Ballads and duets (and ballads that are duets) are cornerstones of 1960s soul, whether you’re thinking about Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Otis Redding and Carla Thomas, or one of the many other notable duet singers from the era. The Altons from Southeast Los Angeles celebrate the sound and feel of classic soul duo balladeering with a welcome touch of their Latin heritage on their lovely new album, Heartache in Room 14.
In 2020, the Altons released an early single, “When You Go (That’s When You’ll Know)” for the Daptone Records imprint, Penrose. The song achieved extra notoriety, sampled by Mary J. Blige. Since then, they have become a mainstay of southern California’s retro “souldies” scene.
Heartache in Room 14 starts strong with “Waiting”, which serves as a template for what follows. The ethereal voices of Adriana Flores and Bryan Ponce float through the song, which features the on-point rhythm section of Caitlin Moss on drums and Chris “Bolillo” Manjarrez on drums. Electric guitar strumming and gentle organ chords punctuate the mix, with everything combining to conjure the feel of Barbara Lewis’ 1963 classic, “Hello Stranger”.
The Altons immediately prove that 60 years later, the “Hello Stranger” vibe is still intimate and sexy, and it’s a fine place to open a record filled with warm retro-soul ballads. Having established a mellow but engaging vibe on “Waiting”, the Altons stick with it throughout Heartache in Room 14, presenting a series of tracks that dwell on love found, lost, and found again. Throughout, the voices of Flores and Ponce—whose voice, with its soaring falsetto, is more Smokey Robinson than Redding—intermingle beautifully.
While many of the classic 1960s duets—among them, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and Otis Redding and Carla Thomas’ “Tramp”—are up-tempo bops, the Altons focus exclusively on more intimate, quieter moments on Heartache in Room 14. Fortunately, their songwriting and performances are excellent, so if listeners are drawn in by “Waiting”, they will likely stay engaged throughout the album.
While tiny hints of the Altons’ Latin American heritage can be found throughout, Heartache in Room 14 features two songs, “Perdóname” and “Del Cielo Te Cuido”, directly connecting the group to those roots. “Perdoname” is probably the most upbeat song, although it fits squarely within the quiet groove.
While most of the songs are sturdily constructed around the bass/drums/guitar/organ format, the group occasionally add some extra drama to the proceedings via some strings or horns. “Float” is a dramatic song featuring a sweeping orchestral backdrop and a twangy guitar solo that combine to bring a bit of a film noir feeling to the proceedings.
The Altons bring Heartache in Room 14 to a close with “Show Your Love”, a declaration of deep romance featuring just Flores and Ponce harmonizing over strummed guitar until the song and album end with a brief horn coda straight out of Stax Studios. It’s the perfect ending to an ideal date night album.