Keep It Hid

I highly recommend the debut solo album by Black Keys singer and guitarist Dan Auerbach. It's a very solid and surprisingly diverse collection of songs and you instantly get the impression that the Bach is loving the freedom of not doing a Black Keys album (not that there's anything wrong with that) . Keep It Hid opens with the gospel-tinged 'Trouble Weighs A Ton' and followed by the rocking 'I Want Some More', you have to wonder where on earth this album is taking you. The tracks draw their influence from various genres, including country, gospel, and 70s rock; but it's clear that Dan Auerbach has a genuine love for blues music. If this all sounds a bit 'adult contemporary', like something Ray Lamontagne would release - fear not! There's enough fuzzy, dirty guitar and psychedelic moments to steer this album well out of the path of bland, flavour of the month mediocrity. There's enough Black Keyishness (goodness me, what a painful description) to please fans of that band but not too much to make this project a pointless exercise.

The Bach has an awesome voice; so textured, whatever that means. Also, at times (especially in the Black Keys), he sounds like he's singing into a tin can, but in a good way. Apparently some of the lyrics for this album were written by his dad, although there's nothing in the liner notes that confirms it (EDIT: Yes there is! 'Whispered Words' by Charles Auerbach). Keep It Hid should not be kept hidden but... made visible? Kept in the clear? Whatever, just give it a listen.

The best Kings of Leon album

Is Youth and Young Manhood. I don't think they've been able to match the quality of songs on this, their debut album. The Kings have a raw, swampy sound that I'm sure many other bands wish they could replicate. If you are thinking about buying a Kings of Leon album, this is the one to get.

Aha Shake Heartbreak - Not bad. The whole album sounds great, but there aren't as many memorable tunes, as there are on Manhood.

Because of the Times - On this album, the boys went for a more sonic vibe, and it works pretty well. Half of the songs on here are brilliant ('Fans', 'Arizona', 'The Runner', 'On Call'), the rest of the album is decent but not super.

Only by the Night - A grand attempt, and you have to give them credit for trying out a different sound. The songs tick all the boxes but they didn't make me want to re-play them. In my opinion, what made them so exciting on Youth and Young Manhood, is not present on this album (something that I can't really back up, because this album is by far their biggest hit. Clearly I'm in the minority).

You should listen to...

Nick Drake - Bryter Layter



Some people have called this the ugly duckling of the Nick Drake trilogy. I can kind of see why; besides the hideous album cover, there's a lot of weird instrumentation on this album and it doesn't have the trademark Drake glumness. It has quite a 70s sound, and it borders on being, perhaps too 70s. But Bryter Layter is a very solid album with some wonderful songs. There's a lot more to it than the much praised Pink Moon, in my opinion. It opens with a cinematic sounding instrumental track and the songs remain surprisingly upbeat throughout. I can understand why this album's sound might grate with some, but I think it's right up there with Drake's other stuff (on par with Pink Moon but not as good as Five Leaves Left). If people have put you off this album, it's worth giving it a go anyway.

By the way, if you haven't heard them, you should definitely listen to Nick Drake's other two albums as well.

You should listen to...

Wilco - Sky Blue Sky



Fantastic. It's a bit more "normal" than some of Wilco's other albums, which is not a bad thing. There are some really nice, mellow, borderline-country tracks on here. Some of the album is a bit "progressive", something I normally hate, but it works well and sounds good in songs like 'Impossible Germany'. It's a great album to "do stuff to" (essay writing, cleaning, cooking), not that it's background music, it just has a great accompanying quality.

You should listen to...

Beth Orton - Central Reservation


This is a bit of an old favourite that I've been listening to heaps recently and have not yet gotten sick of. It's such a good album. Beth Orton is a talented songwriter but she also has such a mesmerising voice - it's very difficult to turn off her music. Maximum recommendations.

You should listen to...

Sufjan Stevens - Illinois


It's a very long album and, as a result, it's rather overwhelming for the first couple of listens. On the flip side, you can listen to it many times and half of the songs still seem new. It really does grow on you. There are some fantastic songs on here but the most rewarding experience comes from listening to the entire thing because it flows so well as an album. Some of the musical arrangement is quite bizarre (Nick Gross said it sounds like music from a musical - which I think is an accurate description) but it quickly becomes normal and you have to take a step back to realise how weird the album actually is. The highlights for me are 'John Wayne Gacy Jnr.", an almost uncomfortably sad song about the serial killer, and 'The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out To Get Us!', which I think summarises the genius of the album, and is almost a mini-album in itself. But these songs really sound better if you hear them within the context of the whole CD. Another point of note: Sufjan Stevens is a Christian and you can hear traces of his faith in his lyrics but he's not some sort of Michael W Smith type. This is 'Christian music' that won't make you cringe.