narration of a harrowing ride through the seedy underground. It is… strange. But I kind of dig it the more I listen to it.

I have to say, overall, I enjoyed Mission Of Mercy. I applaud the Dirty Knobs for taking so many chances and bouncing in all of these different directions. I always like to see a band stretch out a bit, like The White Album. And even with all the eclectic, different directions they go here, they still deliver a lot of that blistering Petty-esque rock n roll we’d expect from a Mike Campbell fronted band.

“I Remember” and “No Regrets” are two of the best songs these guys have delivered thus far. “Armageddon” is just an epic track with epic guitar that has to be experienced to be believed.

Enjoy this one until 2028 when the next one will probably come. It’s such a great thing that Campbell has found his “next thing” after the tragic loss of Tom Petty. Campbell is just too talented to have faded into studio session work.

Cheers!