• ALBUM REVIEW: Harmony and Heartache on The Altons’ ‘Heartache in Room 14’

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    Jim Shahen Posted On February 10, 2025
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    Los Angeles outfit The Altons has been a key player in the Chicano soul revival that’s been happening on the West Coast for the past decade or so. With its newest LP Heartache in Room 14, The Altons are now poised to jump from regional powerhouse to the national spotlight.

    Released on Daptone Records and produced by its founder Gabriel “Bosco Mann” Roth, Heartache in Room 14 centers on the dynamic between and vocal interplay of singers Adriana Flores and Bryan Ponce. It roots the vocalists (and The Altons in general) as inheritors to soul music’s legacy of duet-based albums — think Marvin Gaye’s collaborations with Tammi Terrell and Otis Redding’s work with Carla Thomas.

    The material is subtle in approach, geared toward midtempo and slower fare. Drummer Caitlin Moss and bassist Chris “Bolillo” Manjarrez anchor the tracks with a funky bottom end for Flores and Ponces’ voices to float over. An ideal example of this would be the song “Float.” The beat is reminiscent of classic soul a la The Delfonics and the two vocalists present the lyrics with a palpable longing and intimacy.

    The Altons’ cultural heritage is at the forefront of a pair of tracks, ““Perdóname” and “Del cielo te cuido.” The former weds a low-key funk instrumental with a traditional bolero delivery, while the latter is guided by an acoustic guitar melody that hews closer to the classic bolero sound.

    “Your Light” is arguably the high point of Heartache in Room 14. The dreamy love ballad features shared vocals from Flores and Ponce on the verses and a stunning call-and-response on the chorus. Roth’s touch as a producer here helps elevate the song. He smartly pushes the vocals for the forefront, with the lovely arrangement serving to underscore the emotional heft of the performance.

    Heartache in Room 14 concludes with “Show You Love.” “All I can do is show you love,” the duo sings over an arrangement that evokes Otis Redding’s “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now).” It starts slowly, with Flores and Ponce harmonizing over some light acoustic strumming. From there it builds, culminating in a glorious combination of vocals, horns and drums. The song makes for a dramatic conclusion to a delightful LP.

    The Altons’ Heartache in Room 14 is out on Feb. 14 via Daptone Records.

     

     




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