I’ve been a champion of Alabama Shakes ever since I got an advance copy of their 2012 debut, Boys & Girls, and I have spent the last three years tirelessly turning as many people onto them as possible. And with good reason….they are a phenomenal band. Evoking the southern-fried soul of Stax/Volt, and a fair shake of Muscle Shoals, with a slightly understated modern twist, the Shakes are able to make something familiar sound more fresh than just about anything else on the music scene today. So, obviously, I have been very eagerly awaiting a follow-up…and it has been a hell of a wait, as the Shakes toured the world, milking the success of their debut, all the while getting tighter and more sophisticated as a band. But that wait is over – FINALLY – the new Alabama Shakes album is here. And it’s about freaking time. Now, you might ask….was the wait worth it? As I sit here, listening to Sound & Color for the very first time, I must admit that I am not entirely sure. It’s not that I am all that disappointed but I also am not knocked off my feet like I was after hearing their first album. That said, I think Sound & Color is a really remarkable set of songs, performed by a group that has really jelled into a formidable unit. My issue, petty as it may be, is that while this album is the result of a massive amount of growth…it’s too much. Yes, the problem with this album is that it is just too damn good. But it’s also missing something…and what that is, I don’t quite know. There are a lot of slow songs on this album, a much more pronounced soul vibe, and far more focus on Brittany…