Despite the slightly modified name (from The Dirty Knobs to Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs), the album "External Combustion" is (fortunately) always and only rock music, energizing and captivating. There are very few "quiet" moments in the work (the reflective "In This Lifetime" deserves attention): the album travels at high speed through the territories of the most robust and driving rock (the initial, unstoppable "Wicked Mind" is a clear example of this).
During the more than 40 minutes of total length of "External Combustion" (whose songs are entirely composed by Campbell) there are some important guests: Margo Price on vocals in "State Of Mind" and "Cheap Talk", Ian Hunter (former member of Mott The Hoople) on vocals and piano in "Dirty Job", Tom Petty's Heartbreakers bandmate Benmont Tench on piano in "Lightning Boogie", George Drakoulias (producer of the album with Mike Campbell) on choir and percussion in all eleven tracks of "External Combustion".