In his first solo project, The Black Keys' frontman Dan Auerbach strays away from faster, driving drumbeats and muddy blues for a slower, stripped-down sound. The Akron-based Auerbach recorded the album in his own studio using almost entirely vintage instruments, most of which he plays himself. This technique is definitely effective, as both the album and its cover seem as through they were taken straight from the early '70s.
Although less intense than The Keys' albums, "Keep it Hid" isn't lacking in emotion. The album opens with the ballad "Trouble Weighs a Ton," a blues spiritual reminiscent of an old field holler with acoustic guitar and vocal harmonies. Auerbach is able to produce an extremely authentic replication of the Robert Johnson-style blues. Other ballads, like "Whispered Words (Pretty Lies)" and "When the Night Comes" show off Auerbach's vocal talents. He has the ability to pack a lot of feeling into simple lines like "Don't be afraid, you're only dreaming when the night comes."
The next track, "I Want Some More," will seem more familiar to fans of The Black Keys. The buzzing distortion of Auerbach's guitar licks combines perfectly with vocal distortion and highly reverbed percussion to create the retro yet novel style that has made Auerbach and fellow The Black Keys Patrick Carney so popular. What may be most impressive on this track, as on most of the album, is that Auerbach plays guitar, organ and several percussion instruments in addition to singing.
Possibly the most entertaining track to listen to on "Hid" is "The Prowl." This number harkens back to past Black Keys hits like "Thickfreakness" and "Set You Free" with its delightfully funky drums, making use of very dry snare hits and matching distortions on Auerbach's voice and guitar. At some points in the song, it is hard to tell whether each note is being played or sung. Behind Auerbach's voice is the kind of raw and dark emotion that makes all of his collaborations unique and interesting. "The Prowl" is a great example of how Auerbach integrates the down-and-out emotions standard to the blues with good old-fashioned, dirty, gritty rock 'n' roll.
The title track is another ballad with high-hat cymbals and shakers working together to keep the beat. Again, Auerbach shows off musically in this track with an extended guitar solo, various funky licks during the verses and chorus, and lots of bending. Also, it's hard not to like a song about running from the police. In what is most likely the best opening line on the album, Auerbach sings, "Lock the door and close the blinds/ They're coming for me girl/ And I ain't got time." Who hasn't been there before?
Another notable track, "When I Left the Room," is a classic eight-bar minor blues form but is once again made memorable by Auerbach's distinct and soulful style. The tempo moves at a crawl with a great, floortom-heavy drumbeat. But the best part of the song has to be the banjo. Banjo is mainly a bluegrass staple and is seen far less in blues and rock, but the twangy arpeggios perfectly counterbalance Auerbach's fuzzy melody on guitar and provide a lot of depth to the song.
Overall, it's hard to say whether Auerbach's foray into a solo career is better or worse than his work with The Black Keys because it is so different both musically and emotionally. What is evident is that this music has soul to spare and the album as a whole is a ball to listen to. So while this CD may not work for a Friday night frat party, it will definitely work for a chill session.
