Alabama Shakes remains one of the more underrated rock bands to stem from the 2010s. The group released only two albums, but each was terrific. Frontwoman Brittany Howard went solo in the late 2010s and had a successful couple of records. She isn't done.
Neither is Alabama Shakes. The group released their first new music since their second record, 2015's Sound & Color, a record that peaked at number one on the Billboard charts. The band did have a song appear in 2017 as part of the soundtrack to Music from the American Epic Sessions, but that was a cover of "Killer Diller," and not a new tune.
The latest song sounds like everything you would want from an Alabama Shakes track. "Another Life" has a tight arrangement, Brittany Howard's signature vocals, her excellent guitar work, and she is backed by Heath Fogg and Zac Cockrell. In other words, the band is back together.
Alabama Shakes is about to give us more greatness
Even better, the new song is from a forthcoming album. The new record has no release date as yet, but the band is currently on tour and playing a bunch of new tracks. This is promising for multiple reasons.
For one, this gives the band a more expansive catalog to choose from. A fan might not know the song being played, but they will soon. And they will likely love it.
Secondly, it allows Alabama Shakes to work through the rust and possibly release a live album later. If the rest of the album is as good as "Another Life," we are in for a treat. Plus, the band has always been better live than in the studio, and that is meant as no disrespect to their studio records.
If you want to catch Brittany Howard and the band on tour, here are their remaining shows:
- 9/04 – Milwaukee, WI @ Miller High Life Theatre
- 9/05 – Rochester Hills, MI @ Meadow Brook Amphitheatre
- 9/06 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage
- 9/08 – Cleveland, OH @ Jacobs Pavilion
- 9/09 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE (Outdoors)
- 9/11 – Louisville, KY @ Bourbon and Beyond
- 9/14 – Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway
- 9/17 – Queens, NY @ Forest Hills Stadium
- 9/18 – Philadelphia, PA @ TD Pavilion at The Mann
- 9/19 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem
- 9/23 – New Orleans, LA @ Saenger Theatre
- 9/25 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center
- 9/26 – Houston, TX @ 713 Music Hall
- 9/27 – Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory