For Those Who Find New Music Tepid at Best
Not sure if anybody had the chance to see SNL Saturday night but there was a band that performed that went a long way in restoring my faith in the future of rock 'n roll. The funny thing is last Sunday while the Grammy's were on I channel surfed (I wonder why?) and found something on AXS-TV called the Americana Music Association awards show from Nashville, taped in September. Bonnie Raitt was presenting a lifetime achievement award to Richard Thompson (Fairport Convention/solo).
Anyway, after he made his acceptance speech a band came out on stage and performed, with Booker T (Booker T & the MGs) sitting in on keyboards. It was a lively song made more so by the incredible voice of the girl fronting the band and the contortions of her face and mouth as she sang. This was theband that was on SNL Saturday night, the Alabama Shakes. Check them out below and let me know what you think. Enjoy.
(couldn't figure out how to embed video or if I could; may need to paste link into your browser but worth the effort; if so inclined their other song on SNL is IMO equally good)
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/alabama-shakes-always-alright/n32905/
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Yup, I like Alabama Shakes. Don't know if you caught it, or if was a national thing, but Gary Clark Jr and the Alabama shakes were on Austin City Limits the same night. It was pretty sweet.
There is more good music, especially rock n roll and roots, out there waiting to be heard than you can shakes sticks at. You just, generally speaking, aren't going to hear them on mainstream radio or TV.
Speaking of Richard Thompson. One of my top 10 ballads of all time:
Your headline caught me. Yep, pop music has been "TEPID" for quite awhile. I couldn't access the SNL clip (I'm probably missing a driver. I'm a little funny on what I let onto the computer), so found a clip of theirs called "Heavy Chevy." Boy, you could hear Chuck Berry's scorched soul all over it. Maybe it's just my years, but THAT is rock and roll!
Though this cut has been on such heavy rotation in my hovel I've kinda burned out on it for awhile it is still a killer. "Live from the Shoals" is a pretty fun resource.
Tex,
Thanks for the music clip above. This was the first song they played on SNL Saturday. Noticed between your clip from 2011 and Saturday night that they have changed drummer and added a keyboardist. The organ/piano really adds another layer of depth to their music. I am amazed that I had not heard of them earlier. They are truly a gem will be looking for their CD(s) soon. As for Richard Thompson, while I can appreciate his Vincent Black Lightning, I just can't take a lot of him in one sitting. Something about the vibration in his vocals gets to me.
Sky,
Glad you were able to find a song of theirs. You're right, they're old school good.
Different strokes and such. Thompson is sort of guitar player's guitar player as well as a writer of "dark, scary love songs." I've liked him since Fairport Convention daze.
Yeah, it's great to see the Shakes get some attention. There is a veritable ocean of great new music out there. You just have to be willing to track it down. Every now and then a band like the Shakes gets noticed.
This Aussie girl has been on rotation around here of late.