Alice Howe Releases New Single 'What About You'

Los Angeles-based, Boston-bred, singer-songwriter Alice Howe has released "What About You," the lead single and video from her forthcoming LP, Circumstance, set for release on April 21st.

"The biggest rock and roll song on the new album is What About You, with Howe's country-soaked vocals providing a nice contrast to the driving instrumental," said Twangville in their premiere. "It's a nod to everyone's deep desire to find not just a lover, but a best friend and soulmate, or as Howe says, 'a soul connection.' Lest you think it's some angst-ridden anthem, that couldn't be further from the truth. Howe keeps it playful with references from sharing a Sunday afternoon soundtrack to a lifestyle escape."

"As you can see from the music video, 'What About You' has really brought out my playful side. To me, it feels like a '70s Linda Ronstadt track with a Chuck Berry guitar solo, but the lyrics have a profound message," says Howe. "It's a song about finding a love that goes way beyond the superficial. Ultimately, it's about believing that that person is out there, looking for you and that you deserve nothing less than to find them."

Recorded in two sessions at the legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where Etta James and Wilson Pickett once shook the walls, Circumstance channels their spirits with 11 stirring tracks that pull no punches diving into the vagaries of the heart and her own personal journey. As an old soul inside a 30-something millennial, Howe puts her stamp on Americana's venerable strands with 10 standout originals evoking both the classic singer-songwriters and the seminal music that once filled airwaves, roadhouses, and juke joints.

"There is so much history there, and I did feel like there was a certain amount of pressure to deliver and be a singer," Howe recalls of FAME Studios. "I'm in this room with Aretha Franklin and Etta James looking down on me, and it's like that Mona Lisa thing where the eyes follow you around the room and you're like: 'Hi, ladies!' Those are singers with a capital S."

Circumstance, produced and arranged by Howe's creative partner, Freebo, a veteran bass player and former Bonnie Raitt band member, displays her vocal prowess and introspective writing in abundance, mining both her heart and her musical tastes for a deep, personal journey across an Americana soundscape dotted with blues, folk, country, soul, and rock.

Opener "You've Been Away So Long," leads with a resolution to make peace with the turmoil of the past. From there, the journey kicks into high gear with "Somebody's New Lover Now," its chiming guitar and Hammond B3 organ creating a perfect fusion of modern country and soul. "Love Has No Rules" features catchy opening guitar hooks, while "With You By My Side," a serious groove with tight horns and smooth background singers that could have come from FAME's R&B archives, soars even higher.

But there's also quieter energy that burns just as brightly. "Let Go" calls forth pensive guitar and lilting piano to tell a tale of healing, while the atmospheric "Something Calls to Me" evokes a mist-filled bayou night, and "Travelin' Soul" serves a shot of country blues straight up. The final track, "It's How You Hold Me," written by Dayna Kurtz, beautifully showcases the power and range of Howe's rich, emotive vocals.

The album is a personal, soulful nod to her influences and the music she loves, all of it sung old-school without auto-tuning. In spirit, it draws from admired singers - Alison Krauss or the 1970s Laurel Canyon circle - but its soul is pure Alice Howe.

Circumstance is available for pre-order at music.alicehowe.com/circumstance. Be sure to follow Alice Howe at the links below for all the latest news and updates.

Watch the new music video here:

To post a comment, you must register and login.