Dan Auerbach's new Nonesuch release, Keep It Hid, scores a 9 out of 10 from Pop Matters. Citing influences from Motown to bluegrass, the review explains: "Auerbach never seems to be straining himself or merely appropriating other, signature sounds just for the sake of doing so. The music he has so obviously, and voraciously, absorbed makes him who he is, pure and simple ... It is not unlike the best Black Keys material, with all the obvious and not-so-obvious influences on the surface, unfolding into something startlingly original."
Dan Auerbach's brand-new Nonesuch release, Keep It Hid, scores a near-perfect 9-out-of-10 review from Pop Matters, for whom reviewer Sean Murphy writes of the solo debut from The Black Keys' guitarist/singer: "Keep It Hid is not a retreat from the sonic explorations Auerbach undertook on [The Black Keys' 2008 album] Attack and Release, it is an expansion of them ... [and] unquestionably signals a step forward in Auerbach’s rapidly evolving style."
Beyond the distinct sound style of Dan's work in The Black Keys, says Murphy, "Keep It Hid takes a deeper dive into a variety of source material, ranging from Motown to bluegrass. Seriously." The reviewer is quick to point out, though, that this is much more than any superficial dangling of one's toes into unfamiliar waters:
Auerbach never seems to be straining himself or merely appropriating other, signature sounds just for the sake of doing so. The music he has so obviously, and voraciously, absorbed makes him who he is, pure and simple. ... It is not unlike the best Black Keys material, with all the obvious and not-so-obvious influences on the surface, unfolding into something startlingly original.
Murphy cites the album song "Whispered Words," which he describes as "possibly the best thing Auerbach has achieved to this point," as the perfect example of this. He points out its references to Motown and Stax, marveling, "It is astounding that these very unique and even sacrosanct sounds are being incorporated in a fashion that manages to feel unforced and even organic."
Again, Murphy is sure to call attention to that last aspect, reiterating, "Auerbach is not aping classic riffs so much as they seem to sweat out of his pores. It’s all up there, in his head, and he is channeling it into his own vision in a manner that is consistent and convincing."
The review concludes, glowingly:
Dan Auerbach was responsible for helping make one of the better albums of 2008, and Keep It Hid is already a contender in 2009. Should we go ahead and call him the current King of the Hill? Based on all available evidence, he’s that guy, and the competition for his crown is not particularly close at this time.
Read the full review at popmatters.com.
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