Alabama Shakes "Boys and Girls" [2012]

The same way deep-frying your food is not good for you, neither is listening to the batter-slathered, greasy mess that is Alabama Shakes' debut "Boys and Girls." Apparently being "God-fearing" does not extend to being afraid of getting sued by whomever owns the rights to CCR's material, because it's flaunted relentlessly here by a band that sounds like Black Crowes on too much cough syrup. The only impressive thing about "Boys and Girls" is it's fronted by singer Brittany Howard, whose career has seen a nice rebound since the "It's Pat" skits on SNL. Howard's vocal delivery manages to make Amy Winehouse sound contemporary and Jack White competent. If you have zero frame of reference musically, this album may come off as an earthy breath of fresh air; all the rest of us can smell is the cow patties on the farm of this band's toothless hick neighbors.