Echoes and dust

No wonder Mr Auerbach went solo for this one what with all its minimal techno beats, absence of any traditional instruments and a wealth of R&B guests....OK I'm being a little bit sarcy! The question begs to be asked though, why DID he release this solo effort?

Well, on his label website he says, "The one thing I didn't want to do is to try to sound different from The Black Keys. That would have sounded half-assed and boring."  Well, unfortunately that's exactly how I'd explain 'Keep It Hid' - Half assed and boring. A workaholic attitude like his is all well and good when you can maintain the standards and apply some quality control, but here it displays a tendency towards quantity over quality.

With the first track it springs to mind that maybe he wanted to record an acoustic country blues album, and the prospect has me salivating like a starved daffy duck, but this idea is vanquished by 'I Want Some More' where it returns to business as usual, which is not too much of a criticism as it oozes sex 'I'm a kid and you're a walking candy store'. You could see this accompanying Selma Hayek's dance in 'From Dusk Til Dawn': sultry, sexy and sleazy! As you could 'Mean Monsoon' and 'The Prowl' which shuffle along nicely and have a bluesy groove to them that is missing on most of the other tracks.

What 'Keep It Hid' displays is a continuation of his march towards a fuller sound. Even on the rawer or bluesier numbers it showcases a more polished sound that was only hinted at on ‘Attack & Release’, and this could be where it falls down. With none of the previous rawness there is little to distinguish this from your average American blues rock band.  However, where it does succeed is when Auerbach reverts to old tricks such as in 'Heartbroken, In Disrepair' which uses a vibrato effect making it come on like a dirty Crimson and Clover, and 'I Want You More' with a guitar solo sound that wouldn't have been out of place in the middle of ‘In-A-Gada-Da-Vida’. Both invoke the spirit of 1967 and feel more alive than the majority of this album

'Whispered Words' is totally uninspiring. Whereas on a Black Keys release this could be quite overwhelming in its simplicity, with the fuller sound it just resembles a bland indie band, as does 'Real Desire' resulting in the middle of the album sounding saggy and barely registering, in fact it's totally unmemorable! The third in the trilogy of lacklustre songs is 'When The Night Comes' which sounds like one (okayish) idea repeated beyond boredom - a lullaby maybe, but only because it would send a speed riddled, insomniac to sleep. (Also see the title track if you're feeling a little deprived).

The final third of the album has the same impact as Ian Duncan Smith had on the Conservative Party's government hopes - none at all. Ok, 'Street Walkin' is a highlight with its bluesy, heavy, and dirty swagger (and it's sueable similarity to The Stooges '1969') but unfortunately it's too little too late. There's just too much plodding and treading water, it's almost as if he's had his nuts removed. In fact, whether it be exorcising their lust ('I Want You More'), lullabying them ('When The Night Comes') or displaying his vulnerability ('Heart Broken, In Disrepair'), it does feel like an album for the ladies.

'Keep It Hid' resembles running a marathon in a barren desert - boring, slow but with a couple of refreshment stops. It relies too much on the full band sound rather than interesting tunes and progressions, and sees a more restrained Auerbach resulting in a missed opportunity - this could have been his chance to really rock out and produce a heavy blues album. Instead we're left with a sorry excuse, resembling something more along the lines of a Gary Moore or Chris Rea blues album. It's bland, glossy and extremely dull.

Top Tracks: 'I Want Some More', ‘Street Walkin’.