I need to preface this: This album is one of my favorite albums to ever be created in this lifetime. No exaggeration here.
From start to finish it’s full of nose-scrunching good music that combines punk, funk, and blues, all wrapped in beautiful instruments to create a new wave of rock and roll that you wouldn’t expect.
The band got its start after frontwoman Brittany Howard and bassist Zac Cockrell met in their high school psychology class and bonded over a love of Led Zeppelin and The Ramones. After the two graduated, they approached drummer Steve Johnson about joining then later convinced guitarist Heath Fogg to leave a rival band and join them.
Alabama Shakes’ sophomore album debuted at number one on Billboard’s Top 200 in the US and received four grammy nominations: Album of the Year, Best Alternative Music Album, and Best Performance/ Best Rock Song (Don’t Wanna Fight).
The album’s most notable song, Don’t Wanna Fight, hits you with the most incredibly soulful squeal that will ever grace your ears at the start the song after a gradual build of guitar and drums.
Howard credits the song’s inspiration in part to global warfare and in part to the band members’ own difficulties in trying to start out their band while also balancing day jobs and personal lives. She told UK’s The Independent that it’s about “when you’re working to get ahead but you can’t because every time you try, someone gonna take it from you”.
One of my personal favorite songs from the album, Miss You, is a slow melody with a hard-hitting chorus that follows a heartbreaking love story.
Miss You follows a couple, based on a real-life pair Howard knows, who are both addicted to crystal meth. She described writing the song to Uncut, “it was so toxic and weird and I wanted to write a love song that wasn’t like a normal love song… it’s about two people ruining each other for everyone except themselves”.
Each song on this album is an incredible example of the band’s talent and musical ability. They each take you to a different place, allowing you to feel an array of emotion. Be sure to give them all a listen and let me know what your favorites are in the comments below.
Shea's FDOM Blog 