Delta Kream Explained

Delta Kream
Type:studio
Cover:The Black Keys - Delta Kream.png
Artist:the Black Keys
Recorded:December 2019
Studio:Easy Eye Sound (Nashville)
Genre:Hill country blues
Length:54:15
Label:
Producer:
Prev Title:Let's Rock
Prev Year:2019
Next Title:Dropout Boogie
Next Year:2022

Delta Kream is the tenth studio album by American rock duo the Black Keys, released through Easy Eye Sound and Nonesuch Records on May 14, 2021. It is a cover album of hill country blues songs.[1] It was preceded by the April 15 release of a cover of "Crawling Kingsnake", based on Junior Kimbrough's rendition.[2]

Background, recording and packaging

The album was recorded "in about 10 hours" over two afternoons at Dan Auerbach's Easy Eye Sound studio in Nashville at the end of the Let's Rock tour, with little planning and no advance rehearsals.[3] It includes contributions from R. L. Burnside's guitarist Kenny Brown as well as Junior Kimbrough's bassist Eric Deaton; the Black Keys had previously covered Burnside's "Skinny Woman" (titled "Busted") and Kimbrough's "Do the Romp" (titled "Do the Rump") on their 2002 debut album The Big Come Up, and released the Kimbrough tribute album in 2006.[2] Brown and Deaton had been recording at Easy Eye Sound studio concurrently along with Auerbach for the album Sharecropper's Son by Robert Finley, which lead to their availability for the Delta Kream sessions.[4]

In a statement, Auerbach said: "We made this record to honor the Mississippi hill country blues tradition that influenced us starting out. These songs are still as important to us today as they were the first day Pat and I started playing together and picked up our instruments."[5]

The album cover features a 1970s photograph by William Eggleston of the Delta Kream shop in Tunica, Mississippi, with an Oldsmobile Cutlass parked outside – the shop no longer exists.[6] [7]

Promotion and release

The Black Keys announced Delta Kream on April 13, 2021, exclusively through their Lonely Boys and Girls fan club. Through the fan club, on the same day, they also released the album's lead single, a cover of Junior Kimbrough's version[2] of "Crawling Kingsnake".[8] It was released to digital music platforms two days later. Additionally, a music video for the song was released. Directed by Tim Hardiman, it features a performance of the song by the band at the Blue Front Cafe, owned by blues musician Jimmy "Duck" Holmes.[9]

Delta Kream was released on May 14, 2021, through Easy Eye Sound and Nonesuch Records on digital music platforms and physical media. The album's digital release includes a shortened edit of "Crawling Kingsnake" as a bonus track.[10] Physically, the album was made available to purchase as both a CD and double 12-inch vinyl record,[11] with standard black, limited edition "purple haze",[12] and Spotify user-exclusive pink[13] options available for the vinyl release.

Personnel

The Black Keys

Additional personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2021)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[14] 6
Italian Albums (FIMI)[15] 20
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[16] 5
Swedish Physical Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[17] 4

Year-end charts

Chart (2021)! scope="col"
Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[18] 174
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[19] 97
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[20] 76

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Black Keys share 'Crawling Kingsnake' from new blues covers album 'Delta Kream'. NME. Reilly. Nick. April 15, 2021. April 16, 2021.
  2. The Black Keys Preview New Album 'Delta Kream' With Ominous 'Crawling Kingsnake'. Rolling Stone. Hudak. Joseph. April 15, 2021. May 14, 2021.
  3. Web site: Black Keys Recorded New 'Delta Kream' LP in 'About 10 Hours'. Ultimate Classic Rock. Rapp. Allison. April 15, 2021. April 16, 2021.
  4. Web site: The Black Keys Dive Deep Into Delta Blues For New Album 'Delta Kream'. O'Dowd, Peter. May 18, 2021 . August 22, 2021.
  5. The Black Keys Announce 10th Album 'Delta Kream,' Drop 'Crawling Kingsnake' Single: Listen. Billboard. Mamo. Heran. April 15, 2021. April 16, 2021.
  6. News: See it now: The Black Keys release video for 'Crawling Kingsnake' from new album 'Delta Kream'. Akron Beacon Journal. Price. Mark J.. April 16, 2021. May 14, 2021.
  7. News: Black Keys' Patrick Carney offers scoop on 'Delta Kream,' life during pandemic and things he misses about Akron. Akron Beacon Journal. Price. Mark J.. May 14, 2021. May 14, 2021.
  8. Web site: The Black Keys Announce Blues Covers Album Delta Kream. Stereogum. Helman. Peter. April 13, 2021. April 13, 2021.
  9. Web site: Watch The Black Keys Perform 'Crawling Kingsnake' at Blue Front Cafe. Spin. Grant. Sarah. April 15, 2021. April 21, 2021.
  10. Web site: Delta Kream, The Black Keys. Qobuz. April 21, 2021.
  11. Web site: Delta Kream CD/LP. The Black Keys. April 21, 2021.
  12. Web site: Delta Kream Exclusive Limited Edition Purple Haze Vinyl. The Black Keys. April 21, 2021. April 21, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210421050719/https://theblackkeys.com/collections/music/products/delta-kream-exclusive-purple-haze-vinyl-pre-sale. dead.
  13. Web site: Delta Kream Spotify Exclusive Pink Vinyl. The Black Keys. April 21, 2021. April 21, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210421050719/https://theblackkeys.com/products/delta-kream-spotify-exclusive-pink-vinyl-pre-sale-1. dead.
  14. Web site: Albumit 20/2021. Musiikkituottajat. fi. May 23, 2021.
  15. Web site: Album – Classifica settimanale WK 20 (dal 14.5.2021 al 20.5.2021). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. it. May 21, 2021.
  16. Web site: NZ Top 40 Albums Chart. Recorded Music NZ. May 24, 2021. May 22, 2021.
  17. Web site: Veckolista Album Fysiskt, vecka 20. Sverigetopplistan. sv. May 21, 2021.
  18. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2021. Ultratop. January 5, 2022.
  19. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2021. hitparade.ch. December 26, 2021. de.
  20. Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2021. Billboard. January 16, 2022.