The assumption about Elvis Presley has always been that, had he lived, he probably would have continued making music along the lines of what he had already made. So maybe he would have gone back to his rockabilly roots, as he did on the ’68 Comeback Special. Or maybe he would have doubled-down on the Vegas-style pomp and garishness. But maybe he would have gone beyond that. I like to think he would have eventually made an album like Brittany Howard’s intimate solo debut, Jamie.
Howard is best known as the powerful voice and guitar in front of Alabama Shakes, the soulful rock band out of Athens, Alabama. On Jamie, she creates a more personal sound that integrates ethereal, electronic elements. The result is wonderfully emotive vocals running through a field of electronic beats and synthesizers. There’s a pop progressiveness coupled with an old-fashioned loneliness. It sounds nothing at all like Presley, but he lived in and understood those two worlds and might have appreciated the chance to bridge them in the way that Howard has here.
The album is a tribute to Howard’s sister, a fellow musician who died while just a teenager (Presley’s twin brother was stillborn and that loss similarly weighed upon him). Many of the songs were written and arranged using software. It’s significant only because this doesn’t sound like a traditional rock record written on guitar or piano, which makes sense since it’s not how the album came about. While there are guitars and rock beats, Jamie has more of the layers of a Josh Jacobson track.
“Georgia” is slow and trippy; you can imagine hearing it in an episode of High Maintenance, what with the synth bass supporting some wandering electric piano and Howard’s voice coming through strongly, but also somehow sad. There’s an organ break where Howard sings/testifies over the music, not unlike Prince, and asks “Is it unnatural? / Georgia, Is it cool? / I wanna tell you that I love you” before the music swells and exhales into a ride out. It’s an intimate, honest moment that’s bold and vulnerable, but also uniquely digital.
The album has its aggressive moments, too, though. “13th Century Metal” is driven by an infectious drum beat and a catchy keyboard riff, with Howard speaking over it. The music is captivating, even though it’s not a standard groove-driven song. Instead, it’s an interesting experiment we get to enjoy. “He Loves Me” is experimental in a more familiar way, sounding like it could have come from Alabama Shakes’ 2015 Sound and Color, although it’s a little more laid back than anything on that album. Howard positively croons, while also firing off some surprisingly hot guitar licks.Â
Howard obviously has many musical influences. She doesn’t just listen to a lot of different things, but she’s also able to write fluently in different genres. What anchors this album is Howard’s voice, and the way it can scurry from a lower register into a soaring falsetto in the time it takes a hi-hat to open up. Her distinctive vocal timbre is the twine that keeps Jamie wrapped-up tight. Not many artists can make loops and electronic sounds feel authentic, but Howard is more than able to keep them feeling warm and natural.
Photo by Nate Burrell
One Response
Marvellous article. Now, the assumption about Elvis carries also another assumption, namely that he would have found a way out of his medical problems.If that woukd have been the case, then I agree entirely with the proposition of Elvis getting into making an album reminiscent of Brittany Howard’s intimate solo debut, Jamie.