Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls [Black Vinyl LP]

Formed when lead singer and guitarist Brittany Howard approached bassist Zac Cockrell during a high school psychology class in Athens, Alabama, Alabama Shakes introduced themselves to the world with Boys & Girls, their debut studio album released April 9, 2012, via ATO Records and Rough Trade. Recorded at The Bomb Shelter in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Andrija Tokic using analog equipment and vintage gear, the album captures the raw energy that made the band's live performances legendary. The album debuted at number six on the Billboard 200 and number three on the UK Albums Chart, earning three Grammy nominations including Best New Artist and Best Rock Performance for "Hold On." This 2024 pressing housed in the original black and white album jacket delivers one of Rolling Stone's "best albums of the 2010s," an album that has sold over one million copies worldwide.

The 11-track collection opens with breakout single "Hold On," which reached number 74 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains their signature song. Howard's powerful vocals channel Janis Joplin, Tina Turner, and Aretha Franklin across tracks like "I Found You" and the swaggering "Hang Loose." Lead singles also include "You Ain't Alone" and "Heartbreaker," showcasing the band's ability to balance Southern soul, blues rock, and retro R&B energy. "Rise to the Sun" delivers gospel-tinged fervor, while the title track "Boys & Girls" captures youthful romance with Motown-inspired grooves. "Be Mine" stretches past four minutes with emotional depth, "Goin' to the Party" clocks in under two minutes of raw rock energy, and closing track "On Your Way" leaves listeners wanting more. The album synthesizes elements from 1960s soul, classic rock, and contemporary indie with a grainy, raw production aesthetic that deliberately evokes vintage recordings.

Pressed on standard weight black vinyl, this edition maintains the warmth and analog sound quality captured during the original sessions at The Bomb Shelter. The pressing delivers clarity across Howard's dynamic vocal range, from whispered intimacy to full-throated belting, while preserving the vintage tone of guitarist Heath Fogg, Cockrell's driving bass lines, and drummer Steve Johnson's steady rhythms. The album won Best British Album at the 2008 BRIT Awards, earned a Mercury Prize nomination, and appeared at number 34 on Rolling Stone's list of the top 50 albums of 2012. This standard pressing captures the debut that launched Alabama Shakes from obscurity to international acclaim virtually overnight.

• Format: Black Vinyl LP
• Standout tracks: "Hold On," "I Found You," "Heartbreaker"
• Pressing details: Standard single-pocket jacket with original black and white artwork, 2024 pressing, recorded at The Bomb Shelter in Nashville, produced by Andrija Tokic
• Genre/style: Southern Rock, Soul, Blues Rock, Indie Rock
• UPC: 880882641009

This 2024 pressing brings Alabama Shakes' Grammy-nominated debut back to vinyl in its original packaging, capturing the soulful energy and vintage sound that made Boys & Girls one of the defining rock albums of the early 2010s.

* The Spotify track list may not exactly represent the tracks and audio of this LP edition.

Track List:

Side A:

1. Hold On
2. I Found You
3. Hang Loose
4. Rise To The Sun
5. You Ain't Alone

Side B:

1. Goin' To The Party
2. Heartbreaker
3. Boys & Girls
4. Be Mine
5. I Ain't The Same
6. On Your Way