Take Me to the Alley

There’s a timeless quality to <i>Take Me to the Alley</i>—in the skillfully crafted lyrics that blur the political and personal, the band’s elegant accompaniment and Gregory Porter's magnetic presence on the mic. He brings gospel-inflected fire to uptempo tracks like “French African Queen", but it’s the immaculate ballads—like the warmly soulful “Don’t Be a Fool” and the touching title track—that are filled with heartbreaking poignancy.