DAN AUERBACH – “KEEP IT HID” (released Feb. 10)
Dan Auerbach earns his living playing guitar and singing for the Akron, Ohio blues-rock duo, The Black Keys. The band has earned a devoted following based on their incendiary live show and great albums like their 2008 offering “Attack and Release.” The Keys cultivate a uniquely low-fi sound and bring blues into the new millennium while keeping a keen eye on tradition.
Auerbach steps into the spotlight on his debut solo album “Keep It Hid.” These songs walk a more experimental line than any of the Key’s albums. The fleshed-out arrangements and ambient noises provide a glimpse at a completely different side of the artist than the axe-wielding gunslinger fans have come to know. “Keep It Hid” relies on songwriting rather than the chugging riffs Auerbach made his name with in his band.
Hear samples from Dan Auerbach on myspace.com.
LILY ALLEN – “IT’S NOT ME, IT’S YOU” (released Feb. 10)
Lily Allen burst on the music scene with the 2006 effort “Alright, Still” and played the role of the bubbly British club chick. Her latest album “It’s Not Me, It’s You,” treads on familiar ground, but the infectiously catchy melodies keep the tunes from becoming bland.
The songs and Allen’s voice have matured since her debut, but to say these songs are great would be a lie. I would guess her fans will love it, but this will not be the album that brings new fans into the fold. A vanilla quality permeates and the tunes lack any emotional resonance.
Allen has a great album in her, but this is not it.
Hear samples from Lily Allen on myspace.com.
BUSTA RHYMES – “BACK ON MY B.S.” (released Feb. 10)
Busta Rhymes has been making music since age 14 when he was a member of Leaders of the New School. His larger-than-life persona made the transition to solo act a naturally easy one.
“Back On My B.S.” comes three years after Rhymes last studio release, 2006’s “The Big Bang,” and finds the lightening tongued MC working with some familiar faces. Dr. Dre drops in to produce some tracks and the album boasts an impressive list of guests: Linkin Park, Missy Elliot, Ne-Yo, Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Mary J. Blige, Common, Akon, T.I., Pharrell, and Young Jeezy.
Hear short samples from Busta Rhymes on myspace.com.