Alabama Shakes

Boys & Girls

First released2012

Alabama Shakes recorded their debut album Boys & Girls in 2011 at the Bomb Shelter, an underground studio in Nashville, Tennessee, working primarily with producer/engineer Blake Mills. The band, led by vocalist Brittany Howard, recorded much of the material live with minimal overdubbing to capture an authentic, raw sound that drew from soul, blues, and rock influences. The recording sessions took place over several months and emphasized organic instrumentation and Howard's powerful vocal performances without heavy production techniques. The album was released in April 2012 and became critically acclaimed, helping to establish Alabama Shakes as prominent figures in the contemporary soul-rock revival of the early 2010s. Boys & Girls was nominated for multiple Grammy Awards and established the band's signature aesthetic of stripped-down, emotionally direct songwriting and performance.