Blues enthusiasts (the very few of you out there) may find the name Dan Auerbach familiar, as he is the lead vocalist and guitarist of The Black Keys. About a decade ago, two friends from high school, Dan Auerbach (guitar and vocals) and Patrick Carney (drums), would spend hours together listening to and playing along with Auerbach’s father’s old blues record collection, which included legendary bluesmen Junior Kimbrough and Lightnin’ Hopkins.

The early years of the new millennia had a nearly nonexistent modern blues scene, aside from the legends of the golden era of the genre, such as BB King, who were and are still touring the United States. Auerbach and Carney noticed this void in the current state of blues music, and decided to fill it with their sweet, warm, and fuzzed out blues duo that is now known as The Black Keys.

After playing around their hometown of Akron, Ohio, they released their debut album, “Thickfreakness” in 2003 on Fat Possum Records. The Black Keys are still cranking out their dirty fuzz blues, having released four albums since their debut. Danger Mouse, a name that should be recognized by fans of good Hip-Hop, produced their latest album, “Attack & Release.”

This past February, Auerbach released his first solo album, “Keep It Hid” (Nonesuch Records), and it exceeds one’s hopes for quality. Auerbach has managed to walk the fine line between sounding too much like The Black Keys and trying too hard not to sound like The Black Keys. The songs venture out of the tried and true template of electric guitars ran through vintage fuzz pedals and drums. In fact, most of the songs explore various genres, including country and even 50’s soul music, and feature full band instrumentation, including bass guitar and organ sounds reminiscent of mid-60’s psychedelic rock. Jessica Lea Mayfield joins Auerbach on backup vocals on “Whispered Words”, which was written by Dan’s father.

“Keep It Hid” is a more than welcome departure from Dan Auerbach’s work with The Black Keys. Most assume that solo albums mean that a band is falling apart, Auerbach and Carney are still touring and plan to head to the studio soon to record their sixth album. “Keep It Hid” is a refreshing listen for those frustrated by the majority of music being produced these days.

Fans of all musical genres can find something they like on “Keep It Hid”, and this is what I consider to be a crucial element of great music. Needless to say, Dan Auerbach’s musical efforts can be categorized under that of timeless, quality music.