Video Du Jour: Alabama Shakes

Probably the most talked-about new act at the recent SXSW conference in Austin, the Alabama Shakes are certainly shakin’ up the music world. Their debut album Boys and Girls came out this week and they’ve appeared on national TV and countless write-ups – so their star is certainly on the rise.

And deservedly so. The Alabama Shakes are certainly a rough-hewn breath of fresh air for a stale music industry. When we saw them a few weeks ago in Austin, the band had a sound that owed a little to soul music, a bit to rootsy rock and a ton to Brittany Howard’s force-of-nature singing and songwriting.

Their music sounds like it was conceived not by seasoned pros in a fancy L.A. studio, but by music freaks in their bedrooms and garages. They are certainly worth a listen.

Here’s a song you won’t find on either Boys and Girls or their self-titled EP: “Always Alright.”

Alabama Shakes official website

Why don’t we give you a bonus, seein’ how it’s Wednesday and all: the official video for “Hold On.”