Alabama Shakes show absolutely no signs of "sophomore slump" on their new record Sound & Color. The album comes three years after Boys & Girls, their debut full-length. Alabama Shakes began when singer/guitarist Brittany Howard and bassist Zac Cockrell were attending high school together in Athens, Alabama. They soon recruited guitarist Heath Fogg and drummer Steve Johnson, performed cover songs and worked on original material. The band sounds positively inspired on Sound & Color, and Brittany Howard's soulfully intense vocals are undeniable.