In Front Of Us
Self-Released, 2022
8/10
The Nashville singer-songwriter Ali Sperry offers us a very diverse and well thought out listen, where collaborations from Allison Russell, Kyshona, Jill Andrews, Natalie Schlabs and Sadler Vaden are present and appreciated.
“Climber” starts the listen with stirring strings before warm acoustic guitar and Sperry’s expressive pipes enter the dreamy Americana, and “Lucy” follows with thumping drums and a more firm presence of poetic folk-rock ideas.
“Hope” arrives at the halfway point and employs glowing pedal steel alongside the very graceful singing, while “Cool Under Pressure” strums playfully with an upbeat country rock demeanor that’s immediately infectious and even a bit anthemic.
Closer to the end, “Peace By Midnight” uses soulful backing vocals strategically in an almost gospel like fashion, and the title track exits the listen with just initially Sperry’s voice and guitar to illuminate the vivid storytelling that builds into a hazy, blurry version of roots rock.
An album that is both intimately personal but can also be quite political, Sperry’s childhood growing up in a small Iowa community that practiced Transcendental Meditation is still very influential, as the songs can be quite calming in their lush, pop friendly moments and not so subtle Laurel Canyon sensibilities.
Travels well with: Susan Cattaneo- All Is Quiet; Surrender Hill- A Whole Lot Of Freedom