Alabama Shakes - "Boys & Girls" review

Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls (5 stars)

In the early part of this year, I was washing clothes and to pass the time I was flipping through the pages of Rolling Stone magazine. In the first few pages of this particular version, there was a piece spotlighting lesser-known artists. The name of one band, Alabama Shakes, caught my attention because it contained the state I reside in. I don't remember details of what the writer said, but I remember there being praise for their live performance. I remembered the name but didn't think much of checking them out because I wasn't sure if I would like their music. And that turned out to be a big mistake.

A short time after reading that article I saw that Jack White's Third Man Records label was putting out a live release of Alabama Shakes. Admittedly, I became intrigued in a "Well, if he likes them I really need to check them out" kind of deal. I spent the next few weeks obliterating the replay button on any videos I could find featuring the band on YouTube. At the time, they only had a four song EP out and I kick myself for not picking it up because it is no longer available.

It contained four tracks: "Hold On," "I Found You," "On Your Way" and "You Ain't Alone." It was a small sample, but it was just enough to show that the band had all the ingredients to make them stand out. For one, the music doesn't pigeon-hole itself to one genre, but it's not all over the place either. If you had to describe it with musical tones, maybe the best would be classic bluesy southern rock for the 21st century.

The EP left me and a plethora of other fans (including Hayley Williams and anybody who has had the chance to see them live) waiting for the release of a full length album, which came just a couple weeks ago. There were fears that the album wouldn't live up to the hype, which is crazy when you think about. Most bands breaking in have to spend years touring on a debut album before you start to get recognized, but the Shakes seemed to be working in reverse.

Those fears were gone not even ten minutes into Boys & Girls. A non-EP song doesn't make it's debut until track 3 but the presence of "Hang Loose" is definitely felt as the band turns it up a notch. "Rise to the Sun" and "Heartbreaker" are also stand out tracks that show the vocal range of Brittany Howard, who is clearly the star of the show. It's too early to tell if that's going to be a detriment to the band as a whole, which would be a shame because the three guys rounding out the Shakes are obviously talented.

But Howard pulls you in with the strain in her voice and her storytelling, even namedropping herself in "Hold On." An early favorite for me was "Be Mine" where an F bomb is subtly dropped toward the end of the second verse, the only time the band takes the vocals beyond a PG level. But it's used so well that it only gets you even more wrapped up in the song.

A lot can be said that in an 11-track album there is only one weak song, "Going to the Party." Even more can be said that its main weakness is its length, clocking in at just under two minutes. But in the grand scheme of things it serves as sort of a breather in an album full of powerful tracks.

Part Janis Joplin, part Black Keys, part Otis Redding and part Led Zeppelin (click the text for an amazing cover), The Alabama Shakes combine similar sounds to make a whole new one themselves. From beginning to end, Boys & Girls is an album that you absolutely feel when you listen to it, which is rare in music nowadays.

Also, admittedly there is a bit of bias because the band resides only a couple hours from where I live. When "homestate" artists get on a national spotlight, it's vital to support them. It's nicer when those artists are this amazing. So if you haven't already, pick up this album and prepare to go on a musical journey. You won't be disappointed.

Why I Am Returning to Warped Tour

image taken from pegasus news

Three words: Taking Back Sunday

The announcement of one of my all-time favorite bands returning to the annual touring carnival of music known as The Vans Warped Tour was all I needed to hear. I immediately texted my PIC (partner in concert) and told her that we would be making a comeback.

The reason why I use the words “return” and “comeback” is because after Warped Tour 2010, I thought I was done. I had a good time, but the show seemed to be going through a transformation since my first stop in 2005 (and that was ten years after the tour’s inception so I can only imagine how it has changed in its near two decades of existence).

Warped Tour 2005 was definitely a different time in the music scene

I had a blast at the 2005 stop, when I was an 18-year-old recent high school graduate and the lineup was headlined by Fall Out Boy and All-American Rejects. Fast forward to 2010 and I can barely remember anything about the event because I spent the majority of the time going “who is this?”

The question I had to ask myself was this: Had Warped Tour truly changed or was I just getting older? No matter what decade it is, 18-year-old kids will still be under the influence of different artists than their 23-year old college selves. Hell, I can only imagine the music I will be listening to in another five years.

However, what I personally enjoyed about Warped was still there: the fact that for the price of admission to a regular club show headlined by one band and featuring maybe two openers, you get your choice of damn near 50 bands spread out all day. Granted, some artists would be at the same time - forcing you to choose - but making those sacrifices was half the fun.

And sometimes you have to make time for signings/photo ops, like here with Senses Fail singer Buddy Nielsen in 2009

But in the familiarity sat an unfamiliar tone. Where in the past I was overwhelmed by my choices - “Crap, Anberlin is playing here, but Jack’s Mannequin is playing over there” - it now became “Well... what are we going to do until Gym Class Heroes comes on?”

I’m not one to knock any kind of music in the sense of saying it shouldn’t be included because I truly feel if someone likes what you play then go ahead and keep playing it. But what I can say is that I was ready to stab myself in the eyeballs while sitting through the performance of Iwrestledabearonce. And my problem with that is similar bands were becoming more common. Unless it was just me being single-minded, the variety was gone.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not against ALL the screaming/singing music - just most of it. When your band name revolves around friends being on fire and your songs are a hot garbage consistency of throat vomit, your music is not for me. But if you have some talent behind your act (Underoath, Chiodos, Pierce the Veil) then the show is nine times out of ten a good one. 

