Beneath the Underdog: The Alabama Shakes

Yet again, my theory has been proven: Listening to the radio as a primary source for good music, is like watching movies on VHS...OBSOLETE. You can thank groups like The Alabama Shakes (from Athens, Alabama) for this proven theory.

As is the case with most music I dig up, I'm not really sure how I found out about this group, but when I did, I downloaded and played their latest EP(which is only 4 songs, by the way), literally, all day. By the time I finished playing You Ain't Alone for the 12th consecutive time, I was then beginning to look for their tour dates and contact info so we could set up an interview with them(They arrive in DC 12/31, and I'm still waiting for a response to my email).

The appeal I have with The Alabama Shakes is their masterful method to creating a perfect sound of utopia. To me, each song (on the EP) is a history lesson of American music and culture. On the surface, it may seem as though The Shakes are your typical rock band who perform in random bars, in random Southern states. Yes, that assumption maybe correct, but the songs and lyrics are overflowing with mid-60's Soul, with a dash of Funk from the early 70's; minus the typical "covers" most dive bar bands provide. Basically, imagine an album produced by Berry Gordy, mixed by Danger Mouse, written by Fleetwood Mac, sung by Janis Joplin, and performed by Jimi Hendrix with a grittiness like Muddy Waters, in a Southern Methodist church of your liking.

Aside from the notable "comparisons", The Shakes still manage to coin a sound of their own, with an innate ability to stay true to the traditions and nostalgia of true American rock and roll. Songs such as I Found You and You Ain't Alone get the most play on my ipod, however, the remaining two are just as better.

To say the least, The Alabama Shakes are on a path to stardom (whatever that means). In my opinion, they are right on time. In an age where the masses have been flooded with buffoonery and content riddled in (implement your favorite vulgarity), yet camouflaged as "what everyone is listening to", The Shakes provide that good ol' Southern American middle finger and preserve the traditions of simplicity, yet remaining aggressively creative.

Check out some of their live performances below, and get their latest EP.