CIMPLE – A Curious Introvert's Musings & Photos about Life and Enjoyment

Over the years I have collected a large selection of music on CDs, but I have noticed over the last five years that while I will rush out and purchase the new CD of many of my favorite artists/bands (Van Morrison, U2, Eric Clapton, AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Buffett) the same cannot be said of many of the new artists on the scene.  I have discovered that for many top hits or performers that I tend to buy individual songs through iTunes instead of taking the time to fully appreciate the complete work of the new musicians of the 21st century.  One exception to this is the Athens, Alabama band Alabama Shakes with the amazing 26-year old lead-singer, songwriter, guitarist Brittany Howard, drummer Steve Johnson, bassist Zac Cockrell and the guitarist Heath Fogg.

The first time I had the pleasure of hearing Alabama Shakes was while watching the movie Sliver Linings Playbook.  Early in the movie there is a great scene of Bradley Cooper jogging through town while Always Alright by Alabama Shakes is playing.  I have to admit my music tastes are dated back a couple of decades or more and so I had no idea Alabama Shakes debut album, Boys & Girls, was a three-time Grammy nominated hit, and I instantly purchased Boys & Girls on iTunes and this week added Alabama Shakes to the ranks of my favorite artists and went out and purchased their latest release, Sound & Color (if you purchase the new CD at Target you will receive a three song bonus CD of Alabama Shakes Live From The Artists Den).

I would consider rock  as my favorite genre of music, but I listen to a wide selection and my music library consists of rock, blues, jazz, classical, soundtracks, Irish, pop, country, folk, easy listening and a little bit of everything else.  My reaction to hearing Always Alright by Alabama Shakes is how I like to discover new music.  It can be hearing a new song while watching a movie, listening to Pandora or the radio or watching the Chicago Blackhawks and hearing Chelsea Dagger by The Fratellis for the first time.  It is the thrill of hearing a new song or artist and it doesn’t matter whether it is the rhythm, vibe or the lyrics that makes you turn up the volume, start bopping your head, singing along and rushing to order the music the first chance you have and, before you know it, you have a new ringtone on your phone.

I have to admit to find the technical answer to what attracts me to a certain type of music I have to turn to Pandora’s Features of this Track to find out exactly what musical attributes drew me to a song or artist.  I sometimes wish I could describe songs and movies with an intellectual, technical response, but mostly I have a very simple and emotional response – I love that new song, Gimme All Your Love, by Alabama Shakes.  I recently read a wonderful article about Alabama Shakes in The New York Times Magazine (http://nyti.ms/19z1Dy1) and the following quote in the article made me want to expand my music knowledge:

“The band’s new material is markedly trippier and more sophisticated than their bluesy, foot-stomping debut.  There are psychedelic slow-jam dreamscapes, with names like “Gemini” and “Dunes” and “Future People” that call to mind Prince or D’Angelo.  There are layered falsetto vocals, some of them borderline operatic, distorted guitars and high-frequency feedback.  There are vibraphones.” (Joe Rhodes)

I put this quote in the same category as a movie critic describing a Wes Anderson film, which is, I love the critic’s description, but I had no idea that was what I just watched or heard.  I thought Sound & Color was as good and if not better than Boys & Girls.  In particular, the volume was definitely turned up for the following songs:  Gimme All Your Love, This Feeling, Don’t Wanna Fight, Shoegaze,  and Joe (Bonus CD).