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NEAR TRUTHS: SPRING BLOOMS
Here come the big guns. (3/28a)
THE COUNT: COLDPLAY IS HOT, COUNTRY'S COOKIN' IN THE U.K.
The latest tidbits from the bustling live sector (3/28a)
CITY OF HOPE TAPS MARCIANO FOR TOP HONOR
This year's philanthropic model (3/28a)
TRUST IN THE TOP 20
Hip-hop is no longer hibernating. (3/28a)
UMG BROADENS SPOTIFY OFFERINGS
Sir Lucian and Daniel are in harmony. (3/28a)
THE NEW UMG
Gosh, we hope there are more press releases.
TIKTOK BANNED!
Unless the Senate manages to make this whole thing go away, that is.
THE NEW HUGE COUNTRY ACT
No, not that one.
TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN PLAYLIST
Now 100% unlicensed!
Critics' Choice
LISTEN BEFORE CASTING YOUR BALLOT: ALABAMA SHAKES, SOUND & COLOR
10/28/15

Alabama Shakes, Sound & Color (ATO/Caroline): This alterna-soul outfit’s follow-up to Boys & Girls finds them venturing into new sonic territory—and crafting new settings for Brittany Howard’s frankly astonishing pipes. Howard, who recently joined idol Sam Moore for a duet at the Kennedy Center and sang with Mavis Staples on the premiere of Colbert’s Late Show, is a force of nature and has rightly been the primary recipient of the accolades, but the band really steps up here as well, with sharper grooves, peerless dynamics, incisive riffs and sprays of jazzy texture. While the troupe’s reach is wide—from hushed soul (“Guess Who,” the title track) to raucous, punked-out stroll (“The Greatest”)—it never exceeds their grasp. Sound is a truly cohesive statement from a band in full flower. For its artistry, grit and innovative approach to musical tradition, this set deserves a serious listen—at high volume.