ALBUM REVIEW: Gaby Moreno Tinkers With Textures on ‘Dusk’
Jim Shahen
Posted On February 14, 2024
Musically speaking, Gaby Moreno is a difficult artist to categorize. From folk to blues and Latin and baroque pop, she does a little bit of everything. These elements are expectedly in play on her new LP, Dusk. But the record is more than a continuation of familiar, pleasing themes, as Moreno tinkers with different sonic textures and approaches to deliver another satisfying album.
Dusk kicks off with “Let it Fade.” At its core, it’s a piano-based ballad about overcoming adversity. But what makes it work is how Moreno and producer Dan Knobler maximize the atmospherics of the song, utilizing a string arrangement that is minimalist at first and builds to a triumphant crescendo that matches the emotional journey of Moreno’s lyrics and impassioned vocal delivery.
“Solid Ground” plays like an early 1970s Rolling Stones cut, with its swaggering, danceable blues-rock riff. But unlike the Stones, Moreno doesn’t use that sonic template to revel in excess and debauchery; she’s using it to yearn for stability and a sense of belonging. It pairs nicely with “Ain’t That the Way it Goes.” The ramshackle rocker is inspired by Moreno’s move from Guatemala to the United States to change her life and find new, better opportunities.
Gaby Moreno (photo by Joseph Ros)
This theme, the immigrant experience, echoes her 2019 LP Spangled!, a collaboration with legendary songwriter and arranger Van Dyke Parks. Moreno renews her partnership with Parks on Dusk with a cover of Bob Dylan’s classic “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight.” The casual nature of it contrasts nicely with Moreno’s duet with actor Oscar Isaac on the traditional Guatemalan ballad “Luna de Xelajú.” Previously released as an acoustic duet on last year’s X Mí (Vol. 1), a collection that won the Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album, the Dusk rendition is a full-band affair. The arrangement and tweaks to the track provide a different approach to the material without losing any of the warmth and emotional heft of Moreno and Isaac’s vocals.
Dusk concludes with “Dance the Night Away.” The ballad is an ode to companionship and finding solace in the embrace of a significant other. Moreno’s sincerity and warmth carry the song and end the album on a pleasing note.
Gaby Moreno’s Dusk is out Feb. 16 on Cosmica Artists.
