It is impressive how some producers turn out to be remarkable solo artists. I have got my eye on few of them, and I am always happy to hear that their hyper creative projects are not just a coincidence, rather a result of undeniable talent.
Parallel with the planetary success of his mother band The Black Keys, Dan Auerbach established himself as one of the most prominent producers. His incredibly rich working discography includes collaborations with wide spectrum of musicians, from Bombin to Lana Del Rey and Pretenders. Two years ago, he has formed a project The Arcs and their debut album was praised by listeners. Now, Auerbach is presenting us with his second independent release in his career, the successor of Keep It Hid from 2009.
On Waiting on a Song, Auerbach returns to successful mixture of rock sounds from the past decades and modern approach that allows the record to appear both vintage and modern. The effective production has become his trademark. The songs are three, three and a half minutes long and they come out as cocky with their grandious melodies, memorable arrangements and the right combination of socially engaged and love themes. The album also sees an impressive list of guests such as Mark Knopfler, John Prine and Duane Eddy. The guests have shared their magic and made the album more seductive and exuberant. Waiting on a Song is bursting from hits and catchy numbers and it is difficult to find any weak spots. Nothing spoils the concept, but there are some standouts. My personal favorite is Malibu Man, a track intersecting funky guitars and gospel influences. Another diamond is King of the One Horse Town. The promotional first single Shine On Me features Mark Knopfler and I can only say that it deserves to be the single.
Dan is one of the best producers out there. But, with his sophomore album, he also proves that he can be brilliant artist on his own. I cosider this record as a teaser for the upcoming The Black Keys material.
