When you reach wide audiences with your mother band, it is clear that you should be careful about every step you take, because any wrong move can mean being thrown from the rock throne. This particularly applies to The Black Keys who have tried to offer slightly new sound with each record, even though it was always garage blues in its essence.
It should come as no surprise that Auerbach's frequent runaways from The Black Keys, since he is trying to catch some breath and experiment with new sounds that are not inherent to the influences of his band. Some things just happened along the way, such as Carney's injury, but it is clear that Dan wants to become more of an independent musician. Waiting On A Song is Auerbach's second solo album, although he also had side projects such as Blakroc.
If you are looking for dirty garage sounds, you should skip this album immediately as there are no recognizable The Black Keys moments here. This is not The Black Keys album and I highly admire that, because many frontmen just put a tiny twist on the material they are already creating with their band. I mean, maybe Cherrybomb and Undertow could find their place on Turn Blue, but those are just exceptions. The most of the record follows folk rock vibe of the 70s with cheerful melodies that could be described as pure pop. Meaning, these songs are potent for radio, and I can imagine them being played from any hut in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. They have that hippie vibe. Maybe some songs are infantile in their mirthful fashion, yet I found it to be just another dimension of Dan's undeniable creativity.
The title track opens the album and it is a true representative of what can be found there. Easy folk country number reflects that is not easy to be a songwriter in a world where nothing comes on its own. Afterall, numerous brakes The Black Keys took are indicator of the lack of inspiration. Their fans are hungry, and they should consider themselves lucky for Auerbach's efforts to deliver material in between. I would rather have them making epic, timeless record than just putting anything on the market.
Malibu Man offers soul solutions, while Livin in A Sun sounds like Weezer. Shine On Me is a summer la-la-la number you will listen to while you are drinking your third cocktail on a nearest beach. Until the end of the record, experienced Dan just offers variations on the same theme and delivers songs that you can easily play on acoustic guitar If you know how to play basic chords.
This is hands down the most chilled out record Dan has made in any formations. Many will complain how the album is too pop, but this is not The Black Keys. This is Dan Auerbach.
