There’s a timeless quality to Take Me to the Alley—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.