Kevin - 5/1/2012

After 12 months of rave reviews for live shows, US TV appearances, being championed by Jack White, Adele and Alex Turner, and crowned 'Best Guitar Band in the World' by NME, Alabama Shakes' debut album has finally arrived. With only Lana Del Rey having inspired more blog hysteria in the past year is it possible they could live up to the hype?
For those who've somehow missed the buzz, Alabama Shakes are a young four piece from Athens, Alabama. They play a brand of music that seems to take most of it's references from pre 1975 - a mash-up of vintage rock'n'roll, southern soul and rhythm and blues, a bit of Creedence Clearwater Revival and even a touch of Led Zep. What holds it all together and makes it more than tasteful retro nostalgia is the added punk spirit and the compelling presence of guitarist, singer and principal songwriter Brittany Howard.
Howard's singing voice is a huge instrument, powerful, emotional, raw, it's immediately reminiscent of Janis Joplin with a hint of Beth Ditto and even a little Robert Plant. Her songwriting voice is arresting too, full of natural, conversational tales of a young woman running around, working, loving, partying, hanging out and dreaming of escape and something more. The album kicks off with the single "Hold On", Howard singing "Bless my heart, bless my soul, I didn't think I'd make it to 22 years old" over an instantly memorable loping rhythm. Another standout is "You ain't alone" where the piano arrangement and tender emotion of Howard's vocals have more than a hint of Otis Redding. "Goin' to a Party" is a fingerclicking tale of fighting and dancing and the affecting waltz of the title track relates the story of Howard's childhood friendship with a boy that was deemed unsuitable by others. Through it all the singer is supported by a tight band of guitar, bass, drums and keyboards providing swampy grooves and earthy, back-to-basics rock'n'roll.
Frontloading the album with the strongest tracks and not enough thought about sequencing means there is a feeling of "Boys & Girls" running out of steam towards the end and there are issues with the production which manages to be both muddy and too careful. Anyone with the good fortune to see the Shakes play live (or just spent half and hour online watching the plentiful footage) will probably feel initial disappointment that the vibrancy of their live performances hasn't quite translated to the recording, but they're hardly the first rock 'n roll band to struggle with that.
In the end, "Boys & Girls" is a solid, not earth-shattering record, the sound of a young band with plenty of promise but still working out exactly what they want to be. It certainly proves there is some substance to the hype and in "Hold On" it gives us one of the most memorable songs of the year.