If you've been paying attention to the music scene for the last ten years, you'd have to of at least read about The Black Keys. I grew up with the blues, is it was only natural that I found the Keys. They have been thrashing out an incredible new sound, oddly enough, using old equipment in their basement.

After six albums and several very successful tours, Dan Auerbach, the Keys' singer and guitar player, decided it was time to put together a solo album. In November of 2008, Dan announced that he would be releasing a solo album in 2009 and backing it up with a tour. As I write this review, there are currently tickets for sale for shows in San Francisco, Boston, NYC, Cleveland, Washington and more.

The album; "Keep It Hid" is due to hit store shelves on February 10th, 2009. You can hear a few tracks on Dan's myspace page. Although it's just a taste, you really get a feel for what is to come. I just finished listening to the full album and I wish it wasn't over, I Want Some More!

The haunting, bluesy sound you've become accustomed to on The Black Keys albums is still there, you get a healthy mix of slow, soulful tunes that even break into a folk, country kind of sound and the hard rockin' blues we all know and love. That is one of the best aspects of this album, it has so much to offer. From satrt to finish, you're guaranteed a very eclectic experience. The whole album was produced and engineered by Dan himself in his studio in Akron, Ohio. I was surprised to hear that he did this one himself, I suppose almost ten years in the studio has taught him some things!

Despite the similarities, you can easily differentiate between the sound Dan has with The Black Keys and the style of his solo album. He's really outdone himself with this one, I think the tour will go very well and the album will be really popular both in the music store and on the radio. For a full track list and a little bit more info about the album, visit the Nonesuch Records website. Here's a snippet:

Keep It Hid was produced and engineered by Auerbach at his studio, Akron Analog, and features him playing a variety of instruments, including drums, guitar, percussion, and keyboards. Many of Auerbach's friends and family play on the album, including his uncle James Quine, who contributes vocal harmony and electric guitar on the track "Street Walkin." Other musicians include fellow Ohioans Jessica Lea Mayfield, who sings on the track "When the Night Comes," and Bob Cesare, who plays drums on "Whispered Words," a song originally written by Auerbach's father. Of the recording process Auerbach states, "I wanted a live, organic sound. Nothing was too plotted or planned, just a lot of spontaneity." The record was mixed by Auerbach's good friend Mark Neill at Neill's Soil of the South studio.