First Impressions: Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color

By Stephanie Roush

I very clearly remember the first time I heard Brittany Howard’s voice; I was sitting in the studio of my college radio station and my friend put on “Hold On” – the breakout hit from their first album. For the unprepared me, it almost goes without saying that I nearly fell off my chair.

Since my introduction to the Alabama Shakes three years ago I’ve seen them numerous times live – even once in Brazil – I still find myself returning to Boys & Girls for another dose of their raucous, emotional sound.

Next Monday, April 20, their sophomore album Sound & Color will be released on ATO Records. Their albums’ titles practically tell the story themselves. The raw, effusive power of Boys & Girls that relied heavily on the difficulty of growing up and figuring out the intricacies of life and love has matured and evolved.

Sound & Color seems to capture the literal flurry of sound and color the band has experienced as they have made the transition from a virtually unknown Southern rock group to bonafide superstars. The sweetly melodic “This Feeling” begs the listener to “please don’t take my feeling,” proving that they don’t quite believe the swift and vast success they’ve had either. Songs like “This Feeling” and “Over My Head” provide a necessary reprieve of soulful ponderings from their more hard-hitting numbers like “Future People” and “Don’t Wanna Fight.”

What I like about Sound & Color is the Shakes’ newfound confidence that shines forth from every guitar lick and funky syncopation. There is a sense that they know they deserve your attention because what they’re making is better than anything they’ve ever made before. From the surprisingly apt violins on “Guess Who” to the fearless psychedelic riffs of “Future People” Sound & Color proves that the Alabama Shakes are not only capable of incredible musical versatility, but that they’re not scared of it either.

Sound & Color is not merely a well-produced rock album that harkens back to the sounds of the greats like Sly and the Family Stone or Lynyrd Skynyrd. It is an album that predicts its own success with its special brand of musical boldness that could only come from the American South. Sound & Color is not just an album, but a revelation.

8.7/10