Jaime Reimagined

Brittany Howard’s 2019 debut solo album *Jaime* is her most personal, autobiographical work yet. Named for her late sister, the LP draws on the stories and people that shaped the Alabama Shakes’ frontwoman’s lived experiences, from “Goat Head,” which recalls a traumatic, racist experience her parents endured when she was small, to love songs like “Georgia” and “Stay High,” which throw to first crushes and lasting romance. It’s also her most ambitious and experimental work to date, with the revered singer and guitarist embracing R&B, funk, folk, hip-hop, and good ol’-fashioned rock ’n’ roll to push herself to new, exquisite heights in her songwriting. Now, *Jaime (Reimagined)* keeps this spirit of reinvention going. Each track has been remixed or reinterpreted from a crew of veritable performers. Childish Gambino’s falsetto gives Howard’s high notes a run for their money on “Stay High,” while on “Short and Sweet,” Bon Iver layers Howard’s voice over a surreal soundscape that trades her guitar for electronic flourishes. Michael Kiwanuka’s soulful rendering of “13th Century Metal” offers a moody contrast to the deafening crashes of its predecessor, and EARTHGANG and Syd offer bars of their own to updated versions of “Goat Head” and “Baby,” respectively. It’s a kaleidoscopic view of Howard’s opus, one that encourages deeper listening—to this vivid tribute, but also the stunning original.