Fans of The Black Keys have reason to celebrate (or at least grow curious), since guitarist and singer Dan Auerbach’s first solo album, Keep It Hid, hits wide release on February 10^th.  The album, to be released by Nonesuch, trades The Black Keys’ blues-rock (described by Auerbach as a “two-man stomp”) for full band arrangements of 14 traditional Americana-style songs, all Auerbach originals.

According to the press release, the songwriter’s eclecticism will be on full display, as he tackles styles including “bluegrass, country balladry, Memphis-style R&B, fuzzed-out psychedelic rock, and low-down blues.”  Self-produced and recorded with friends in his own studio, Keep It Hid should, at the very least, provide an indication of Auerbach’s contributions to The Black Keys sound.

Songs featured on the artist’s MySpace page evidence the lived-in feel of the recordings and the artist’s natural inclination for this songwriting direction.

Dan Auerbach and his band will hit the road promoting Keep It Hid starting in late February.

Dates are as follows:

February 28th – 9:30 Club – Washington, District of Columbia
March 1st – Paradise Club – Boston, Massachusetts
March 2nd – Music Hall of Williamsburg – Brooklyn, New York
March 3rd – Bowery Ballroom – New York, New York
March 5th – Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, Ohio
March 6th – Metro – Chicago, Illinois
March 7th – First Avenue – Minneapolis, Minnesota
March 10th – The Showbox – Seattle, Washington
March 11th – Wonder Ballroom – Portland, Oregon
March 13th – Bimbo’s – San Francisco, California
March 14th – El Rey Theatre – Los Angeles, California