Guatemala-born singer/songwriter Gaby Moreno has a deep love for the blues, as well as other Afro-American musical styles. Which makes sense, since the Venn diagram overlap of African and Latin music is wide... but so are the forms within the Americas, themselves. On the self-produced, GRAMMY-nominated Alegoría, Moreno continues her exploration of... all of the above.
Written during the pandemic, the songs of Alegoría (which means “allegory”) alternate between English and Spanish, while exploring themes of desolation, nostalgia, hope, and love, like on this waltzing Tex-Mex blend of country and cumbia.
No Depression writes of the album, “Alegoría is cinematic because of how dynamic it is. It’s like watching a movie, one that will become a favorite, for the first time and being engrossed with every twist and turn. Moreno draws you in and doesn’t let you go.” A perfect encapsulation of that comes in the form of "Cuando Nadie Miraba," haunting piece whose title translates as "when no one is looking."
The ever-trusty AllMusic.com proclaims, “Alegoría is wonderful, evocative, searing, and true; it is Moreno's first recording to fully showcase her developed sophistication as a singer and a producer, as well as underscore her maturity as a songwriter. Get it.” I'm a ditto on all of that.
Hear the whole episode March 11 at 6 am, 12 pm, and 6 pm PT.
