Categories : Jazz + Blues, Music Reviews, Rock + Pop.
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Rating: 3 / 5 Reviewer: Trent Depue |
The first two tracks of Dan Auerbach’s solo debut Keep it Hid send two distinctly different messages. Track 1: Hello, I’m Dan Auerbach and I feel the need to branch out creatively from my work with The Black Keys. Track 2: Just kidding. And over the course of the record both of these statements hold to varying degrees.
Taking what is presumably only a temporary hiatus from his work with his two-piece blues-rock duo, Auerbach’s solo material could be looked upon as a transition piece. Possessing enough material that varies from his normal work to not bring into question why he bothered leaving The Keys in the first place, but still enough to not risk alienating his existing fan base.
Though The Black Keys themselves have slowly moved away from their stripped down two-piece image, most recently noticeable on their critically acclaimed 2008 release Attack & Release, it is none-the-less an important distinction on Keep It Hid as well. Becoming more musically dynamic than fans may be used to, the music takes on a new level of life. Combine with that a few new influences and styles, most notably in the form of acoustic opener ‘Trouble Weighs a Ton,’ and swamp-rock styled ‘Mean Monsoon’ and ‘My Last Mistake’ both of which have a strong Creedence Clearwater Revival feel to them. And just as the record opened with a folk-and-roots feel, so does it close. ‘Goin’ Home’ brings Keep it Hid to a close on as good a note as it opened on.
With Keep It Hid, Dan Auerbach is able to further solidify an already well-respected career. Showing musical growth beyond his previous work, it’s a promising move and is strong enough that many of its new aspects could easily be used to better his work when he returns to The Black Keys.
