Artist:     Brandi & The Alexanders

Album:     How Do You Like It?

Label:      Red Parlor Records

Release Date:     10.5.2018

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To say that Brandi Thompson has a killer set of tonsils is truly an understatement. Her soulful vocals and incredible range are a highlight of her and The Alexanders debut, “How Do You Like It.” Interestingly enough, the title cut is not the strongest, and is actually eclipsed by retro-esque tracks like “Higher,” “I’m In Love,” “Drama Queen” and the achingly-soulful “Bad Love.” Her band is tight and disciplined, backing skillfully with quality arrangements and never stealing from the focal point of Thompson’s lyrics or her Aretha/Mariah-sounding vocals. They sound like they’re a very-hot live act, and when they put their mind to it they really rock. However, one wishes with the (at times) condensed sound on the album, that they’d shift into overdrive with more interplay between them. Down and dirty, Soul is what captured this listener’s attention, and when they really get down with the funk… i.e., wah-wah pedals, distortion boxes, and chunka-chunka-guitar rhythms….they hit the bull’s-eye every single time.

From How Do You Like It, the only direction Brandi and The Alexanders are going is up.

—Bob Girouard