Review: Dan Auerbach – Keep It Hid
Dan Auerbach: Keep It Hid
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On Keep It Hid, Dan Auerbach is a gritty modern bluesman mired in traditions ranging from Southern gospel, Roy Orbison meets mid-70s era John Lennon, modern folk, and Mississippi Delta blues. Auerbach’s songs are soulful and rootsy, but maintain a modern sophistication. Auerbach’s natural voice, delivery, and songwriting create a distinctive brand of indie-blues-rock. Those familiar with The Black Keys will find Keep It Hid to be a bit more accessible and succinct, but certainly not lacking in interesting content.
Keep It Hid was written partially while on tour in support of The Black Keys’ 2008 release Attack & Release, and was recorded at Auerbach’s home studio in Akron, Ohio. It is truly a solo project, with most instruments being played by Auerbach and whichever friends or relatives had stopped by that particular afternoon for a cup of coffee. Bit-crushed drums and crunchy guitar riffs give the songs a gravelly backbone, creating a general framework for the occasional guest upright bass, vocal harmonies, and even vintage drum machine.
The production on most tracks is a reverbed retro sound that suits Auerbach’s tenor timbre. The few most notable departures from this overall feel are When the Night Comes, which features mellotron strings, female vocal harmonies, and fingerpicked acoustic guitar, and the melancholy closing track Goin’ Home, with a 2-feel mandolin and acoustic guitar accompaniment.
The lyrics are much better than they would have to be for an album of its type. Pangs of regret, loss, and longing are a common thread. Auerbach’s loyalty to traditional stylings make the quality of the lyrics and overall song construction very noticeable; Keep It Hid is a demonstration of a truly gifted songwriter augmenting his roots to create something noteworthy.
Visit Dan Auerbach’s Myspace or official Nonesuch Records site.
