DR. JOHN - Locked Down

With The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach in the producer's seat, Mac Rebennack's newest finds an adventurous yet accessible middle ground between what each of these frontmen is known for, resulting in a record that exceeds expectations and succeeds at satisfying fans of both camps.    

"There are moments when Locked Down conjures up some old ghosts, such as on "Revolution," which brings together Dr. John’s pop, political, and garage sides; and "Ice Age" and "Eleggua," both of which work in some of the African funk elements that were a major part of Dr. John’s Night Tripper era. None of this is frozen in amber, though. If Locked Down has a mission statement, it’s embedded in the intro to “Big Shot,” which transitions from what sounds like a sample of an old Cab Calloway record to a spirited new rendition of that same style. The implication? This ain’t retro; it’s now." - A.V. Club

"If the album's components are retro, the pastiche has a 21st-century sensibility. Ghostly backing vocals waft through "Big Shot," which sounds like a Tom Waits-meets-Gnarls Barkley jam. The album is flush with dub-reggae effects and the grooves of Nigerian Afrobeat and Ethiopian funk, styles that have become memes for a new generation. Lyrically, the Doctor brings the confusementalism, diagnosing the present through the past in a more weathered version of his trademark nasal growl." - Rolling Stone