The Alabama Shakes have shaken the foundations once again with one of the most highly-anticipated albums of 2015, Sound & Color. Following the massive success of their debut album, Boys & Girls (2012), expectations have been stacked high for their follow-up. Any concerns of a sophomore slump will immediately vanish after one good listen.
Sound & Color is a sophomore slam-dunk that tremendously expands the band’s already highly-inspired musical breadth. While Boys & Girls gave us mammoth bluesy hits such as, “Hold On” and “You Ain’t Alone,” Sound & Color pushes this Grammy nominated powerhouse’s outstanding ability even further, as they venture into new and exciting musical terrains.
The lifeblood of the band is lead singer/guitarist Brittany Howard, who continues to spread her wings most impressively. Her guitar work and vocal performances are soulful, inspired and from the depths of her fiery heart. Alabama Shakes always evokes the finest and most soulful portions of American music, creating an unflinchingly classic yet contemporary sound. This time they continue along that timeline of Rock n’ Roll, highlighting and reviving even more of the ingredients that made up some of the greatest music ever recorded.
Beginning with the impassioned title track, Howard’s vocals channel the soul of a young Curtis Mayfield. With the introduction of vibraphones, the song rises slowly like a steadily-building storm cloud. As the song culminates and after all the sounds and colors have blended perfectly, it’s clear that there is something different stirring in the pot; something fresh, bold and experimental. The following song, “Don’t Wanna Fight” swiftly picks up the pace and delivers the album’s first single. Howard’s earth-shattering vocals burst out of the speakers with no restraint and if your foot isn’t stomping by the time the funk-filled chorus comes around, you may be clinically dead.
Equally as inspired is the Zeppelin-esque “Gimme All Your Love,” which bestows an airy blues-filled sound similar to “Since I’ve Been Loving You” (minus John Bonham’s squeaky kick-pedal). Check out their recent performance of the single on SNL:
On the 60‘s-styled “Shoegaze,” Brittany seems to take on the stylings of Mick Jagger. Meanwhile, on the soul-heavy “Guess Who,” we hear echoes of “Mercy, Mercy Me” as Howard’s vocals begin to emanate the spirit of Marvin Gaye. Much of Sound & Color shares this vibe of an early 70’s soul record, especially on the softer groove “This Feeling” and the slow burn of “Gemini” on the latter end of the album.
“I don’t know whose problem it is – I don’t know whose fuck to give,” wails a heartfelt Brittany Howard on the album’s third track, “Dunes.” This and the fervid “Miss You” find the band returning to their soulful blues-rock roots. The passion simply cannot be contained as the music erupts with a remorseless fury unmatched by any band of their caliber.
Sound & Color brings back the rootsy soul from the early days of Rock n’ Roll, unearthing the natural beauty of the music that so heavily inspired the rock legends of the 60’s and 70’s. The musical design within Alabama Shakes pre-dates all of our greatest rock deities from over the past fifty-plus years. This is the heartbeat that created everything we love about Rock n’ Roll. Sound & Color is a masterful musical accomplishment in its purest form, and Alabama Shakes continues to make their increasingly permanent mark on the endless timeline of Rock n’ Roll.
By Joseph Conlon