Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 10
 Neptune City - Music of the Gods November 28, 2008
A. Sweeney (London, England)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
Once again, thank you Jools Holland. New Jersey born Nicole Atkins' excellent performance of two instantly lovable songs on BBC2's 'Later... With Jools Holland' ('Maybe Tonight' 'The Way It Is') led to the CD dropping into my letterbox a few days later and, over the last month or so, I have listened to it many times, loving it more and more each playback. The music on 'Neptune City' is like a cross between Richard Hawley's love of a classic, romantic melody coupled with the slight Spector-esque excesses of Bernard Butler, resulting in a sensational collection of deeply affecting, powerfully emotional music, delivered by Atkins' expressive, powerful but beautiful vocals. Some have compared her work with that of Roy Orbison, and I can really see understand what they're talking about.
br /
br /'Maybe Tonight' is an upbeat, melodic slice of modern Motown, a great piece of uplifting, symphonic pop to kick off the album, and it is followed by one of the album's best tracks, 'Together We're Both Alone', which is a reverb-soaked masterpiece, all sweeping, swooning strings, bells and the feel of a Walker Brothers classic. The impressive start to the album continues with 'The Way It Is', a dark, brooding narrative of someone wanting to hold on to their lover, but reaching an empty acceptance that the loss is inevitable. Featuring marimba, strings, electric guitars and building up to a truly amazing climax with an equally amazing vocal performance, this could have been one of Dusty Springfield's greatest hits.
br /
br /Tore Johansson's production of this album is one of its many strengths and this is demonstrated on the atmospheric 'Cool Enough', a wonderful song about wanting to leave a dead hometown, and the instrumental ending is just heavenly. 'War Torn' is more of a grower, its subtle beauty being revealed the more you listen to it. 'Love Surreal' starts with the dark, upbeat, classy feel of a Bond theme and then reveals the catchy, stomping chorus, which reminds me of The Cardigans at their best. 'Neptune City' is a reverential, bittersweet and yet loving ode to the place where Nicole grew up and has the feel of a great Richard Hawley track from 'Coles Corner' - maybe there's something that inspires you in a particular way when singing about the place in which you were raised?
br /
br /'Brooklyn's On Fire' is one of my favourite tracks on this, an album full of favourites. The creative, playfulness of the song and the soaring melody are just two of the factors which make this song special to me. 'Kill The Headlights' is another excellent song about the pain of finding and keeping love. The final track 'Party's Over' is maybe the most 'pop' sounding song on the album, but it boasts a chorus which takes you straight back to the neck-tinglingly classic 60's sound and leaves you, at the silence at the end of the album, wishing that there was more to come.
br /
br /This is an extremely good - perhaps even great - album. It is so good that it is possible it will become a future classic, in years to come. The compositions, the performance, the arrangements, the diversity and rich textures, they all add up to a tremendously enjoyable, inventive album which connects, emotionally, to the listener. There is no doubt about it, Nicole Atkins is a real talent and I hope she goes on to enjoy the success she so readily deserves. Brilliant, beautiful music.
br /
Just buy it December 4, 2008
N. Carroll (UK)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Unlike others I'm not going to able to relate this to many other artists' work or to music history.
br /
br /But like some others, Nicole just grabbed my attentention on the Jools Holland show and I bought the album on the strength of that, just as I had bought Regina Spektor on the strength of her appearance on Jonathan Ross earlier in 2008.
br /
br /While I think Regina is stunning, special and delightful, Nicole's debut album is simply unbelievable. I play it over and over in the car, and for the first time I can recall, this is a CD for which I NEVER feel the urge to "skip" a track. Every one is a winner.
br /
br /Her mellifluous voice, the tunes, the lyrics, the arrangements and the production just come together in an orgy of aural joy.
br /
br /Just buy it. If this doesn't do it for you, forget music altogether.
