The Alabama Shakes—formerly the Shakes, whom I wrote about back in
early August—released their debut EP on Tuesday. Fans of sweaty heart-on-the-sleeve soul music and southern-fried rock will find a wealth of musical riches here from the Brittany Howard-led Athens, Alabama group. While bands regularly channel 1960s soul music—here specifically, the Stax Records sound—few do it with the raw, hard-edged, and nearly reckless sincerity heard in this EP. And while Howard's resonant soul-stirring vocals are clearly the difference-maker here, the Alabama Shakes fire on all cylinders: from the riff- and hook-heavy guitar work to the steady bass grooves and splashy drums, this is a dynamite young quartet on the rise.
Pick up the Alabama Shakes debut EP via Bandcamp.