Pierce the Veil, killing it in 2010

PTV is just one name that is bringing me back. Warped Tour ‘12 is going to feature New Found Glory and Yellowcard - two bands from my high school days that I have yet to see live. However, it was the announcement of Taking Back Sunday that made this year’s stop go from a “maybe” to a sure thing.

It’s fitting that Taking Back Sunday is bringing me back to this tour considering the parallels between the two. TBS exploded on the scene in 2004 with Tell All Your Friends, then went through massive lineup shifts before returning to the members who produced that classic for their self titled release last summer.

Ironically, with my first Warped experience coming in 2005, it came just after I started heavily getting into Taking Back Sunday. (Yes, for you purists out there - I didn’t become Team TBS until after the second album. But I’m still a fan so take your hipster criticism elsewhere).

Since that time, I’ve gone on to be slightly disappointed by offerings from both - 2009’s New Again; deciding to skip last year’s Warped altogether - but the spark of the two together is enough to entice this writer to give that crazy tour one more chance.

So this is me telling all my friends that Warped Tour this year is where I want to be. Will you be there too?

My Evening with fun. and Sleeper Agent, a live show recap

"I want to go back."

That's the mindset I have been in ever since returning from the Workplay Theatre in Birmingham for fun.'s headlining show on March 10, also featuring Sleeper Agent and States.

The intimate setting of the small venue, combined with amazing performances and what could have easily been mistaken for choreographed sing-alongs left me driving back after the show with a sense of fulfillment.

But before we get to end, let's go back to the start.

Personally, I always try to get to shows in time to see the opening band perform. There have been times where the opener has actually been better than the headliner and I have discovered new favorites this way. Unfortunately for this certain event, I arrived just as States was finishing their set. Though I got there before the official 8 p.m. start time, they must have started early because by the time we walked in the venue they had played their last song. However, I do mention them because I checked them out before the show and was really looking forward to their performance. Maybe next time.

But I did get there just in time to find a spot and watch the guys and gal from Sleeper Agent get accustomed to the stage before exploding into their brief, but strong set. While this blog is fairly new, S/A is a band that has been featured on here plenty of times, with an introduction last July and again with Year-End recognition for their debut album Celebrasion.

Holding their songs in such high praise, I was looking forward to seeing them in a live setting and I was not disappointed. The band knows how to purely rock with lead-singer Alex Kandel at times resembling the siren-calmness among a sea of swirl-hair chaos, though not afraid to rough the waters herself.

The thing I really appreciated about Sleeper Agent is that they didn't let the fact that not many knew who they were get to them. They still powered through their sit that included the hits "Get it Daddy" and the recent single "Get Burned" and at one time was the recipient of a new fan saying "I don't know who you guys are, but I think you're great" (to which Kandel replied: "We don't know who you are, but we think you're great").

The band acknowledging the fans in the crowd that already knew the songs before the show. Before high-fiving here, Kandel held the mic for some to sing along with the bridge in "Be My Monster."

After the performance, I headed to the merch table hoping that a couple band members would be there to sign autographs and take pictures. To my surprise, Kandel came out within minutes and began working the table, taking the time to chat with those that came by. Believe me when I tell you she is one the nicest people you will ever meet and also believe me when I say that if you start to develop a slight musical crush on her that you won't be the only one.

After getting the autograph, it was time to regain our position for fun.'s performance. When I got back, I saw the stage now featured a backdrop with the letters "F U N." and screens in between each. We were in for a show.

Coming out to "Some Nights Intro," frontman Nate Ruess crooned the crowd while we all waited in anticipation for what was to come (much like the album itself). A cool moment came when a female in the crowd shouted "I LOVE YOU" just before Ruess delivered the line "And you have every right to be scared."

The band then exploded into the title track from the newest album, getting the crowd rocking and swaying back and forth. I'm not sure if it was a goal in the making of Some Nights, but some of the tracks presented,  such as "It Gets Better," seemed destined to be performed live and the crowd reacted as such.

But admittedly, something I didn't expect took place throughout the night. While fun. is currently riding a popular wave right now with the success of "We Are Young," the crowd really came alive when tracks from Aim and Ignite were played. "Be Calm" was done as more of an acoustic-piano version and when asked to "sing along if you know the words" it was as if the whole crowd was part of the band during "The Gambler."

Even the final song of the night came from A&I, as "Take Your Time" sent everyone happy after a night of jumping up and down and swaying along with one of the funnest bands going today.

Personally, the whole night was one I won't forget. Concerts are something that when I go, I anticipate a full experience, not just basically listening to some songs I like only much louder. Both fun. and Sleeper Agent gave me that and I look forward to the night when I can do it all over again.

Bonus track:


Usually I don't have time to do the "stalk the tour bus till the band comes out" thing, but with the show on a Saturday night, I was determined to try it. After waiting a little bit in the cold night/morning, Ruess and Jack Antonoff came by and seemed almost honored to sign autographs and take pictures.

I had asked that, since he was doing so many standard poses, we could do something fun. He said he would do his eskimo face. I tried myself but ended up laughing when the picture was snapped.

A really cool moment came at the end of the signing/posing when a fan asked Ruess what a certain line from "It Gets Better" (Like starlight crashing through the room / we'll lose our feathers) was supposed to mean. At first he responded by asking them what they thought it meant and each answer was met with a shake of his head. Finally he gave an explanation that I thought at the last-minute to hit record in order to capture.