Dan Auerbach, famous for his role in the garage rock duo The Black Keys, has wandered into a darker realm of music releasing an album with a new arrangement of artists under the name The Arcs. Yours, Dreamily, the group’s debut album, was released on Sept. 4.
With the roots of its style in the name, it’s a heavy-hearted soul album that flows from whimsical melodies to fleeting pangs, and crashes that are influenced by a spectrum of genres. The Arcs released three singles earlier this summer to give listeners a taste of what was to come.
“Outta My Mind,” the most popular and catchy, “Stay in My Corner,” a soft, bluesy tune and “Put a Flower in Your Pocket,” an interesting synthetic driven piece that draws a distinguished line from Auerbach’s previous work.
What was meant to be a solo project quickly developed into an experimental psychedelic rock collaboration with other artists including Homer Steinweiss, Mark Ronson, Nick Movshon (who played bass on Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab”), Richard Swift, and Leon Michels. The group contributed to the jazz and blues’ influences heard on the album, especially in “Velvet Ditch,” where brassy notes punch out in the trippy melodies.
Yours, Dreamily, streams a distorted flow of sound that can feel melancholy and fleeting at times, but captures moments of revelation. With an assortment of sounds throughout the album, grimy guitar solos and the familiar harsh tones of the Black Keys can be heard, especially in “The Arc”.
Softer vocals and backup singing from an all-female mariachi band who deliver strong vocal support for the chorus in “Chains of Love” compliment the laissez-faire style that Auerbach is using to transition into a relaxing sound.
The ending of the album has chillwave, lo-fi sound, especially in “Nature’s Child” and “Searching for Blue,” that end the dream state that the album induces. The Arcs were successful in the collaborative effort to release a fulfilling album that’s devoted to being original. Yours, Dreamily, truly creates a pleasant “dazed and confused” reverie that is worthy of your time.
