Dan Auerbach, vocalist and guitarist for The Black Keys, is one of the best producers in the past decade. When he produces, he makes the album the artist’s best. For example, Lana Del Rey’s Ultraviolence, produced by Auerbach, is her most compositionally interesting album. However, this talent does not always translate to The Black Keys. Their most recent album, 2014’s Turn Blue, was a giant swing and a miss.
Auerbach’s side project, The Arcs, released their first and only album, Yours, Dreamily, in 2015. Although released only a year apart, the albums have a stark difference in sound. Yours, Dreamily sounds refined and more experimental.
Along with Auerbach, The Arcs are made up of Leon Michels, Homer Steinweiss and Nick Movshon who work closely with artists such as Solange, and with contributions from New York-based, all-girl Mariachi band Mariachi Flor de Toloache, Kenny Vaughan and Tchad Blake. Auerbach assembled a master team of musicians, and it paid off. The Black Keys, especially in Turn Blue, sounded stale. After producing for a while, Auerbach sounds refreshed.
The Arcs created an album that contrasts Auerbach’s Akron-based upbringing. It is reminiscent of southwestern garage rock, with Mariachi-style guitars to emphasize the crooning qualities of his voice.
The Arcs’ broader sounds expand into a rock and roll The Black Keys were never able to reach. It pushes Auerbach’s limits, exploring slower and bolder sounds. The Arcs resonate with me more than The Black Keys with a more unique and genuine sound. Working with new artists, as both a producer and in The Arcs gives Auerbach the freedom to search for an interesting sound, and he does just that. He finds a new identity with a new sound that just works for him.
In songs such as “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” and “Everything You Do (You Do For You)”, Auerbach explores the boundaries of both his voice and effects. He plays around with effects that give The Arcs’ sound a haunting appeal. Both lyrically and musically, The Arcs surpass The Black Keys.
I don’t mean to discredit The Black Keys’ work. Auerbach and the co-founder and drummer, Patrick Carney, make a fantastic team. However, after having been together since 2001, some space to work with other extremely talented musicians was exactly what Auerbach needed to find a refreshing new sound.
Shelby Campbell is a freshman studying journalism and political science at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. What do you think of The Arcs? Let Shelby know by tweeting her @bloodbuzzohioan.
