Alabama Shakes
Sound & Color
Did you know I discovered Alabama Shakes?
I discovered them before anybody else did because I read about them on a blog. But that blogger shouldn't get credit for discovering them because....well JUST BECAUSE.
I DID.
Seriously though. I love seeing deserving bands on that ground level and then watching them rise to the penthouse. I know I have nothing to do with their success, but for some reason I feel their pride. Everybody has that band, or even a couple of bands, they share pride this with.
When Joel and I went on a date night one cold December in 2011 we saw them at The Hideout (seriously, click on this fucking picture) in Chicago, a venue with a 150 person capacity, we were close enough to get sweat on and give appreciation hugs after the show. It was one of those shows where we just knew that we will never get the chance to be intimate with them again. I'm sure the Hideout has that concert poster hanging somewhere on their wall today and when people walk past it they probably think to themselves 'fuck, I would've loved to be at that show because now the Alabama Shakes are selling out theaters, headlining festivals, and lead singer Brittany Howard was performing with fucking legends (only Elton John, Mavis Staples, etc.) at the Grammys in 2013.
Proud.
Sound & Color, Alabama Shakes' new album is coming out today. Based on our history with them, a New Release Tuesday was a must. Initially, the entire staff was on board to give their opinion, but after a flurry of excuses, which I will list below, me and Joel were the only ones standing.
- Brando blamed 4/20.
- Emp blamed 4/20.
- Johnny was busy on set shooting an Oil of Olay commercial.
- Ralph was too busy taking selfies of the gray hairs sprouting up on his head.
- Chris Ballz was too busy looking down his nose at everyone.
- Tim was accompanying Chris.
- Del......well, Del is Del.....a shit head.
Forget those fuckers though. Enjoy.
Syffal Staff Opinions
Gimmie All Your Love. I fear I've come predictable, 93.3% of the time time my favorite song on any album is the most soulful. And this track has some sensh dripping soul, bro. The beginning starts out like Timber Timbre's Hot Dreams punctuated by huge riffs. That suspenseful play between the soft sensual and the hard hitting is some fucking George Costanza 'stop short' Tantric action.
Sitting in a chair next to a lamp in front of some huge speakers ala the Maxwell cassette tapes ad from the 80s. Sonically the albums blows your hair back. Alabama Shakes have hit it big and now have the money to record in the big boy studios with the big boy sound nerds.
Brittany Howard with some D'Angelo braids. Especially later on the album and specifically on the track 'Gemini'.
Here is the thing.
Alabama Shakes are pulling out all the tricks in their chest proving they're not a one trick (sound) pony and I appreciate the Fuck out of it. While Boys & Girls was more blues heavy, Sound & Color dabbles more in the experimental R&B area. In addition to D'angelo, I hear some Smokey Robinson, some Prince, even a little Zappa. But there is still some of the underlying Joe Cocker soul and Zepplin-esque riffs. All of this mixes together flawlessly and there are moments on this album when you mutter to yourself 'HOLY shit'.
But their is a 'but' coming.
At some moments they lose themselves in experimentation and I start to get bored. There are a few too many of these moments for my liking and that may keep it from being a 'constant rotation' album.
However, the good out weighs the meh and I highly recommend you give Sound & Color a listen based on the creativity alone. Ultimately I'm having a hard time forming an opinion though. Come back to me in a month when I'm better able to wrap my head around this new Alabama Shakes steeze. I'll either love it, or I'll completely have forgotten about it. Thus, my star rating is at a flexible 7 and I reserve the right to alter my starz in the upcoming months.
Don't Wanna Fight. I fucking love the Budos Band vibe of this track, and the fact that Brittany is FINALLY SCREAMING, jesus balls on a cherry red Gibson SG this song is fucking smoooooooooooth balls. I like how I can tell she's got her guitar around her back, giving only lip service to the mic, and she's layin' the shit on thiiiiiiiiiick. A close second is Guess Who, who has so many slick riffboners I'm surprised I'm not already naked.
Cleaning the house on a Sunday afternoon. This whole album is hum to yourself in your skivvies smooth shit. Also, singing into a mop handle is totes acceptable.
Audiophilles praising the amazing audio quality of such a recording that combines both the throwback asthetic and the fast-forward future sex love sounds on this sumbitch. This is the album that sets the bar for dusty soul in 2015.
As an admitted Alabama Shakes live in concert fanboy, this album is WAAAAAAAAY better than I imagined it would be. It's sonically one of the more perfectly recorded and mastered albums I've ever heard. While I don't enjoy every song by any means, I can listen to every song without hating my life. It's seriously worthy of merit simply on how crisp it sounds, but the songwriting skills of these fuckers is no doubt blossoming on some serious "show me your undies bro" steeze. *I AM NOT TRANSLATING THAT MANG*