Brittany Howard – ‘What Now’ album review: a soul-infused dance hit
THE SKINNY: Like the finest flora, Brittany Howard has grown away from her Alabama Shakes to showcase an arrangement of artistry capable of filling an entire bouquet. What Now, the singer’s latest record, is just another reminder of her talent as she continues to break new ground and set roots in a bed of nutrient-rich sonic soil. The latest LP may have its moments of genre-confusion, but what it lacks in simple narrative, it makes up for in atmospheric audio nourishment.
Using the word ‘atmospheric’ in a record review usually means that the album at play is sparse, without easy touchpoints and, in general, a little too moody to be enjoyed in company. That’s not the case for Howard. The atmosphere she provides on What Now is like walking across your favourite bar on a Friday night, intoxicated by the music, enticed by the cocktails and brushing past a venue full of like-minded people all looking to shake their hips and rejoice — ‘What Now’, ‘Another Day’ and ‘Prove It To You’ will all have you making a ballroom out of your bus journey.
There are certainly quieter moments when Howard’s wondrous vocal talent is laid bare with a powerful vulnerability, with ‘I Don’t’ a truly beautiful track and ‘Samson’ also etching a quiet moment of tragic refrain. But most prominently, the record reeks of an artist entirely enraptured by her own creativity. Swinging from dancefloor fillers to toe-tapping bar-slammers, through to tender refrains and back to the sticky dancefloor once more, the record is rich in the very essence of Howard’s being.
What Now is a record that only a five-time Grammy award winner could make. Full of supreme confidence but delivered with a panache that few can pull off without feeling contrived. Howard allows herself to let loose, she tightens up when needed and even provides the odd moment of genuine, tear-jerking pain along the way. Anchored by Howard’s unstoppable vocal, she manages to cram a career’s worth of artistic movement into 12 tracks.
For Fans Of: Fitting an entire night of drinking, dancing, snacking, crying and waking up with garlic sauce on your face in the space of one album.
A concluding comment from Tom’s mum: “If there’s one woman I’d like to spend a night out with, it is her.”
What Now track by track:
Release date: 9th February | Producer: Brittany Howard | Label: Island
‘Earth Sign’: A slow burn starter belies the record that is to come. Tunning bells give way to piano and Howard’s pulsing vocal, allowing us a kind of indie meditation that few artists can offer. (3/5)
‘I Don’t’: Perhaps the most intoxicating moment on the entire LP, Howard’s singing is reminiscent of the soul greats, feeling warm, honeyed and yet flagrantly emotional. It’s hard not to fall in love with this number. (4.5/5)
‘What Now’: Things kick up a notch with ‘What Now’. The beat quickens, and Howard’s smoothness as a singer is replaced with a dancefloor attitude. (3/5)
‘Red Flags’: On its own, ‘Red Flags’ can be described as quasi-transcendental. However, in the context of the record at large, it is one of the whiplash genre moments that makes the LP feel a tad disjointed. (2.5/5)
‘To Be Still’: As the title might suggest, there is a wild stillness to the track that immediately arrests the listener. Howard’s blessed vocals are given ample room to flourish before a welcomed bassline provides a funky backbone, and it is one of the more crystalline moments of the LP. (3/5)
‘Interlude’: Serving as a reminder of the inevitability of our existential dread being realised and the hope that it can provide, the 38-second track is nothing more than an intro. (1.5/5)
‘Another Day’: While the interlude does little in the way of providing an artistic sentiment, it does allow an extra degree of space between the gentle ‘To Be Still’ and the reactionary ‘Another Day’. Glitching beats and a furious delivery show off the song as one of Howard’s more futuristic pieces. (2.5/5)
‘Prove It To You’: The continuation of the ‘Another Day’ sound reigns supreme as ‘Prove It To You’ sets its course for the dancefloor. (2.5/5)
‘Samson’: Howard definitely blooms when her emotional songwriting is given more room to breathe. Outside of the obvious opportunity it affords her vocal power, it also allows the more reflective lyrics Howard writes the correct space to be heard. (3.5/5)
‘Patience’: A bouncing bassline says everything you want it to. With this track ‘Patience’ is a wonderfully balanced number, providing sweet and sour in equal measure. (3.5/5)
‘Power To Undo’: Another return to the hedonistic fury of previous tracks. After a simple intro, Howard kicks up the instrumentation and a cacophony of sounds infiltrate the speakers. However, what can sometimes feel euphoric also has the ability to feel very cluttered. (2.5/5)
‘Every Color in Blue’: What Now seems to be beleaguered by a constant fight between Howard’s desire to move into the future with her music and her ability to dominate traditional sounds with ease. On ‘Every Color in Blue’, we have the clearest moment of these two influences working in harmony. (3.5/5)
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