Nikki Lane is All or Nothin’

Nikki Lane

Nashville – Nikki Lane means business on her second album. Joining up with Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys to produce All or Nothin, this singer/songwriter is showing her rebel side, her I don’t really give a shit what you think side. This album is 12 songs; songs of one night stands, bad attitudes, bad relationships, being vulnerable and of course, love. Recorded with New West Records of Nashville in May of this year, All or Nothin (also sold on vinyl for all you amazing folks) is getting amazing reviews with no signs of slowing down, and neither is Nikki. She is touring like a mad woman on a mission. She says she is misbehaving and moving on…

“My songs always paint a pretty clear picture of what’s been going on in my life, so this is one moody record,” she says. “There’s lots of talk of misbehaving and moving on.” – Nikki Lane

All or Nothin’ begins with “Right Time”. An upbeat anthem of always making that wrong decision just because it is always the right time. Starting off with her sultry and commanding voice and that kick drum beating along right behind her, this song will hook you immediately. Mixing it up with its alt-country/Americana sound, “Right Time” is a good song to start off with. Lane gets the chance to show off her sinful side a bit and sets the scene and tone for the whole album.

From there we move on to “Good Man” where we see another side of Lane. Maybe a more vulnerable side. The sound is on another level too. I think this song and the next, “I Don’t Care” is where her Motown influence chimes in a bit. The speed picks up quite a lot in her vocals and the tempo speeds up tremendously. Your hips automatically want to start doing that 50s and 60s dance bop craze. Go ahead, prove me wrong.

In the next few songs you get more of Lane’s country spirit. In “You Can’t Talk to Me Like That”, Lane’s voice croons over the word baby and you fall in love with its sultry and smooth appeal. Some critics may say whiny but I disagree. She has that Loretta Lynn quality about her, simply timeless and pairs perfectly with Auerbach’s voice in “Love’s on Fire”, a duet, sang with Auerbach. “Love’s on Fire” starts out with that same country spirit, then speeds up, never losing that feel with classic sounds of Americana and steel guitar. Even picking up a hint of the classic Tennessee favorite (well for some), “Rocky Top”.

Her voice seems to get lost on “Seein’ Double”. The instrumentation seems to take over this song and there is an urgency to get the song finished it seems.

Lane gets back in her zone in “All or Nothin’” as she sings this title track. It just screams Dan Auerbach to me. The music has this funky groove to it with a blues feel. That slide guitar in your ears as her commanding voice smolders in your ears “Hear my cry, Momma, hear what I say Cause I’m reaching out and I sure hope you can help me Jesus Christ, well he’d wash away my pain. So I’ve been spending all my time just bathing in the rain.”

Her fun, flirty side comes out in “Sleep with a Stranger” as you can imagine. Okay maybe more promiscuous than flirty but it fits. “I ain’t looking for love, just a little danger” she bellows. “Man Up” is a song I see getting played a lot. It’s catchy and energetic, and have I mentioned that voice? “Out of My Mind” her voice seems flat, only just to be stating facts, no real emotion behind those strong lyrics. In “Wild One”, Lane sticks to her roots and lets the music do its thing and she sings it beautifully. “Want My Heart Back” is another one of those Motown-feel songs for me. It fits her well. It’s not forced and it is a good ending for the album.

Some songs go back and forth but she warned us about being moody. And there is something to be said of that wishy washy aspect. This is exactly as Nikki Lane sees it so, it is the way she wrote it.

Visit these sites for more on Nikki Lane:

https://youtu.be/lzS3vU6wZa4

nikkilane.com

https://www.facebook.com/nikkilanemusic?fref=ts

https://twitter.com/nikkilanemusic

http://www.bestnewbands.com/album-reviews/album-review-nikki-lane-walk-of-shame/

Jess Sneed

Jess Sneed

I am a Nashville girl who loves any kind of music you can throw her way! If I can write about that experience you will see my passion.

“The things you are passionate about are not random, they are your calling.” –Fabienne Fredrickson

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Jess Sneed

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