Accidental Melody
Southport, 2023
8/10
The 13th album from the Chicago resident and singer-songwriter Joanie Pallatto, these 13 songs benefit much from her 4+ decades in the music scene, as well as her husband, Bradley Parker-Sparrow and jazz guitarist Fareed Haque’s contributions.
“Surrender” starts the listen with a warm dreaminess, where Pallatto’s playful scatting and vivid storytelling flow with much skill from Haque’s many guitars, and the title track follows with a salsa feel that recruits John Christensen’s lively acoustic bass.
In the middle, the graceful keys from Parker-Sparrow suit Pallatto’s expressive singing, while “In The Middle Of Life” places Eric Hines on triangle and percussion and Juan Pastor on cajon and bongos for the Latin flavored breeziness.
Near to the end, the pop balladry of “Keeping Track Of Time” is full of timeless melody and Pallatto’s inviting voice, and “The Lost Year”, a tune about the Covid lockdowns’ exits with a rich, reflective look at a very difficult time for the world.
A listen where no two tracks resemble each other, Pallatto and company make for a superbly cultured, lyrically sharp and both intimate and adventurous 4th album of all original songs.
Travels well with: Mary Foster Conklin- These Precious Days; Roberta Donnay- Blossom-ing!