Alabama Shakes Makes Their Comeback After Ten Years with “Another Life,” a Captivating Dreamlike Experience - Atwood Magazine

      Alabama Shakes’ first new release in a decade, “Another Life,” is a cinematic and cathartic experience, serving as a vivid resurrection of the fiery, passionate soul-rock that established their legendary status.

      Of all the vinyl records in my collection, few have been played, worn, and cherished as much as Alabama Shakes’ 2015 album, Sound and Color. The genre-blending, soul-filled rock band, led by the incomparable Brittany Howard, was a remarkable force in the early 2010s. While individual members have pursued separate paths, often with significant success, the chemistry that defined “Alabama Shakes” has been profoundly missed over the past ten long years. Until now.

      Released on August 29 via Island Records, “Another Life” signifies a fresh beginning for the iconic trio of Brittany Howard, Heath Fogg, and Zac Cockrell as they come together once more, igniting another electrifying spark with a song imbued with intensity and passion. Recorded at Nashville’s Sound Emporium Studios with longtime collaborator Shawn Everett, “Another Life” resonates like a cosmic transmission—smoky keys and a bluesy guitar move in like impending storm clouds before Howard’s voice breaks through. “Can we try again? One more time again? Can we try in another life?” the powerful frontwoman wails with aching force, infusing her performance with unfiltered passion and raw emotion, creating a weighty and poignant cinematic experience.

      Howard describes the track as a reflection on the various lives we carry: “When we wrote ‘Another Life,’ I was contemplating all the lives we bear," she shares with Atwood Magazine. "The ones we’re living now, those that have faded away due to different choices, the what-ifs, what was not meant to be, the goodbyes, and the serendipitous encounters that feel fateful. This song explores those connections and how they span across time and space, linking every version of ourselves. It’s about allowing them to intertwine, harmonizing, and realizing that goodbye isn’t really the end; it's more like I’ll see you later. A shared narrative that never ceases to evolve. I’m grateful that we’ve opened this door to create music together again.”

      “Another Life” serves as a powerful return—a cinematic, soul-stirring piece that remains relentless in its emotional depth. Every line Howard delivers, every heartfelt plea she expresses, is filled with longing and reflection, while every instrumental moment is charged with profound, unrestrained emotion. A decade past Sound and Color, Alabama Shakes are once more forging their own path, sounding as fearless, passionate, and liberated as they were when they first challenged the boundaries of modern rock. “Another Life” not only rekindles that spark—it reminds us of why we longed for it in the first place. With a third studio album from Alabama Shakes on the horizon, the future of music once again glows with gritty rock and soulful energy.

      Here we are, facing the most unusual circumstances. How could I promise you eternity? What if there’s a better place awaiting us on the other side? Ooh, I’m yearning to share that we have already said goodbye. When I hurt you, I hurt myself, and my feelings remain unhealed. I can’t go back, ooh, my love, goodbye. Can we try again? (Can we try in another life?) Try once more? (Can we try in another life?) I won’t make you weep again. (Can we try?) Can we try in another life? Can we try in another life?

      “Another Life” is a significant welcome back—cinematic, emotionally stirring, and unyielding in its yearning. Each phrase Howard sings, each lament she expresses, is rich with desire and reflection, while every instrumental segment brims with intense, raw feeling. A decade since Sound and Color, Alabama Shakes are once again illuminating their path, sounding just as daring, fiery, and free as they did when they first redefined the essence of modern rock.

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