Dan Auerbach - Keep It Hid (V2)
3/5
By: Richard Brant
Dan Auerbach releases Keep it Hid, his debut solo album, as he takes time out from the Black Keys blues style to explore... well, more blues. To be fair, it's a deeper delve in to blues history and its offsets, touching on the psychedelic, soul and country but stripped to its basics. The album has a very retro feel, achieved by the echoed recording technique and vintage equipment employed at Auerbach's own recording studio, Akron Analogue. It proceeds to allow him to showcase his numerous musical skills playing among other instruments the drums, guitar and keyboards.
'Trouble Weighs a Ton' is a soft acoustic country track stripped bare with beautifully harmonised vocals strategically placed at the start in order to showcase a move away from the heavier blues rock style of the Black Keys. This softer approach is shown in the lullaby like 'When the Night Comes', a track supported by soft violins with slight glimpses of Buddy Holly, and 'Goin' Home', another acoustic track with comforting vocals aimed at slowing the album down to a finish.
The rockier blues are of course one of his constants and by track two they have already arrived with 'I Want Some More', a single showing off Auerbach's flare with the guitar as the distorted layers from the main stay riff to the deeper bass like growling play. It's musical ping pong with keyboard organ jabs.
'Heart Broken in Disrepair' is a great, old and mean sounding blues track. The slow walking paced drums along with the guitar's delay effect provide a great sounding platform for the irrefutable blues vocals and intermittent accompanying vocals to dance over the top. This also leaves ample opportunity for the lead guitar to run amok towards the end. This traditional sound is maintained throughout with other notable tracks being 'Street Walking', with its up tempo thumping drums and great guitar showcasing, and 'The Prowl' with its brilliant riffs.
If you were expecting to hear something completely different from the Black Keys man now that he is out on his own, then this album will disappoint. Although he has gone back to blues and traditional basics of recording music it is from this that the Black Keys draw their strength - the similarities are unsurprisingly unquestionable. Don't get me wrong, it's is a great homage to his musical roots, but this marooned musical style, always looking backwards at the traditions of rock blues could limit the creativity of his obvious musical talent in diversifying forward.
Artists in this article: Dan Auerbach
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