Music Monday with PLC is a weekly feature written by my husband, Pat.
Find out the back story + check out the full archives HERE .
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Alabama Shakes
[photo by jennifer; review by pat]
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Pat walks into a bar...
Pat: “I just got the alabama shakes.”
Bartender: “Oh man, is it contagious?”
Pat: “Why yes, it kind of is.”
Thanks everyone, I will be here every Monday.
The Alabama Shakes are tearing it up on their debut album Boys & Girls (USA - ATO Records, Europe - Rough Trade Records). They are a band in their early twenties playing like a bunch of southern soul veterans and getting a lot of much deserved love thrown their way. Led by dynamo lead singer Brittany Howard who mixes up a little Janis Joplin, Jack White, and Otis Redding while grabbing the mic and taking complete charge. Like Springsteen, the whole time you listen to this album you think to yourself, “This must be awesome to see live.” Wonder no more -
One of my favorite things about the Alabama Shakes, however, is that Brittany is confident enough to pull off one of the best rock moves in the first single “Hold On”: she name-checks herself in the third person right in the song. Pat likes that kinda stuff -
For all of you people who bought Sheryl Crow’s 100 Miles from Memphis album: first of all, my condolences. Second of all, this is probably the album she was trying to make. Southern soul music with a rock sensibility, and more importantly without the fear of Kid Rock popping in to stink up the whole joint. Surprisingly, there are no horns on the album, but I like that this allows the Allman Brothers style guitar licks and Booker T inspired organ to shine through. And also, you have to leave something for album number two. It would be interesting to hear them with a hot producer next, kind of like what Danger Mouse achieved with the Black Keys.
Alabama Shakes are on tour and headed for a town near you, so be sure and check them out.
- PLC
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MORE:
- last time - Norah Jones
- a while back - The Faces
- full archive of Music Monday with PLC - HERE
