Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls

Hype can be a dangerous thing, especially when it's loud and prevalent and has critics drawing comparisons to bands like the Black Keys and the White Stripes. That can be the perfect set up for a let down. But sometimes, the hype is well deserved and the band lives up to the praise and critical acclaim.

Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls

The debut album from the Alabama Shakes is an in-your-face blend of enthusiastic blues rock and passionate Southern soul. Formed in Athens, Alabama, the band is made up of lead singer and guitarist Brittany Howard, guitarist Heath Fogg, bassist Zac Cockrell, and drummer Steve Johnson. They produce a strong brand of American rock and roll that at times sounds classic and at others sounds refreshing, always driven by Howard's gritty and powerful vocals and a straight-forward approach.

The band is riding their wave of hype and have blistered through the late-night TV circuit, the SXSW showcase, a sold-out tour, and were billed as the opening act for Jack White's spring solo tour. They've become renowned for their live performances, which are full of intensity and energy.

Their approach is noble in its simplicity. The two guitars churning out rock riffs, heavy drum rhythms, perfectly timed bass, and the vocals that shake the room are pure bliss. The album has soaring anthems such as the standout "Hold On" and slow moving, organ wailing, heartbreaking ballads like "Heartbreaker." The soul is perfectly apparent in the swinging rhythm and chorus of "Hang Loose" or the smooth flow of "Rise to the Sun." In it's entirety, the record moves at a steady pace and could be enjoyed in any setting. Hell, I even play this album at work for my coworkers as background music to the clicking away of keyboards and brainstorming meetings, and everyone loves it, no matter their musical preference.

Alabama Shakes' first album is something you could really sink your teeth into. The band is rough around the edges, real, and gutty. You feel the reverberations of Howard's singing and delight in the raw emotion of it. You sense the tightness of the band of the seamless, intertwining dance of the instruments. You say to yourself, "This album has spirit, it rocks." 

Album Highlights: Hold On, Hang Loose, I Ain't the Same, Goin' to the Party, I Found You