Recorded in Nashville and co-produced by the band with Blake Mills, Sound & Colour has indeed, as the title suggests, a more expansive and vibrant feel, as on the short lead and title track itself, with pulsing keys leading into a fusion of their previous sound with an experimental edge. It's a statement of intent from the four piece before they had settle into their previous mode of ballsy soulful blues-rock on Don't Wanna Fight. The voice is passionate, the drums big and raw, before Howard gets her Mayfield funk on with the repeating refine of 'don't wanna fight no more'. Then, there's Dunes, another experimental forage in to turn of the 70s super-raw Neil Young territory, before the sound of key strings emerge, incongruously mixed low, the tune fading out via a mild cacophony of increasingly mangled guitar, distorted piano strings and Howard's controlled howl. Meanwhile, Booker T, one of the most obvious sound signposts of Alabama Shakes, then and now, is brought to mind via the guitar intro of their classic Time is Tight, on Future People, Curtis Mayfield also re-imagined as Howard reaches for the high notes.
While there isn't anything here approaching the catchy as hell Hold On from Boys and Girls, the band come close in the shape of Gimme All Your Love, Howard again giving it her all, her voice sometimes cracking on the strain, as the song see-saws between the spacious verses and exploding chorus, before once again segueing into what seems like a altogether new song, a groovy soulful-funk instrumental passage, followed by some deep buzzing guitar. It's all seamlessly put together.
The relatively mellow This Feeling offers some respite from the hard bluesy flavours, as acoustic and very basic percussion, and gospel overtones, take over for this simple message of knowing that everything is going to be alright. Following this, and further showcasing their new found eclecticism and versatility is the vaguely ska influenced rhythms of Guess Who, while The Greatest is a blast of demo-quality garage punk, like a lo-fi Parquet Courts, Howard's laugh at the end giving away the fact that this cannot be more than an inspired rehearsal for a half-formed song, despite the temporary detour into a rock'n'roll waltz. Meanwhile, Shoegaze has a foot in the contemporary modern alt-rock sound, with it's uplifting chugging mid-tempo grooves, and upfront guitar lines, and key stabs.
On to the final straight, and the band bring it down somewhat with the Otis Redding and Try A Little Tenderness inspired Miss You, Howard once again delivering an electric performance, while both the laboured Gemini (also with a very noisy keyboard sound) and Over My Head are further psychedelic soul excursions, the former dipping a toe into modern r'n'b territory, the latter a mellow electro-soul-jazz piece. Both perhaps, pointers to the future…
Like Boys and Girls, Sound & Colour is the sound of an honest and raw band, the warm analogue glow positively embracing you out of the speakers. Beyond the sound and the performances, there is however, plenty of room for improvement in the songwriting department, some of Sound & Colour is really just song scraps, shrewdly obscured somewhat by some arresting arrangements and sounds, Howard's purposefully distorted voice, and a production that makes Jack White sound polished. Still, Alabama Shakes are a band worth celebrating, best heard on the live stage, where they truly excel.
Jeff Hemmings
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