Ali Sperry IN FRONT OF US

Ali Sperry
In Front of Us
Self Released

Nashville Singer (and Her Friends) Bring Their A Game to Intelligent Hook-Laden Radio-Friendly Songs

Ali Sperry came to my attention a couple of years back when she supported Amy Speace in my home town of Biddulph and her literate, folkie-leaning tunes complemented the headliner nicely – on this release, she’s taken a musical turn towards a poppier, radio-friendly sound, calling on a multitude of Nashville friends, which reads like a who’s-who of that city’s great and good.

Album opener “Climber” is, to these ears classic Amy Rigby in style, both musically and lyrically, a tale of a charming narcissist set in a string-laden and 70’s guitar hero riff driven tune, with Allison Russell and Kristin Weber’s harmony vocals adding the musical icing on the cake.
It’s a much fuller sound for Ali and it frames the vulnerability of her voice perfectly.
“Lucy” which follows also has an archetype at its chore, but this time it’s a hopeful ode to someone trying to find their place in the world – its loud-soft dynamic makes the choruses worm into your brain and stay there – a skilful exercise in production and arrangement.

“I Know You’re Scared” is a reconciliation between the danger and beauty of life and has an appropriately epic production dealing with such weighty issues – again the juxtaposition of fragile vocal and soaring production and accompaniment echo the sentiments therein.
“Excuses” – in my mind this will always be “the sweary one” is about that kind of person who you always seem to give one chance too many to; but “I’m not rootin’ for you to fuck it up” – that one line is a total headstick and an empathic anthem to boot – can’t wait to hear sympathetic audiences singing along to it on Ali’s next visit to these shores – and air-guitaring to Sadler Vaden’s (of Jason Isbell’s 400 Unit) fantastic solo too; I do like a bit of potty mouthing used appropriately in songs and this is just perfect.

Contrastingly, “Hope is The Thing” is a more low-key affair musically but a song of stubborn and fierce optimism – and that’s something we all need.
Lovely guitar by Audley Freed and vocals from Jill Andrews give the sentiments delicacy and body.
”Cool Under Pressure” which follows, inspired by a Kamala Harris speech is back into hook-laced radio-friendly territory and has something of recent Taylor Swift in the narrative vocal delivery and feminist subject matter, although Ms Swift hasn’t backed it with a Steinman-esque set of piano and strings that can be heard here -she’s missed a trick.

“Safe” is another track influenced by current events – in this case, the horror of mass shootings and gun violence.
Like “I Know You’re Scared” it deals with the dichotomy of wanting to bring new life into the world, yet being scared of doing that same thing because of the state of the world.
The emotion is captured wonderfully in strings and in particular with the appearance of melancholy viola.

“In Your Dreams” starts with chugging rhythm which is wrapped with swirls of ethereal sounds and is a paean to finding your voice and being true to yourself – it also features a charango (first time I’ve ever mentioned one in a review) a kind of lute like instrument which adds a further riffy musical hook over the “say yeah” phased outro mantra.
“Peace by Moonlight” brings Sperry’s voice more to the fore in the mix and it’s another glimpse of “a better world where the doves aren’t afraid of the hawks”
Things close after this with “In Front of Us” a co-write (and co-sing) with Andrew Combs – there’s a gentle Prine-esque feel to the looking-forward narrative.
Percussion, horns and piano lift the song at its climax and there’s a lovely piano turnaround too which takes the album out in a positively constructed and crafted manner.

I took quite a while to give this album its deserved attention as other (life) things got in the way, but having spent some time with it now, it’s going to stay on my playlists for quite a while – Ali Sperry has brought her A game to this one and with these arrangements, accompaniments, performances and ideas she’s found the perfect setting for her musical – and lyrical voice.

Review by Nick Barber
Released March 11th 2022

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