Artist Review: Alabama Shakes

If you took Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings and mixed them with the Black Keys you would get a band like Alabama Shakes. Brittany Howard's vocals are filled with soul and passion and that goes well with the heavy, southern guitar (Heath Fogg) and strong drums (Steve Johnson). While they have an older soul/southern rock sound, Alabama Shakes are a very young but talented band.

Brittany Howard pretty much founded Alabama Shakes while playing the guitar back in high school in Athens, Alabama. She soon approached bassist Zac Cockrell and they started playing/writing music together after school. Desperate for a drummer they approached a local music store worker, Steve Johnson, who agreed to join and they quickly started making recordings. Before opening for Heath Fogg's band, the Shakes (earlier name), asked Fogg to join their band as well. Soon Fogg was a full time member and the band changed their name to Alabama Shakes in 2009.

After releasing their first EP, Alabama Shakes, in September 2011, the band got national recognition and soon started playing in cities like New York and Chicago. Their single, "You Ain't Alone", got used for a Zales' 2011 holiday jewelry commercial. By February of 2012, Jack White noticed the band's great sound and had them make some recordings at his own personal studio Third Man Records.

After all their early success, last Tuesday (April 9th) Alabama Shakes released their first LP Boys & Girls. I think the band has a great sound and Brittany Howard's lyrics are wonderfully expressed in her energetic, free range voice. This band has taken a lot of older music genres (funk, soul, Motown, and rock) make them fresh and youthful again. If you enjoy these music genres then this quickly successful, young band is for you.

Artist Review (Forecastle Preview Edition): Ben Sollee

Kentucky native Ben Sollee will be gracing the stage at Forecastle this year for the first time. Sollee is best known for his unique "genre-bending" cello style that blends classical sounds with folk, bluegrass, R&B, jazz, blues, and rock. His positive perspective on life shows in his music and lyrics.

Sollee started playing the cello in elementary school and fell in love with the classical instrument because of its many different sounds. His first musical influence (besides classical) was jazz and blues, listening to musicians such as Billie Holiday, Otis Redding, and Ray Charles. He later got into folk music and his influence from both genres shows in his songs.

In 2005 Sollee joined legendary banjo player Bela Fleck and formed The Sparrow Quartet with other musicians, making big strides in his music career. After recording the group's first LP, Sollee debuted Learning to Bend, recorded with multiple musicians for different songs. Learning to Bend had great, upbeat songs with wonderful lyrics and soon became a huge success, allowing Sollee to become well-known throughout the folk music world.

In 2010 Sollee recorded an album with Kentucky local Daniel Martin Moore titled Dear Companion, which was produced by another Kentucky native, Jim James, of My Morning Jacket. After the release of the album the trio toured together to promote the issue of mountaintop removal in the Appalachian mountains. As the three are very close, one can only hope for guest appearances during this year's Forecastle performance.

Following his success, Sollee has done many tours with his band which features Jordan Ellis (percussion) and Emily Hagihara (vocals and fiddle). The tour that gets a lot of attention is his "Ditch the Van Tour" in which he and his band travel only on bicycles with their instruments, which he has been doing since 2009. Ben Sollee released his second LP in 2011 titled Inclusions. 

Be sure to check out Ben Sollee and his talented band the Sunday of Forecastle. His heartfelt music will leave you feeling happy with a positive outlook on life.

How to See The Sun Rise - Ben Sollee

It's Not Impossible - Ben Sollee (feat. Bela Fleck)

A Change is Gonna Come - Ben Sollee

The Globe - Ben Sollee

Hurting - Ben Sollee

Huddle On The Roof - Ben Sollee