Alabama Shakes "Sound & Color" (2015)

Sound & Color
release date: Apr. 21, 2015
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: Blake Mills, Alabama Shakes
label: Rough Trade - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Sound & Color" - 2. "Don't Wanna Fight" (4 / 5) (live in studio) - 4. "Future People" (live in studio) - 5. "Gimme All Your Love" (4 / 5) (live on SNL) - 7. "Guess Who" - 8. "The Greatest" - 9. "Shoegaze"

2nd studio album by Alabama Shakes released on ATO Records in the US and by Rough Trade Records in the EU is the closely continued journey from the fine debut Boys & Girls from 2012. Almost all tracks are entirely written by the band's undisputed leader, Brittany Howard.
Compared to the brilliant debut, the style and sound is almost identical on this one - the songs are there and it's basically a more than fine follow-up that nearly turns out just as brilliant. Only slight difference, as I hear it, is a more soulful blues rock building on r&b and a little less garage rock.
The musicians in this band are just sublime, and it says more than anything that the band's official videos are live studio recordings. And Brittany... well, that woman is on top of it all. She rules!
This album is simply one of the best releases in 2015.
[ allmusic.com, The Independent, NME 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Spin 7,5 / 10 stars ]

2015 Favourite releases: 1. Mellemblond Fra et sted - 2. Paul Weller Saturns Pattern - 3. The Alabama Shakes Sound & Color

Alabama Shakes "Boys & Girls" (2012)

Boys & Girls [debut]
release date: Apr. 9, 2012
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,04]
producer: Alabama Shakes and Andrija Tokic
label: Rough Trade Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Hold On" (4 / 5) (live on SNL) - 2. "I Found You" (4 / 5) (live on KEXP) - 3. "Hang Loose" - 4. "Rise to the Sun" (4,5 / 5) (live on KEXP, and live on 'Live on the Green') - 8. "Boys & Girls" - 9. "Be Mine" (live on Later with Jools Holland)
[ full 'Live performance on KEXP', Dec. 2012 ]

Studio debut album by Alabama Shakes is a great album that really rocks. It's a sublime combo of soul, r&b, blues rock and garage rock, which makes me think of Amy Winehouse doing rock. Brittany Howard is the leading star of the band with her unique voice and she really knows how to play blues rock on her electrified jazz guitar. I've heard and seen them in many live performances and that's truly their playground 'cause not many artists nowadays perform that great live, or at least not as convincing as Alabama Shakes. This is one of the best albums of the year and naturally, it's highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, The Telegraph 4 / 5, The Independent 5 / 5 stars ]

2012 Favorite releases: 1. Marie Key De her dage - 2. Paul Banks Banks - 3. Alabama Shakes Boys & Girls [debut]

Alabama Shakes

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Alabama Shakes: formed 2009, Athens (AL), USA; Initially the band was a trio (without Heath) that made a demo tape. Heath Fogg (who knew Brittany from high school) listened to the demo, and he asked if the trio would play a live concert before his own band should play, on the condition that he could play with them at the concert. They agreed, and (also because that concert was a huge success) the band was then a quartet, The Shakes that eventually became The Alabama Shakes.
Band members: Brittany Howard (vocals, guitar), Heath Fogg (guitar), Zac Cockrell (bass), Steve Johnson (drums); aka The Shakes

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