Watching the meteoric rise of Alabama Shakes — formerly just the Shakes — has been an exciting trip this year, as the Brittany Howard-led quartet have gone from being an unsigned act with a few demos online and a record store performance clip to their television debut, sharing the stage/studio with Jack White, and now a supporting slot this summer for Neil Young in under 10 months. One moment, in particular, has an addendum we’ve been meaning to point out: “Hold On,” the first single off their Boys & Girls LP, arrived as an official video last month in what I called one of the best live clips we’d seen yet of the band. As it turns out, that performance was among a longer set the band performed for HearYa in December. Check out their version of “I Ain’t the Same”, another awesome recording by the analog-minded folks at Shirk Music, here:
Alabama Shakes
Alabama Shakes: “Hold On” (Official Video)
They’ve come a very long way from playing local record shops, as now the Athens, Alabama group formerly called The Shakes are set to tour with Jack White (with whom they’ve recorded) and follow up a television debut with one of this year’s most anticipated debut LPs: Boys & Girls. In celebration of the record’s release next week, frontwoman Brittany Howard and the boys are spinning the 11-track set for free over on NPR.
Meanwhile, last fall’s performance at Stubb’s was one of the best live clips I’d seen yet of the band, but today brings an official clip for “Hold On” that just might take the cake. Check it out below.
Alabama Shakes: “Heavy Chevy”
Now with a television debut and Third Man live single adding space dust to their meteoric rise, Alabama Shakes are hitting the road to do what they do best: stir up and settle down souls in person. A dozen stateside tour dates were added to the spring jaunt today while the Shakes have also shared Boys & Girls bonus cut “Heavy Chevy,” a fine doubleshot of rockabilly espresso ready to cure any listless afternoon. Stream/download the track above alongside lead single “Hold On.”