Earth Sign, the first track on Brittany Howard’s second solo album, opens her record as ordinary mortals might strive hard to close theirs – with a transcendent sunburst of hope gilded by complex vocal harmonies, jazz drums and unconventional instrumentation. More highs follow on an outrageously great album that struggles candidly with love, but never puts a foot wrong musically.
Howard first found fame, and multiple Grammys, as the frontperson of Alabama Shakes. Her 2019 solo debut, Jaime, earned her more of both. The pandemic allowed her to recalibrate again, building a home studio and experimenting with bin lids, cutlery and other unorthodox sounds. The songs on What Now – about love fading, new passion starting and Howard often missing relationship red flags – are linked together by hovering, chiming singing bowls. It’s an aural through line as she dazzles us with her range: unexpected dancefloor bangers (Prove It to You), pellucid vintage soul and exultant funk. The terrific Power to Undo doesn’t just channel Prince – it gets right up close to him. It’s impossible to know what to praise the hardest: the delicate trumpet of Rod McGaha, Howard’s own guitar work or her bravura vocal performance on Every Color in Blue.
