The Altons – ‘Heartache In Room 14’ album review: good old-fashioned smoothness
THE SKINNY: The sun is shining, the water is blue, and gentle waves break along a golden coast. I have a drink in my hand and my love next to me as palm trees sway in the breeze—that is very much not the situation I’m in, but the atmosphere is so potent on The Altons’ soul and jazz-infused debut album, Heartache in Room 14, that I can imagine it clearly.
It’s hard to believe that this album is being released in 2025. From start to finish, this feels like an album from the 1970s or from the golden days of jazz and soul. It’s not that this is a nostalgia trip as there’s nothing cliche involved, nor does it feel like a band purposefully trying to evoke eras past, it just seems to come naturally to them as the music comes naturally too. This is an album that doesn’t feel forced or rushed, or tainted at all by marketing talk, branding or a worry about sales.
This feels like the kind of album made by four incredibly talented and skilled musicians, each blessed with a gift for musicality that allows them to embody an energy with ease. Listening through, you get the impression that this all came easily to them, as if all the harmonies made sense, all the instrumental details came to them like a subconscious reaction as the track was built, and all the lyrics rolled off the tongue like flowing poetry.
Especially in the case of Adriana Flores and Bryan Ponce’s voices, it feels like these musicians were meant to work together. The two vocalists dance across this record, weaving between on another, merging together for incredible harmonies and then parting to add interesting textures to the vocal line. Behind them, Caitlin Moss’ drumming is especially impactful, knowing exactly when to lean in and build and when to fake into the back, holding things down, as any good jazz-influenced drummer should.
Despite being their debut, Heartache in Room 14 feels established because the band are. They’re clearly a respected force as their 2020 track, ‘When You Go (That’s When You’ll Know)’, was sampled by the one and only Mary J Blige as one of the many details that led to her album, Good Morning Gorgeous, winning a Grammy. Their track ‘Over and Over’ has also been capturing attention for a while as a remix of the track has spent it viral online for what feels like forever, with the majority of listeners likely expecting it to be a sampled remake of an old track, not one from this decade.
It’s a tough project to find fault with, given the obvious talent involved, but there’s a certain grip or polish missing. If the band wanted to learn into the smooth, easy sound, having the tracks run together as one long, luxurious listen would have elevated it to greatness. Or, if they wanted the tracks to stand along, it could have done with some more punch, ensuring to reengage ears again and again throughout the tracklist.
But they’re such minor issues on an album that sounds like an old classic and has the mileage to become a new one.
For fans of: Listening to a record from start to finish… and pulling over the car to do so.
A concluding comment from the owner of a Hackney wine bar known for its ‘vibes’: “Now this is music.”
Heartache in Room 14 track by track
Release date: February 14th 2025 | Producer: Bosco Mann | Label: Daptone Records
‘Waiting’: A luscious opening that sets the tone immediately for an album it’s genuinely tough to believe is a new 2025 release and not a 1970s soul classic. [4/5]
‘Tangled Up In You’: Such a minor gripe, but I wish the transitions between songs were smoothed out. One song rolling into another would elevate the record so much into the ultimate luxurious listen to be swept up in. But beyond this, this is another vibe-heavy, vocally gorgeous song. [3.5/5]
‘I Try, I Try’: With the last song ending with “in you” and this track beginning with “with you,” it would’ve been the most optimum chance for two songs to merge and mesh into one. It’s a small detail, but it stands out as a missed opportunity for something good to be great. But as Adriana Flores and Bryan Ponce’s voices dance together, it’s an easy thing to forgive. [3/5]
‘Perdóname’: Changing lanes from rich soul influences to honour the traditional boleros that they grew up with, giving this classic a modern makeover and a new groove. [3.5/5]
‘Float’: Following straight on from that nod to their culture, ‘Float’ shows its influence as Caitlin Moss’s foundational percussion is so dramatic and rich here, building to gorgeous orchestral ending. [3.5/5]
‘Where Did She Go’: Across the entire album, the sense that Adriana Flores and Bryan Ponce’s voices were meant to sing together never falters as they dance and play across this record with such an easy energy that defines the band’s entire sound. In this slower, balladic moment, it’s highlighted in a shining spotlight. [3/5]
‘Del cielo te cuido’: The bolero is back as the LA group dives deep into their Latin influences and heritage, merging these two important scenes together as this traditional track is given a laid-back, surf rock edge to it. [3/5]
‘Your Light’: Loose, lazy, luxurious. Seductively laid back. Put it on your Valentine’s Day playlists immediately. [3/5]
‘Over and Over’: You might recognise this song in a very different form as a remixed version by ProdMartin called ‘Oltra Vez’ is absolutely everywhere on TikTok. But in its original form, it’s easy to see why The Alton’s intoxicating track caught the producer’s attention and the world’s ears. [4/5]
‘Show You Love’: The band are at their best in this closing remark of a song. Flores and Ponce sound absolutely perfect, Chris “Bolillo” Manjarrez holds things down on the bass, and as Moss’s drumming builds and builds towards the song’s bold finale, it’s all four musicians showing their worth. [4/5]
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