The name Ali Sperry sparked a little flicker of recognition in my mind when first coming across this album. This was likely from the name appearing on an album credit somewhere, mainly due to the widespread interaction and collaboration occurring in the tight knit Nashville music scene outside the confines of Music Row. Collaboration has indeed played a significant part in this album and just from a casual outsider at least half a dozen names mentioned in the credits resonate with folks following the scene from afar. The upside is IN FRONT OF US revealing itself as a highly accomplished album finding a lofty plateau early on and purring with a smooth glide of consistency.
The ten tracks forming a record with more than a touch of classy demeanour abut it are either of solo or co-write status laying out Ali Sperry's credentials as a lauded singer-songwriter and effective vocalist. The production creates a textured listener experience with the moving parts etching echoes of orchestral and twangy moments while guitar, piano and horns play prime roles. There is an overall contemporary and mature feel to the sound with the rough edges being smoothed out in a similar vein to the works of Beth Neilson Chapman and Mary Chapin Carpenter.
Some of the names chipping in but never stealing the show from Ali Sperry include Birds of Chicago husband and wife team Allison Russell and JT Nero, Sadler Vaden (long time Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit key component), Kai Welch, Ruth Moody and Andrew Combs. Further delving reveals Nero and Combs as co-writers on a couple of the tracks.
While there are no major peaks and troughs across a running time just shy of forty minutes, there are significant moments of note. The orchestral lead in to opener 'Climber' adds a touch of sophistication, while the delicious pedal steel parts in 'Hope' give the release a bout of twang. The piano-inspired ballad 'I Know You're Scared' throws the album sound right into the mainstream with an element of class. 'Excuses' is a classic example of all the parts working together to effect a vibe fully agreeable with the ears. 'Cool Under Pressure' sees the pace lift considerably and was understandably one of the tracks picked to promote the album in the release run up. Leaving the listener on a high is always a winner and the excellent Combs co-write title track does that perfectly.
You do get the impression of Sperry existing in an exploratory mode for much of this album resulting in a release that never quite rests on its laurels. IN FRONT OF US is the type of record that will draw as much acclaim from within a peer group as forging a new market. It has though moved Ali Sperry right into full focus and she has duly obliged with a highly controlled and distinctively impressive body of work. Of course it emanates from a circle rich in talent and low on gamble, but there must always be some trepidation when releasing music to the wider world. In this case fears are allayed and prosperity in some form looms.