Wonderfully Brilliant December 21, 2008
Mr. Mark J. Pulleyn (Swindon, England)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
There's a common link between the other reviews of this album, as I too saw Nicole Atkins on 'Later...' and the album was in my collection within the week.
br /
br /It's a stunning debut, Nicole's voice is something else and her delivery of this fine collection of songs is simply exceptional. There are so many different influences and styles on show here that you just can't compare Nicole to any other artists around at the moment.
br /
br /The opening track, 'Maybe Tonight', 'The Way It Is' and 'Brooklyn's On Fire' certainly stand out, but the stunning 'Cool Enough' is my favourite track.
br /
br /Take all the recommendations and go and buy this album, as it's surely one of the best releases in 2008.
Just brilliant February 14, 2009
Peter Lee (Manchester ,United Kingdom)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
One-line review: THE best album I heard in 2008.
br /
br /I bought this after seeing Nicole perform "The Way It Is" on "Later... with Jools Holland" (UK music show, in case you don't know it). My immediate thought was that she was absolutely gorgeous - the album artwork doesn't do her any favours at all - but then that her voice was staggeringly good: resonant, clear, memorable, and timeless. As the song reached its climax I reached for a piece of paper, scribbled down her name, and the next day I bought the album.
br /
br /On first listen about half of the tracks make an immediate impression, the likes of "Maybe Tonight", "The Way It is" and "Love Surreal" standing above the others, but then others start to reveal their wonders. As soon as the CD finished for the first time I pressed play again, then again when it finished that second time - the first time I have listened to an album three times in succession in years.
br /
br /Don't fall into the trap of thinking that as Nicole is a solo female artiste she'll be another cardboard cutout Amy / Duffy / Adele / Gabriela Cilmi because she's far, far better than these.
br /
br /To call this "brilliant" does her a disservice. The best album I've heard in years. I can't wait to hear what she does next.
Sublime,mystifying,soulful and life-afirming.... August 20, 2008
Patroller1 (Southport UK)
3 out of 8 found this review helpful
NEPTUNE CITY IS A WONDERFULLY REALISED ALBUM.IT'S GOT IT ALL.A THREAD OF A STORY WITHOUT BEING A CONCEPT ALBUM.CRISP MODERN PRODUCTION,RETRO THEMED INFLUENCES,FANTASTIC LYRICS,GORGEOUS MELODIES,NO DUFF TRACKS,IT'S SHARP AND NOT OVER-STRETCHED (CLOCKS IN AROUND 42 MINUTES),IT'S GOT SINGALONGS,IT'S GOT DEEPER SONGS,IT'S GOT ELEMENTS OF JAMES BOND,JENNY LEWIS,PORTISHEAD,'GREASE SOUNDTRACK' AS IF STOLEN BY DAVID LYNCH,BUT MOST OF ALL IT'S GOT THAT SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL VOICE THAT IS NICOLE ATKINS.SHE IS QUITE SIMPLY 'IT' PERSONIFIED...SHE IS THE EPITOME OF TALENT UNDERSTATED AND SHE WILL ONE DAY BE A HUGELY POPULAR SINGER/WRITER/PERFORMER.BACK IN THE 80'S I PREDICTED THE SAME FOR MADONNA...SOME PEOPLE JUST HAVE 'IT' AND NICOLE IS MOS DEF ONE OF THOSE RARITIES.
br /I WOULD ADVISE CHECKING THIS ALBUM OUT TO ANYONE (APART FROM METALHEADS!!),GIVE IT A DECENT AMOUNT OF TIME TO SINK IN,LKE A FEW DAYS AT LEAST,THE TIME SPENT WITH IT REALLY PAYS OFF AND MOST TRACKS ARE INSTANTLY LIKEABLE ANYWAY,SO YOU'VE NOTHING TO LOSE.
br /ALSO,CHECK OUT HER VIDEO'S ON YOUTUBE(EVEN THE LIVE LETTERMAN ONE)...SHE IS ONE CLASSY WOMAN...THIS,FOR ME AT LEAST,IS THE BEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR SO FAR,AND I DOUBT VERY MUCH THAT IT WILL BE SURPASSED.
br /BUY NOW,PLAY LOUD AD ENJOY....
Showing reviews 1-5 of 10
|
