Alabama Shakes
Sound & Color (ATO)
Behold, the power of the voice of Brittany Howard. The Alabama Shakes frontwoman has pipes like a torrential rainstorm in the middle of a hot southern summer, often leading to comparisons with the likes of Janis Joplin and Howlin' Wolf. As a result, Alabama Shakes are often filed under "throwback", or "blues revivalists", all of which hold some validity, but with their follow up to 2012's Grammy-nominated debut, we see Alabama Shakes veering off the path of the glorified past.
Songs like "Sound and Color" and "This Feeling" are laid back in a relaxed ‘70s soul pocket, finding all the right angular moments of a shimmering guitar or distorted organ to bring new light to an often overused reference point. "Don't Wanna Fight" and "The Greatest" surge forward like a garage punk explosion. However versatile the band may be, this is Howard's show, and as she howls, screeches, screams and croons, you get the feeling that you're hearing a voice coated with every colour in the spectrum of human emotion.
Rating:★★★★1/2
