Customer Reviews

Neptune City

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As my review title says, this album is "interesting" to say the least. I'm not sure I could even write an in-depth review here, because Nicole's style is so unique. But I'll try to describe her music as a cross between Janis Joplin and Fiona Apple, with a twist of 50's retro and a sprinkle of goth for seasoning. If you saw her on David Letterman last night then you have some idea of Neptune City.

As I also say in my review title, this is for eclectic music lovers only. Anyone wanting an instantly-accessible Top-40 album have come to the wrong place. But after listening to this a few times I can definitely dig it. Nicole has a great voice, which compliments the songs well.

All in all, I'd say give it a shot if you're in the mood for something different.

On Neptune City, Jersey girl Nicole Atkins summons the iconographic spirits of Bruce Springsteen, Roy Orbison, Loretta Lynn, lets them live inside her, and proceeds to transcend them into what we hear on this record. In this genre-less record of darkly psychedelic Jersey-shore romanticism, Nicole Atkins throws her hat into that ring of artists managing to straddle the fence-line between indie and mainstream credibility and ends up being sucessful in this pursuit.

The first thing that will strike you upon first listen is the voice, and its willingness and ability to go anywhere the music drives it to. No one worth his salt would ever accuse Atkins of having a voice without merit, and in the immaculate melodies found here it's on display in its finest form. I dare anyone to stand unmoved when listening to the chorus of "The Way It Is" I dare you. "Cool Enough" functions beautifully as the hypothetical female response to Born to Run, what Wendy might have been saying to that grand proposition. It's on this track, along with several others, Atkins displays what may be described as commanding vulernability. The title track is wholly soaked in its own dirty water bitter nostalgia. But Atkins isn't above belting crazy-infectious pop. "Maybe Tonight" encapsulates the restless hope that permeates the entire record. By the time the chorus hits, you are forced into the corner that demands you be either crushed by the broken promises or lifted up despite them.

Nicole Atkins emerges triumphant as a singular sound on her first album. Look, it's just a really great CD and you should buy it. She's the real thing. Let her in and find out what happens next.

After a half year's delay, Nicole Atkins and the Sea's long-awaited official major-label debut, Neptune City, is finally here. Those of you who are familiar with her prior EPs, 2004's Party's Over and last year's Bleeding Diamonds, have heard many of these songs before, but this time, they've received star treatment from producer Tore Johansson (New Order, Franz Ferdinand), a host of studio musicians, and finishing touches provided by none other than mixman extraordinaire Rick Rubin (the cause of the delay...I think I'd delay my record too if Rubin wanted to get his mitts on it). Old fans, I urge you not to miss out, and potential new fans, you've gotta get this record.

If you're in the latter group, with a glance at Atkins' striking yet unsmiling face peering out at you from the cover's dreamy, pasteled artwork, you might readily dismiss her as just another lightweight chick singer-songwriter. Don't do it. Nicole Atkins will connect with you. No matter how hard you try to distance yourself, her lyrics reach into your psyche and say, "Hey! I've been there, too. And it's okay. You'll be fine. Just look at me. I turned out all right; you will, too!"

Atkins' music has been described as soaring, and this CD is no exception. Johansson rightly supports her very big voice with lush arrangements and equally big sound. It's very Phil Spectoresque, especially on tracks like "The Way It Is" and "Party's Over." The stripped-down version of "War Torn" on Bleeding Diamonds bears very little resemblance to the version here. However, Atkins' compositions hold up remarkably well whether you are hearing them on the CD with the full complement of Sea musicians (the four Ds: Dave, Dan, Derek and the other Dan) plus the orchestral session help hired by Johansson, or whether you're hearing Atkins play them solo acoustic in a local coffeeshop somewhere in Monmouth County.

The tunes cover a vast degree of territory geographically, emotionally and stylistically, but Atkins' powerful, confident alto ties them all together in a complete, balanced package of treats for your ears. Obviously, it's her voice that makes you sit up and pay attention, but the tracks' pace and variety will keep you guessing. The band dives right in with the cautiously optimistic rocker "Maybe Tonight," takes it down a notch with the lamenting "Together We Are Not Alone," and in the CD's pièce de résistance, "The Way It Is," starts slow but builds to a crescendo of passion and longing, virtually daring you to stop listening. The bombast, strings, and unrelenting "Fourth of July, Brooklyn's on Fire!" hook in "Brooklyn's On Fire!" is the tonal antithesis of the quiet, reflective title track. And "War Torn"'s solemn strings underscore a glimpse at the sad end to a relationship ripped apart by circumstances beyond anyone's control.

Like many artists, Atkins makes wry observations about places she's been and people she's met and translates them into song. She grew up in Neptune City, went to school in North Carolina, spent considerable time in Australia, lived in Brooklyn for a while, and is now back in Asbury Park. Songs like "Cool Enough" capture the wanderlust in a young girl; in lines like, "This place has got nothing that I could want...so take me with you," you feel her desire to get the hell out of Dodge. Though young, she's also wise enough to realize that "Someday, I might feel different." And sure enough, after trying on other cities and countries for size, she's ended up right back in Asbury Park, just next door to the place which, as she said in "Neptune City," she wasn't sure if she could go home to again.

Welcome, back, Nicole. Go ahead and tour the world, but please keep coming home to Jersey where you belong.

I had an advance copy of this CD since August, so I was very familiar with the songs when I saw Ms. Atkins and her band, the Sea, at a small club a few weeks ago. I've described her sound as "if Lesley Gore and Roy Orbison had a daughter" - both in terms of the retro feel of such tracks as "Maybe Tonight", and the amazing vocal range which is no studio creation. Other standouts are "The Way It Is", "Neptune City" and "Brooklyn's On Fire". I would have given this 5 stars but for "Love Surreal", which is done much better live.

