release date: february 10, 2009
label: Nonesuch Records
03-20-09 review by: skeeter

When I think of The Black Keys, I think "riff rock." Don't get me wrong, I like Fu Manchu, for example, but they have their place. It's music for the audience, not music for the gods of music. There is absolutely no risk - and where's the fun in that? Unfortunately, if that's your style then you will never be mentioned in the same breath as the words "complex" or "musician." It's nice ear candy, but it's akin to showing off your diversity by putting on a different western shirt - cool sound (shirt), same voice/guitar/drumming (bearded indie rockers).

Lord, that was harsh.

We expect a little more from the musicians that define our musical tastes; people/bands whose very names, when dropped, elicit a clear picture of who we are as listeners.

Dan Auerbach's new solo album, Keep It Hid, puts him in my haughty "musician" category. It starts with a simple, bluesy, mournful ballad, then leaps into a carnal, greedy, slithering song. Here's that diversity which was absent from The Black Keys. Here is that ability to make music, to be a musician, to be able to dip your brush into every color of the musical palette and produce a painting that would make Bob Ross piss himself.

Collectively, it's decidedly a "Black Keys" sound, but done with confidence. If I were more refined, I'd call it "edgy." As it is, I can only describe it as some rabid mongrel barking out its soul. He shows a mastery of his medium, and an essential ambivalence towards an audience. The end of every song on the album leaves you tied up in knots, desperately needing the next song and wherever it will take you, waiting to see if this beast gets free.

I'd hate to be Patrick Carney right about now.


check it:
more by skeeter
Dan Auerbach's myspace site
The Nonesuch Records website

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