I’ve seen a lot of hype about Alabama Shakes lately but have not heard anything by them. Brittany Howard’s turn in “The Weight” says maybe I need to investigate further.
Oh man, I too have avoided the hype but saw them perform another song that sounded like “The Weight. They – and the woman singer, in particular – were awesome in the way I usually only think white folks think stuff like this is awesome. I may have to plunk down for the whole album.
I’m currently groovin’ on this guy. The video is badly miked, and yeah, I get a Black Keys vibe…but still.
Plus, there’s a nice little Hendrix teaser. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXlvJQl5xLI
I heard them on Sound Opinions a while back and thought they were great. I got the album, which is solid but not quite as good as when they were playing live.
Saw them at Bestival in the UK a couple of months ago, and I walked out — well, to the degree one can “walk out” of an outdoor show. They weren’t terrible, but there was nothing interesting on display for me. Seriously, why do us old white folks require “second coming of…” acts to really give us rock boners?
You know I hate to be difficult, but what was it about this that was supposed to elevate it above a gazillion other uninteresting singalong tributes? ‘Cause I guess I missed it.
They got the impossible to live up to hype with that album. Then a bunch of bloggers drew a line in the sand and they were either the new Beatles, or they were pure hype shit. I think their first album is good. It’s a solid three star record, and made me hope if they really toured the shit out of it and wrote some more songs, that their second album might be really good. They look really young to me, so I hope they get a real, legitimate shot from people.
I got a three minute ad before that, and I think it was a song by another band. That’s weird, and I hope it isn’t the sign of things to come. That guy is on my list of guys I’m supposed to check out. I’ll probably get that sooner or later, it’s the kind of racket I can really get behind.
Larry Campbell’s solo, Bonnie Raitt’s slide playing, Brittany Howard’s voice…and maybe most amazingly, Richard Thompson looking like he was having fun!
Of course, Richard Thompson having fun is great news for all of us, and Larry Campbell’s good and that Brittany Howard can sing well enough and Bonnie Raitt’s still about as exciting as listening to paint dry, but the whole thing has a (to borrow from another genre) Wynton Marsalis Jazz at Lincoln Center vibe where everything is really just as it should be but it is hard to escape the idea that it is all about as lively as a stuffed Ivory Billed Woodpecker.
I liked that. I saw him on Conan or some show like that recently and liked him then too. I’ll have to check out more. I’m a sucker for that guitar sound, which to me is less a second-coming boner than it is a timeless appreciation for a certain quality, like curly hair or blue eyes.
I saw Gary Clark Jr. about a year ago at one of the Free at Noon shows. I had read about him in Rolling Stone and it sounded like it would be interesting.He had his moments, but it was very uneven. Also the moments were strictly guitar playing, not the band, not the songs, pretty much just the guitar. I wasn’t aggravated that I bothered to head down there, but I wasn’t impressed enough to buy a record or pay to see him after that.
Sweet version of “The Weight” – http://www.americansongwriter.com/2012/11/watch-the-weight-from-austin-city-limits-americana-awards-episode/
I’ve seen a lot of hype about Alabama Shakes lately but have not heard anything by them. Brittany Howard’s turn in “The Weight” says maybe I need to investigate further.
The quicker tempo on this version Lotta Love ruins the sultriness of that song. Not to mention that Rick Dees is a total boner killer.
Oh man, I too have avoided the hype but saw them perform another song that sounded like “The Weight. They – and the woman singer, in particular – were awesome in the way I usually only think white folks think stuff like this is awesome. I may have to plunk down for the whole album.
URL spells out the weird, sad news.
http://oldies.about.com/b/2012/11/09/lead-singer-of-the-penguins-famous-for-earth-angel-dies-while-casting-vote.htm
At least he didn’t perform “Disco Duck.”
We have a few tracks and she has a tremendous voice.
I’m currently groovin’ on this guy. The video is badly miked, and yeah, I get a Black Keys vibe…but still.
Plus, there’s a nice little Hendrix teaser.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXlvJQl5xLI
Does Neil Young’s count as a “molasses original”?
Hey if its Austin City Limits it must be cool. Willie Nelson first comes to mind with ACL. I sure do miss that show when it was on PBS.
I heard them on Sound Opinions a while back and thought they were great. I got the album, which is solid but not quite as good as when they were playing live.
Saw them at Bestival in the UK a couple of months ago, and I walked out — well, to the degree one can “walk out” of an outdoor show. They weren’t terrible, but there was nothing interesting on display for me. Seriously, why do us old white folks require “second coming of…” acts to really give us rock boners?
Amen on both counts.
You know I hate to be difficult, but what was it about this that was supposed to elevate it above a gazillion other uninteresting singalong tributes? ‘Cause I guess I missed it.
They got the impossible to live up to hype with that album. Then a bunch of bloggers drew a line in the sand and they were either the new Beatles, or they were pure hype shit. I think their first album is good. It’s a solid three star record, and made me hope if they really toured the shit out of it and wrote some more songs, that their second album might be really good. They look really young to me, so I hope they get a real, legitimate shot from people.
I got a three minute ad before that, and I think it was a song by another band. That’s weird, and I hope it isn’t the sign of things to come. That guy is on my list of guys I’m supposed to check out. I’ll probably get that sooner or later, it’s the kind of racket I can really get behind.
I’ve been listening to this guy a lot lately:
http://youtu.be/nKBmHEtpg5E
Larry Campbell’s solo, Bonnie Raitt’s slide playing, Brittany Howard’s voice…and maybe most amazingly, Richard Thompson looking like he was having fun!
Of course, Richard Thompson having fun is great news for all of us, and Larry Campbell’s good and that Brittany Howard can sing well enough and Bonnie Raitt’s still about as exciting as listening to paint dry, but the whole thing has a (to borrow from another genre) Wynton Marsalis Jazz at Lincoln Center vibe where everything is really just as it should be but it is hard to escape the idea that it is all about as lively as a stuffed Ivory Billed Woodpecker.
Al, you should have warned me that John Hiatt was going to sing!
I liked that. I saw him on Conan or some show like that recently and liked him then too. I’ll have to check out more. I’m a sucker for that guitar sound, which to me is less a second-coming boner than it is a timeless appreciation for a certain quality, like curly hair or blue eyes.
GREAT video and sound, but for me that’s one of those timeless qualities that only have so much appeal to me, like platinum blond hair.
Sorry about that…it was cringe-worthy, wasn’t it?
I saw Gary Clark Jr. about a year ago at one of the Free at Noon shows. I had read about him in Rolling Stone and it sounded like it would be interesting.He had his moments, but it was very uneven. Also the moments were strictly guitar playing, not the band, not the songs, pretty much just the guitar. I wasn’t aggravated that I bothered to head down there, but I wasn’t impressed enough to buy a record or pay to see him after that.
For anyone who wants the unedited video of “The Weight” check here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KZcMrVwC0k&feature=youtu.be
An extra two minutes which includes a very nice Richard Thompson solo.