Brittany Howard lives up to female vocalist legacy with raw, rock ‘n’ roll energy
With British powerhouse vocalists like Adele and Florence Welch taking over the airwaves in recent years it’s about time that America gave the world a soul diva of its own.
Brittany Howard, lead singer of Alabama Shakes, is the answer to this prayer. On the group’s full-length debut, “Boys and Girls,” the frontwoman shows off raw rock ‘n’ roll energy, Southern charm and a set of pipes that rival recent Grammy winners and old-school crooners alike.
The band, an Americana/soul quartet out of Athens, Ala., formed while Howard and bassist Zac Cockrell were in high school. The group recorded a few tracks in Nashville in early 2011 and played a show at a record store there.
A fan in attendance at the Nashville show told Justin Gage, founder of the Los Angeles-based music blog Aquarium Drunkard, about Alabama Shakes. Gage liked the group’s sound and posted their track “You Ain’t Alone” on the blog, helping the band capture the hearts of listeners across the country.
Alabama Shakes released a four-song EP in September 2011, but “Boys and Girls” is the band’s first major release. The 11-song album spans a variety of genres, from soul to indie rock, and sounds like it would’ve been as much of a hit 50 years ago as it is today.
“Hold On,” the album’s lead single, has Howard making major dynamic changes, from soft, calm tones to powerful, gritty screaming. “I Found You” sounds like an old standard that would fit into an Etta James or Billie Holiday album if either of those soulful ladies were alive to make music in 2012. The band’s backup vocals blend well with Howard’s heavy belting and the tambourine and guitars add to the organic mix.
“Hang Loose” is a happy-go-lucky song that would be the perfect soundtrack to an afternoon picnic or weekend road trip. Howard’s voice slides up and down the scale and she puts listeners at ease with lyrics like: “We gonna fly to Waikiki / It’ll just be you and me.”
Howard seems to channel Amy Winehouse in the opening of “Rise to the Sun,” but the song quickly takes a turn in a different direction, with punky guitars, crashing cymbals and a couple of blues riffs, creating a track that could be right at home on the next Black Keys or Arctic Monkeys album.
The band’s breakout track, “You Ain’t Alone,” is featured on “Boys and Girls” and it’s obvious why the song caught the attention of so many music fans. The heartfelt ballad is full of emotion, deep lyrics and some of the most beautiful singing music fans can buy.
Alabama Shakes isn’t the only throwback band on the scene right now, but it has one of the strongest singers in the business. Over the course of the record, Howard will make you smile, cry, dance and scream right along with her. With Howard behind the microphone, the band will be cranking out hits for years to come.