Last weekend, phenomenal singer, songwriter and Alabama Shakes bandleader Brittany Howard took home the Grammy for Best Rock Song for “Stay High,” a single with a heartbeat groove from her stellar 2019 solo LP Jaime. Howard was nominated for six awards across a range of categories that emphasize just how excellent Jaime is, from engineering (if you want to split hairs, engineer Shawn Everett was actually the nominee there) to Best American Roots Performance.
The late John Prine’s “I Remember Everything” took home that American Roots award, and it’s an incredible song. But Howard’s entry in that category is a quiet stunner worth revisiting, too.
“Short and Sweet” is a quiet spot on the album, where Howard reflects poignantly on the passage of time and the damage it can do to a relationship that’s been interrupted. Waiting sharpens the longing for a connection, but there’s always the underlying anxiety that you’ve waited too long and a reunion won’t be able to heal the relationship. The piece is a showcase for Howard’s gifts for vocal control, used subtly to illustrate the tension. “I only want the beginning,” she sings. “We’ll give each other all of our best / And then time can do what it wants with it / There are mountains between us / There is time between us / Ain’t there something between us / Something short and sweet.”
In a session broadcast last night on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Howard reprises her solo performance from the album, this time with an acoustic guitar in place of the electric she used on the LP. The piece was filmed at The Sanctuary, a Nashville studio housed in a converted church space. Check it out above, and keep an eye on Howard’s website for updates.