Ms. Atkins is an amazingly talented, personable young woman who deserves to be heard by a wide audience. The fact that her music defies categorization will probably prevent this, but I'm pulling for her all the same. And yes, I bought the "official" release too.

Every few months I find a CD that sort of becomes enshrined in my CD player and Ipod. This is now the case for Nicole Atkins and her album Neptune City. I literally have to listen to this one a few times every day. It's truly such an amazing creative endeavor. I had not heard of Nicole Atkins before seeing her CD in Borders and, being beguiled by the unique cover art, I decided to listen to the samples. Honestly, the samples didn't grab me, but after listening to The Way It Is in its entirety on the internet, I went back to Borders and got this one, and it's been in constant rotation ever since. I love Nicole's raspy yet youthful voice and how she uses it to express the deepest place of each song. The lyrics and the arrangements are dark yet hopeful, and even though there are melancholic undercurrents in each song, they make you feel so alive. This is also such a brilliant coming together of vintage and modern sound.
I am really happy to have found an artist that confirms that there is still awesome music out there just waiting to be heard. I hope Nicole's career and creative energy continues to flourish, and she keeps the great music coming.

I have had to shut it off after listening to it going and coming from work for two weeks straight including weekends! Tunes roll in my head all day and I think I may even be able to sing, no, hum along... Distinctive. Terrific.

One of the other reviewers said that Nicole's music is not for everybody. With all due respect, I have to disagree. Amongst a slew of pop princesses, divas, and ghoulish looking waifs, Nicole's CD stands head and shoulders above the crowd. I first discovered Nicole on MySpace (which by the way is the absolute best way to discover new musical talent), and have waited patiently for this album to be released. With the state of popular music as it is, it is always refreshing to find someone who can truly sing. I think this young woman could sing any song, and make it her own (check her out on YouTube singing The Ronettes song, "Be My Baby".)

On this CD, "Maybe Tonight" has a nice soft rock feel to it that gets you into the rhythm without beating you over the head. That's one of the best things about Nicole's music; it doesn't assault you, it kind of washes over you in waves. "Neptune City", the title song is what drew me to Nicole's music in the first place. It reminds me of a song that you might find on the soundtrack of a David Lynch movie. It starts of softly and builds momentum as it moves into the chorus. When I heard it the first time, I understood why people mentioned Nicole's name in the same breath with Roy Orbison. "Brooklyn's on Fire" has the kind of rock anthem feel going for it that will have fans singing along at concerts as her popularity grows. "Party's Over" is another selection that rocks without beating you up.

Let me be clear about something. When I say Nicole is a great singer, don't think of the Mariah Careys or similar wannabes, with their vocal pyrotechnics that are more akin to yodeling. Nicole sings the melody, powerfully and confidently and seemingly without effort. Really, when you get right down to it, Nicole defies comparison. She is unique. If you really enjoy music sung well, buy this CD. I can't imagine anyone who truly loves a song well sung could ever be dissapointed with Nicole.

I first heard of Nicole Atkins when I saw her perform the song "The way it is" on the Letterman show. I like the song, and the sheer power of her voice (and her total control of it) was completely exhilarating.

This CD did not come out in Canada until last week. After listening to it every day for a week, I have mixed feelings about it. First, the recording technique and the sound quality of this CD are a letdown to me. I do not think the recording technique used in this CD does justice to her voice. It seems to me that the producer wanted a retro or vintage sound to go along with the style of her songs. One reviewer below said that the technique was Phil-Spector-esque, which I take to mean the wall-of-sound technique. This technique created a mass of blended sound from both the musical instruments and her voice. Therefore, it did not make her voice stand out enough. I am not saying that I want an in-your-face type of sound (a la Celine Dion), but I think that the recording failed to highlight the power of her voice, which is her major strength. In addition, the sound quality of this CD is not great. If you turn up the volume, her voice can sound harsh, almost screeching.

Which leads me to my second point - about the quality of the songs. I think the CD is uneven. It has some very good songs. I especially enjoy "The way it is", "Maybe tonight", "Brooklyn's on fire" and "Party's over." As for other songs, I find that they have a tendency to meander. On average, I rate the songs on this CD as decent. However, I might not have bought it if I had not been hugely impressed by her voice on the Letterman show.

In sum, I do not regret buying this CD. She has a very good voice, and her songwriting is good (though uneven) and promising. I hope she continues to improve and I look forward to hearing more from her in the future. I was tempted to give this album 3 stars, but I added another star because her very impressive performance on the Late Show suggested that she is better than what this CD could demonstrate.

POSTSCRIPT - Mar. 16, 08: Just want to add that Nicole and her band came to do a show in Toronto in February. I was there, and she sounded great (despite being sick and having to cancel a show the night before). After the show, she signed autographs for her fans. She seemed to be a very nice person. I told her that the recording of this album didn't do justice to her voice. She just said "Well, that happens sometimes."

If you are on the fence about buying this album, don't be. It is a decent effort. Give her a chance.

nicole atkins and the sea are worth your time. buy the album. go to a show. add them as friends on myspace. just do whatever you can to fill your life with those melodies, those lyrics, that edge, and that voice. you will spend the rest of your life being glad that you did.

What a lovely voice Nicole Atkins has. Every song is sweet music to my ears and I can listen to this CD over and over again. The first song I heard was "The Way It Is" which is just beautiful. Her voice reminds me of some of the old singers my parents used to listen to, like Theresa Brewer, but there are elements of the modern in her music. Neptune City is elegant, velvety and soothing. If you want to hear what she sounds like, check out her myspace page. If you like beautiful voices, you will not be disappointed with this CD.