Dan Auerbach Gets Abducted by Aliens in First Single/Video from his Forthcoming Solo Album

If “Shine on Me” is any indication, Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys has some stellar hooks in store on his forthcoming solo album Waiting on a Song. The music video for “Shine on Me,” the first single from Waiting on a Song, follows Auerbach from suburban ennui to intergalactic rock star status, complete with a three-eyed Johnny Carson. The song sounds kind of like post-Beatles Paul McCartney (though we can hope that Waiting on a Song compares more favorably to The Black Keys’ work than McCartney’s solo career compared to The Beatles’). Also noteworthy in the single is a guitar solo from Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits.

Auerbach sent a note to NPR, revealing that:

[I] could hear Mark Knopfler in my mind. I’d never met him before, but I decided to call him anyway to see if he would add a guitar part to it. I gave him no instructions — just told him to do whatever he felt. He sent it back two days later with that rhythm guitar part on it and it was perfect! And that guitar sound couldn’t be mistaken for anyone else. I’m so grateful for his contribution.

Waiting on a Song is set to be released on June 2 by Auerbach’s new, Nashville-based Easy Eye Sound. In a press release, Auerbach called the forthcoming album, which will feature Nashville greats John Prine, Duane Eddy, Jerry Douglas, Pat McLaughlin, Bobby Wood and Gene Chrisman, his “love letter to Nashville.” Pre-order the album here, find the album’s tracklist and art below, plus bonus Dire Straits audio from the Paste Cloud in honor of Knopfler, and check out Paste’s 2009 interview with Auerbach here.

Waiting on a Song Tracklist:
01. Waiting On A Song
02. Malibu Man
03. Livin’ In Sin
04. Shine On Me
05. King Of A One Horse Town
06. Never In My Wildest Dreams
07. Cherrybomb
08. Stand By My Girl
09. Undertow
10. Show Me

Waiting on a Song Album Art: