Hidden agenda

Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys
reveals his solo-artist side

STILL IN KEY: Dan Auerbach

by JOHNSON CUMMINS

Singer/songwriter Dan Auerbach is best known as one half of the Akron, Ohio garage-blues duo the Black Keys, alongside his partner in crime, drummer Patrick Carney. Schooled by their solid record collections of raw blues artists, garage bands and ’60s psychedelia, the Black Keys turned heads by taking their inspirations and creating something completely unique out of them, an amped-up, stripped-down take on the blues. With five amazing releases since 2001, the Black Keys proved that their well was far from dry on last year’s Attack & Release, produced by Danger Mouse of Gnarls Barkley fame.

With so much momentum behind the band, it does seem a bit strange that Auerbach would suddenly take a hairpin turn with the release of his debut solo record on the Nonesuch label, Keep It Hid, earlier this year, but it seems it’s just par for the course for him.

“Any song I write could be a Black Keys song,” says Auerbach. “Patrick and I were always doing different musical things before we even started playing together, but we’ve been working so hard on the Black Keys that it just took up a lot of time for both of us.”

In case the Black Keys’ survival is in question, be assured that they already have a new record in the can, with a release date and subsequent tour slotted for early next year. Auerbach’s moonlighting as a solo artist may be brief, but Keep It Hid hardly throws any curveballs and is unlikely to startle any fans of the Black Keys discography. His guitar playing is still slathered in primitive blues while his trademark Stax-style vocals still slither down your spine.

“When we would work on the songs, we would start in the morning, laying down stuff in my studio, and by night it would be done. I’ve never understood people who get really precious about their art or music or whatever. When you start second-guessing stuff, it just seems you’re getting further and further away from the original intention you had. For me, I just work like I’ve always done—if something doesn’t work, just abandon it and move on to the next thing.”

WITH JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE AND
JESSICA LEA MAYFIELD AT LE NATIONAL
ON SUNDAY, NOV. 8, 8 P.M., $25, ALL AGES