SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ALABAMA SHAKES – BOYS & GIRLS (10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION)

Alabama Shakes
Boys & Girls (10 Year Anniversary Deluxe Edition)
ATO Records

It can be hard to remember that it’s been ten full years since 2012, but this brand new and extended reissue of Alabama Shakes’ seminal debut album, Boys & Girls, is a sharply effective signifier of how much time has passed – and how much things have moved and changed in the meantime. While still on extended hiatus, the band remains one of the essential voices in Southern rock, with an influence on a broad range of genres, from soul to funk, which cannot be overstated. Revisiting this record now is an excellent occasion to spot the seeds of musical suggestions that have since blossomed in the work of prominent contemporary artists such as Childish Gambino or Beyoncé.

Brittany Howard’s vocal performance remains one of the stand-out features of a record that sinks its roots deep into the great classics of soul and blues; the expanded re-issue gives listeners a chance to hear tracks from the band’s live session on KCRW back in 2012, most notably an impressive rendition of “Always Alright”, out of Silver Linings Playbook, which is one of the most remarkable tidbits included in this release. It is a record that has by now rightfully attained classic status; while far from perfect, and still containing all the hesitations and half-formed concepts that are often the hallmarks of a debut, Boys & Girls now stands in a different light as both innovator and taste-maker – an open window onto an important chapter of one of the most eclectic rock genres.

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