Tune in Tuesday: Alabama Shakes' Boys & Girls

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• Genre: southern rock, soul, blues rock
• Favorite Track: "Hang Loose"
• First Listen: August 2012
• Released: April 2012
• Found out through: Karen from The Quiet Owl
• Listen to this while you're: cooking comfort food

When I find a band that I really like, like, reeeeaally like, they are all I can think about for a good while. Right now, Alabama Shakes is that band. I got so excited when I heard them on Karen's blog that I immediately had to find out more and eventually purchase the album. Boys & Girls is their debut album. I almost wish it wasn't because that means I have to wait for another album and there isn't a mass discography for me to fall back on to fill my fix. I had the same issue last year with Sleigh Bells...I'm so greedy!

Alabama Shakes is an awesome blend of grit, Motown, and passion; kinda like if you were to cross Kings of Leon with James Brown and Marvin Gaye. I love the bluesy riffs in songs like "Heartbreaker" and "You Ain't Alone" and the funk on tracks like "I Found You" and "Rise to the Sun." The whole album is a seriously great mix. The band has already made their rounds on the late night talk shows, so their's plenty of opportunities to see lead singer Brittany Howard's magnetic stage presence. I have to say I LOVE that the frontman of the band is a woman and the band isn't your typical bunch of dudes. It's just so refreshing.

TTFN!<3

-Avé

P.S. OF COURSE they're playing at Terminal 5 in NYC and the tickets are sold out. I have yet to go to that venue but everyone I want to see plays there and I always find out a little too late. ~le sigh~

Tune in Tuesday: "The National Anthem" by Radiohead

• Genre: alternative rock, experimental
• First listen: sometime 2007
• Released: October 2000
• Found out through: Zack
• Listen to this while you're: being awesome

OK SOOO You all already know I love Radiohead right? Well what better way to celebrate the London 2012 Olympics on my blog than by talking about my favorite UK Band?! I toyed with the idea for a while and talking about an entire radiohead album seemed like an overwhelmingly daunting task, so I'm going with one song, picked solely for the title, "The National Anthem."

Everyone, Everyone around here, Everyone is so near, It's holdin' on

That's the gist of the lyrics in the song, which were randomly picked out of a hat (all the lyrics for the songs on Kid A were done that way). So I don't think there's any meaning behind it, although there can be especially when talking about the olympics amirite??? This is just a badass song, with the most addictive bass line I know.  It's the type of song that gets me pumped. For what? No idea. The entire song is one big crescendo with a climax of several horn solos going on all at once, then brought together at the end. Of course my favorite of the horns that I can pick out is the bari sax. IT'S JUST SO GOOD. The space noises in the beginning and media clips at the end really point out the direction radiohead was going at the time; prior to Kid A was OK Computer and The Bends and I suppose I'll mention Pablo Honey--not too much of that electronic stuff on those albums. 

I'll admit, this track isn't for everyone. My sister thinks it's too weird and creepy to listen to. I'm alright with that.

Happy Olympics everyone!

TTFN<3

P.S. ~ may the odds be ever in your favor :3