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Alabama Shakes | Sound & Color | IMHO
I’m late to the Alabama Shakes party. My introduction to this Athens, Alabama rock band came via a video sent to me by Ray Jones of their performance of “Gimme All Your Love” on SNL (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sNNTpORtDQ). I was blown away by the moments of almost silent subtlety followed immediately by explosions of bone rattling musical intensity. Alabama Shakes found grooves that made me think of Creedence Clearwater Revival and Snarky Puppy simultaneously (these are two groups that I never thought would sit at the same lunch counter in my head. So thank you Alabama Shakes for knocking down walls of segregation in my mind). Guitarist and lead singer Brittany Howard seemed to be Tina Turner, Janis Joplin and Howlin’ Wolf all rolled up into one amazing stage and attention commanding force of nature. While watching their performance, with my face balled up into a “Is anyone else in the world hearing what I’m hearing” stank expression, I didn’t know whether to run around the room, fall in love or go insane and I think I did a little bit of it all.
Soon after the SNL performance I read that Alabama Shakes had a new album, Shakes Sound & Color, hitting store and digital shelves soon and so I familiarized myself with their previous album, Boys & Girls (https://alabamashakes.bandcamp.com/album/boys-girls). I listened to the album and wondered, how have I never heard of this group or this album! They’re amazing. I found myself readily awaiting the arrival of Shakes Sound & Color. Well the wait is over.
I think today when people think of rock and roll they think of mile a minute guitar, of vocals more shouted than sung, of spandex and of big haired bang your head metal bands. They may not think of soulful albums like Mama Said by Lenny Kravtiz or the complex melodies found on Metallica’s Black Album or Bo Diddley dressed like a member of The Temptations, with his background singers dressed like The Supremes, exciting and inciting audiences. They may not take in the full range of sounds, emotions and experiences that rock and roll has to offer, from Bad Brains to The Rolling Stones, from Fishbone to Led Zeppelin and all stops in between.
Alabama Shakes’ album Shakes Sound & Color will remind some and introduce others to what rock and roll is and what rock and roll, when done well, can be. Shakes Sound & Color harkens back to a rich tradition of music that is grounded in soul stirring vocals, masterful instrumentation and that je ne sais quoi that makes you nod your head, snap your fingers, tap your foot and press “repeat all” once the album is done.
Shakes Sound & Color begins with “Sound and Color,” which gives you a very airy Roy Ayers feel at the top, a feeling that invites you to drift away and get lost in thought. Then before you can drift too far away a head nod drum rhythm brings you back to earth just in time to be entranced by Brittany’s beautiful and powerful voice. “Don’t Wanna Fight” uses a Doobie Brother-esque groove to supplant any thought you’re currently having with the chant “I don’t want to fight no more,” and by the end of the song you realize you really don’t want to fight with anyone, anymore (at least not today). The stripped down drum and vocalization followed by stirring guitar and soothing melodies of “Dunes” could easily leave you thinking this is a song by the Beatles. The driving guitar and drum of “The Greatest” has Bo Diddley written all over it (I can see Peggy Jones aka Lady Bo dancing to it now). “Gemini” is so beautiful and moving that if I listened to it once I listened to it a dozen times. The album ends with “Over My Head,” and feels abrupt. You feel like you and this album were just starting to understand each other, suddenly it’s all over and you’re sad to have come to the end of this twelve song exploration of music and emotions. I’ve been listening to Shakes Sound & Color as I write this review and there is not a single song that is to be missed, so much so that now as the album ends I find myself reaching over and pressing… repeat all. #IMHO
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Reviews with images
Breakin' the Stereotype again- AWESOME!
This was a pirated copy- absolutely awful in this day and age to think people will steal from artists like Brittany.The album itself artistically is great but the above info is related to the MediaMine seller I bought from on Amazon and the pics are proof of what I was sold-Amazing how people can criticize this band for anything...its their second album, it is NOT supposed to sound like their first.Take in the totality of her voice, his hard hitting chords, its a like married couple with perfect rhythm and timing to each other! And of course they will have a different sound. Find me a long running band that didnt experiment a little if it all sounded the same, it would be LAME.Even Sinatra, and the Rat Pack as well, heck even Elvis had different sounds, as well as Metallica, Def Leppard, Pink Floyd, the Grateful Dead, Duran Duran, Aha from Norway, Wolfsheim, Apoptygma Berzerk, Rammstein...the future is yet to be written but I think we will see more from them.She's got the sound America needs, with none of the blame each other hate that the current music stream employs. This is what we need. It's been at least 20 years since I heard anyone sing who gave me the chills that her voice does, and that's simply because, she isn't the typical singer, and thank God (or whatever you want) for that. She is amazing.
Top reviews from other countries
BIKEel
Noch breiter aufgestellt als das erste Album
Reviewed in Germany on January 5, 2024Cliente Amazon
Ottimo cd, buona registrazione
Reviewed in Italy on November 25, 2021
