“Sound and Color” – an album that has truly given me a more intense musical frisson. Listening to any full record is always an experience, but Alabama Shakes create music that is one for admiration.
Starting out in Athens, Ala., this group of young dreamers has mashed the best of soul and alternative rock, creating songs with raw beats and an electrifying feel.
It’s almost like they are bringing back an oldies vibe with “Sound and Color,” which sets them apart from the rest, since it seems that most artists these days are starting to all sound the same.
Their first album,“Boys & Girls,” was released in 2012, and it opened the opportunity for small concerts and appearances at music festivals for the quartet.
“Boys & Girls” had more of an ordinary feel with a summer music approach, utilizing high beats and acoustic guitars. As the album’s fame grew, there was no doubt that fans were eager for more to come. Their hard work ended with three Grammy nominations at the end of the year, including Best New Artist.
The eagerness for more music sprang within myself when I was introduced to the band not too long ago. Hearing “Boys & Girls” was one thing, but what won me over was their single “Gimme All Your Love” from their 2015 album. They had completely changed their dynamic for the better.
I was listening to this with my friends, and mid-song, when I was already falling in love, one of my friends asked, “Would you believe me if I told you this song gets better?” And it did. Without question, the bridge’s chords are a work of art.
This particular song, in my opinion, is the album’s strong point. It has an extremely well matched lyric and provoking tune duo.
It tells a story through lyrics, of course, but mostly through the sound of Brittany Howard’s powerful and beautifully strong voice accompanied by fierce in-and-out beats that create combinations rarely used in music today.
It moves you. You can feel the sincerity to your core. And this was just the beginning.
I think that, in general, we all have relationships that are important and meaningful, but sometimes one speck of miscommunication or even no communication can leave us so frustrated and at a loss for words. In this song, you can truly feel the depth of the meaning of the simple line, “Give me all your love.”
In the third track, “Dunes,” the band reveals another in-depth and personal feeling: “I swam from the terrible dust. / I don’t know whose problem it is. / I don’t know whose love to give. / I’m losing it.”
In response, the first thing that comes to mind is that this is what a person thinks about at a truly dazed point, because in reality we all get confused. Most times what we think about and what we want to say is usually left unspoken. And yet, Howard conveys it through the lyrics. The band opens their heart for listeners.
What makes the rest of the album masterful as a whole? The same intensifying sound carries on throughout the album. For me, a large range of sound can take place throughout this record, but a calming feeling can remain.
The word “color” so well represents the amount of truth that comes behind the actual lyrics. The words being sung are colorful, no matter what emotion comes from them.
While “Boys and Girls” is easily relatable, this new album is more heartfelt and lively.
Music can do a lot of things for me, but while I am listening to “Sound and Color” I find myself wanting to move with every beat. I find myself feeling a sense of gratitude toward the band for allowing themselves to be vulnerable.
My intention for this is to give you an opportunity to experience a speck of deep thought aside from our daily routines.
The fact that this album is so real adds to all the wonders music can bring. Because it allows so many feelings of relatability, this is an album worth listening to.
