Los Angeles-based, Boston-bred, singer-songwriter Alice Howe has released “Love Has No Rules,” the latest single and video from her forthcoming LP, Circumstance, due out on April 21st. “‘Love Has No Rules’ is a song about following your truth in love and life, setting aside others’ expectations and judgments,” Howe told The Bluegrass Situation in their premiere. “It’s about trusting yourself, and listening to that deep, internal knowledge that guides you to what is right for you.”

“In both the writing and the singing of this song, I had to tap into my power, and I’m so proud of the vocal that you hear on this recording,” she continued. “As my producer, arranger, and co-writer, Freebo brought his unique musical sensibility to this song, helping me take it from a sweet ballad, which is how I originally envisioned it, to an infectious track with an ’80s-style groove,” Howe added. “‘Love Has No Rules’ is a strong statement both lyrically and musically, and it’s representative of the collaborative nature of this entire album.” “Love Has No Rules” follows “Somebody’s New Lover Now,” and lead single, “What About You.”

Recorded in two sessions at the legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where the voices of icons like Aretha Franklin, Etta James, and Otis Redding 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, the golden-voiced 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. 

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. 

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.

Photo Courtesy: Jim Shea