Alabama Shakes Color Outside The Lines

Alabama Shakes ratchet down the speed for the title track "Sound & Color". This leaves we the listeners the chance to let the fine granules of meaning pulse through our collective vein. This effort begins innocuously enough, with soft sensual keyboards assuming the foundation. Frankly, I was wondering when Brittany Howard was going to let her supercharged lungs kick into high gear. You can rest easy knowing she doesn't take too long to allow her presence to be supremely felt. Hers is a voice drenched in class, soul, and undeniable vitality. She's handy picking guitar too. Zac Cockrell isn't as noticeable a presence on bass but, if you linger long enough you can make out what makes him a life affirming presence in the band. Steve Johnson's percussion is not overwhelming in its delivery but, again, lean in close and you'll hear traces of what he brings to the party. I was thirty seconds into "Sound & Color", knowing full well that the song was a taut three minutes at best. I'm glad the words kicked in before it appeared all might be sacrificed on the altar of cutesy instrumentation. You'll appreciate it best going down slow and deliberate. Brittany fancies herself a modern day Aesop with her own universally noticeable fable. I bet we've all mused upon Life's strangeness. The longer you live the more apparent that becomes. In between numerous repetitions of the title Brittany steps up to the plate for her impressions of what's unfolding around her. She correctly gleans that "This life ain't like a book". I beg to differ, at least lately. What with the latest round of mass shootings, Life feels like a grim fairy tale. But I leave the world affair pondering to talking heads bearing the proper qualifications. Brittany states "I wanna touch a human being". Digital dependency appears to have eroded this vital connective tissue so Brittany's to be praised for optimism, if in fact that's what her words convey. In the video outer space takes center stage. Wonder what visiting space aliens would think of our kind based on recent behaviors. I appreciate Alabama Shakes shifting to an easygoing frame of mind as opposed to the rich gumbo bubbling up from "Don't Wanna Fight". That shows us the band isn't some one trick pony milking ghosts of soulful fret picking past. Brittany, if you got the chance to see her sing on venerable Saturday Night Live, lights up when the spotlight lands on her. The others know full well to follow her lead and, don't get caught up in asking too many burdensome questions. The video imagery glides along in a similar fashions to the overall beat. The group's steadily garnering a richly deserved reputation. "Sound & Color" sounds like the ideal morsel to put additional cement on that rep.