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Rating: Excellent |
Gregory Porter's new album has been eagerly anticipated for the past few months. The wait has ultimately been more than worth it, as Porter has delivered another exceptionally strong album with 'Take Me To The Alley.' He doesn't take many risks, of course, but nobody says he has to.
Gregory Porter certainly has a lot going for him: he's one of the most soulful voices on the planet, he has incredibly talented musicians, and—above all—songs that stick. Expectations were indeed very high after "Liquid Spirit," the Grammy-winning album from 2013, but Porter manages to live up to them on "Take Me To The Alley." The fact that he's reached a mass audience since his previous album, partly thanks to his collaboration with British dance duo Disclosure on the single "Liquid Spirit," doesn't mean he's veering off the beaten track to necessarily reap new commercial success.
Porter's new album has a subdued sound and kicks off with a gem: "Holding On." Not as it was played in the discos—you'll find that later as a bonus track—but in a kind of primal version, where the American singer's enormous vocal range is immediately apparent, alongside his religious roots. When he sings, "Won't you help me, my father," it's undoubtedly a direct link to the gospel tradition.
“The thing I always remember when I'm writing my songs is something my mom said: 'Sing with understanding.' I don't want to blow my gift on nonsense. I like voices which are seasoned, and I was waiting for some seasoning in my life. Well, I sure got some!”
Gregory Porter
An impressive start to the album, but what about "Don't Lose Your Steam," which follows, with a fantastic Hammond and a funky rhythm as a finishing touch; a song for his three-year-old son, Demyan, in which the singer implores his beloved never to lose his imagination. The groove that emanates from the song compels the listener to move.
The third song is the title track, a song Porter performed during his recent visits to Antwerp and Brussels. "Daydream" is delightfully jazzy (that dreamy tenor sax solo by Yosuke Sato), a song about growing older yet also wiser, also written for his son.
Also on the album: "More Than a Woman," a song that many fans will identify as their favorite composition. The song exudes such tenderness, enhanced by the soft piano notes of Chip Crawford, one of the many top musicians Porter managed to assemble for his album. The piano, incidentally, occupies a fairly prominent place on the album, not least on the song "In Heaven," a somewhat sweet, but above all, truthful song that would be perfect for many funerals.
After the twelve regular songs, there are three bonus tracks where he builds on the success of the dance version of Liquid Spirit. This allowed him to further expand his audience, which, incidentally, isn't illegal.
Porter is one of the very best vocalists of his time and one of the most successful soul-jazz singer-songwriters. He more than lives up to those titles on "Take Me To The Alley"! He embraces all facets of life, including the sensitive and less sunny sides, which makes him incredibly authentic. Once again, he manages to deeply move with his voice. As a listener, you can only enjoy it.
= Full Album Play List =
= Track List =
