credit Fairlight Hubbard
LISTEN: “IN YOUR DREAMS”
Nashville-based singer/songwriter Ali Sperry has released “In Your Dreams,” the latest from her forthcoming LP In Front Of Us, due out on March 11th. "As artists, one’s own authenticity and unique perspective is our greatest asset and in some ways, it feels like it’s all we really have,” says Sperry of the song. Co-written with and featuring friend and fellow artist Carey Ott, “In Your Dreams” features musical contributions from Adam Meisterhans, Kai Welch, Jamie Dick, Owen Biddle, and Sarah Dugas.
“Our ability to look at something, respond as ourselves, and reflect back in our own authentic way is crucial. The goal is to create art that is un-self-conscious–art that is our own truth and not trying to be something we think might be trendy or popular or 'cool.' 'Don’t worry, don’t be sorry, say it’ is the repeating mantra of this song. It’s what I have endeavored to do throughout this record, and as I move forward through my life."
“In Your Dreams” follows “Cool Under Pressure,” inspired by watching Kamala Harris in the 2020 Vice Presidential Debate. “Kamala Harris was a force to be reckoned with that night and made a deep impact on me,” Sperry recalls. “I stirred with pride to be a woman, pride to witness such a woman demonstrating her ability for leadership. The way she elegantly fought for her time to speak, insisted upon it, was almost shocking to me, as it was an example too-seldom seen,” she continues. “I thought about this debate in the weeks to come and lyrics began to emerge. I called on my impressions of that night and quotes from our now-Vice President, as well as reflections on other women leaders of our time.”
LISTEN: “COOL UNDER PRESSURE”
Sperry grew up in a small Iowa community built around the practice of Transcendental Meditation and moved to Nashville in 2009 to join a band called Sweetwater Rose. Since then, she has become a beloved member of the Nashville creative community, frequently sought after for collaborations and co-writes due to her songwriting prowess. She has shared stages with the likes of Nicki Bluhm, Langhorne Slim, Andrew Combs, Mipso, Kelsey Waldon, Erin Rae, and more.
In 2020, when faced with a year of trauma, racial reckoning, and downright worldwide existential crisis, Sperry did what she has always done–turned inward and wrote songs that channeled, mirrored, and ultimately distilled those cultural currents into what became In Front Of Us. The album was made in the thick of the pandemic and was produced by her husband, Jamie Dick. The restrictions of life compelled the couple to set up a home studio and create a safe place to make the record, remotely collaborating with friends like Allison Russell, Kyshona, Jill Andrews, and Natalie Schlabs.
“While it is not a record about the pandemic, it was very much informed by the stillness of life at that time,” Sperry reveals. “The concurrence between our new quieter, slower daily pace with the intense political atmosphere of 2020, including the racial reckoning that was taking place in our country and the #metoo movement still active in the public discourse, spilled into a batch of songs about mortality, our place in the universe, how we treat one another and ourselves, and what we are passing along to the next generation,” she adds. “The pandemic, violence, bigotry, racism, lack of respect for other human beings and for the planet–this was on my mind and in my heart as these songs came to be. There are also themes of being your most authentic self, speaking your own truth, and relying on hope when all else fails.”
With In Front Of Us, Sperry wisely avoids long-form folk indulgence for streamlined contours and razor hooks that feel more rock/pop than folk, and are fairly begging for a decent car stereo and an open road. In her singing and writing, she is the people’s champ of the “less is more" ethos. There is a slight echo of Laurel Canyon in the sonics of the record, and, always, the confident under-singing of a woman who knows her words and melodies will happily do the heavy lifting.
The album also features an absolute murderers' row of beloved Nashville players, including Jen Gunderman, Audley Freed, Sadler Vaden, Joe Pisapia, Owen Biddle, Kai Welch, Kristin Weber, Rich Hinman, and a slew of other bright lights. It's a testament to both their instincts and their respect for Sperry’s presence and voice, that it never feels like a cavalcade of assembled star-turns, but a real love-in of massively talented musical souls.
