Dan Auerbach - "Keep It Hid" (Nonesuch)

  Widely known as one half of the rock duo The Black Keys, Dan Auerbach steps out on his own with the release of his first solo record, Keep It Hid. While The Keys' music has always been steeped in the blues, Auerbach's appreciation runs deep on Keep It Hid.  Not only do we hear what the blues may sound like for a new generation, but Auerbach stretches into some territory that The Keys have yet to.

Auerbach, who performs as the frontman and guitarist for The Black Keys, recorded, engineered and played a majority of the instruments himself on his solo debut. But that's not to say that he didn't call upon some helping hands. The album opens with a country blues ballad that Auerbach and his uncle, James Quine, yearn on together called "Trouble Weighs A Ton". And "When the Night Comes", another softer and sweeter song that's not so indicative of The Keys, features some backing vocals from Jessica Lee Mayfield own whose record Auerbach produced last year.  

Not to be misguided there are plenty of rockers on Keep It Hid. The crunchy, distorted guitar that we are so accustomed rumbles during "I Want Some More". And you even get to boogie down on the albums catchiest tune "My Last Mistake".   

Fans of The Black Keys will dive right in to Keep It Hid and for those still unconverted, this may be the convincer.  

Written by Mike Vasilikos

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