Posted on 04/16/2012 4:13:02 PM PDT by chasio649
Fans of soul music revivalists such as Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings will want to check out this debut album by Alabama Shakes.
This Athens, Ala., quartet hones its soulful rock even further back to basics than most similar modern performers, all the way down to the barest organic essentials.
"Boys & Girls" contains no blaring horns, orchestrations or electronic tricks, just Heath Fogg's prominent guitar riffs, an airtight rhythm section, Brittany Howard's vocal pyrotechnics and an abiding love of the Stax/Volt Memphis sound of the 1960s.
"Hold On" showcases the band's strengths, using its small-combo punch to full advantage as Fogg's chunky guitar riffs underpin Howard's elastic vocal flights. "Hang Loose" is even better, with its unusual swaying guitar hook and pounding piano creating an irresistible rhythmic groove.
Howard's powerhouse voice dominates the band's sound, but she needs every ounce of her talent and grit to carry off "Heartbreaker," a rousing old-school rhythm and blues wailer adorned with steamy organ fills.
Only on "You Ain't Alone" does she overplay her hand. Her attempts to bring extra emotion to this simple ballad cross over into shrillness and cliched diva maneuvers.
But overall, the combination of the band's propulsive dynamics with Howard's combustive vocals makes "Boys & Girls" an entrancing debut. Factor in a
few more consistently good songs and a few less predictable arrangements, and there's no telling how far this outfit can go.
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Saw these guys at Wanee last year. Very, very good.
Caught a link on Garden & Gun Magazine’s website....great stuff.
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