Any time that a band scores an auspicious debut and takes the charts by storm, fans and pundits hold their breath for the follow-up. After all, there’s a lifetime invested the first time around, but given the pressures of the biz, most bands only have a truncated period to work on the successor. Fortunately, in the case of Alabama Shakes, all bodes well for continued kudos, well enough at least to see their trajectory continue to climb. Singer Brittany Howard’s vocals are as pliable as ever, a high-pitched squeal one moment, and an irascible howl the next. Yet, it’s the band—bassist Zac Cockrell, guitarist Heath Fogg and drummer Steve Johnson—who have evolved the most this time around, providing a shifting set of circumstances that are varied in both tone and texture. From the vibes that adorn the title track, to the shifting, skittish riffing that rings through “Future People,” “Guess Who” and “Gemini,” these songs show an ingenuity and invention that take the Shakes’ sound to another level. As for Howard, suffice it to say that when she wails, “I’m in over my head” on the song of the same name, she’s clearly underselling herself. As the title indicates, sound and color are this album’s greatest assets. Lee Zimmerman