Burnside and Junior Kimbrough, and their 2006 EP, Chulahoma, was a full-on, we’re-not-worthy Kimbrough tribute that ended with a voicemail from the late blues belter’s widow telling them how much she loved their renditions.
Each of its 11 tracks seem like off-the-cuff recitals of Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney’s favorite songs, with a little help from two notable journeymen: Kenny Brown, slide guitarist on some of Kimbrough’s best records, and bassist Eric Deaton, a onetime Burnside sideman.
Although the Keys can still command a Kimbrough-like boogie — “Walk With Me” has an admirably danceable thump, and they redo their stiff-collared Big Come Up cover “Do the Romp,” loosening it up — they don’t add a ton to Kimbrough’s originals.
Kimbrough’s swaggering “Stay All Night” sounds more relaxed here, and they turn Burnside’s barnburner “Going Down South” into an even-tempered R&B number, thanks to Auerbach’s falsetto vocals and a stunning Brown solo.