By Carlo Wolff | Published June 2021
Chicago-based Alyssa Allgood’s third album casts Allgood’s dry, expressive voice in a svelte chamber setting. Guitarist Mike Allemana, bassist Dennis Carroll and drummer George Fludas are more than accompanists, particularly Allemana, a master of the understated, single-note run.
While Allgood is in her twenties, she sings with a depth beyond her years, particularly on her covers of Abbey Lincoln’s “Should’ve Been” and Dinah Washington’s signature “This Bitter Earth.”
The album starts with a breezy “There Are Such Things,” a tune identified with Frank Sinatra that showcases Allemana’s economy of style and Allgood’s mastery of scat. The mood swings with Carroll’s “Enclosure,” a love song from an introvert’s point of view, while “Memories,” one of two Allgood-Carroll collaborations, presents the singer as a cynical woman whose memories “are out of touch and so are you.”
An Allemana-Allgood duet on “For All We Know” paves the way for “Passing Glance,” a supple Carroll-Allgood effort with Allemana at his densest, Allgood assured and daring.
What Tomorrow Brings: What Tomorrow Brings: There Are Such Things; Enclosure; Should’ve Been; Memories; This Bitter Earth; Mad About the Boy; Time Found; Bridges; Try Your Wings; Light Out of Darkness; For All We Know; Passing Glance. (53:37)
Personnel: Personnel: Alyssa Allgood, vocals; Mike Allemana, guitar; Dennis Carroll, bass; George Fludas, drums.
Ordering Info: Ordering info: cellarlive.com
