A lot of great albums are going to be released in February, Nicole Atkins’ Slow Phaser has been on my radar for quite a while, and I finally got to listen to it ahead of its February 4th release! Also, last week, Kaki King announced she is working on a project involving a new stage show, read about it below and check out the fundraiser she’s running, there are some really cool prizes.

NICOLE ATKINS

Last year, I posted about a PledgeMusic campaign raising money for Nicole Atkins’ upcoming album, Slow Phaser. And thanks to that campaign, Atkins will release Slow Phaser on February 4th on her own label, Oh’Mercy Records. Slow Phaser features the powerful voice of the New Jersey based singer-songwriter, and is an exciting departure from her previous albums Neptune City and Mondo Amore.

The album starts out with the funky “Who Killed the Moonlight”, setting the pace for the album. That song goes into the banjo-led “It’s Only Chemistry”, which along with “The Worst Hangover” and the closer “Above As Below” are the closest to what one would find on Neptune City or Mondo Amore Atkins gets on Slow Phaser.

The early single from the album, “Girl You Look Amazing” is a super catchy song that’s incredibly danceable. It’s a throwback to the 70’s, but it comes off as quite refreshing. From there on out, the album just gets really groovy, with funk and reggae inspired bass lines. The slower-paced “Red Ropes” may be Atkins’ strongest vocal performance on the album, the ending section is incredible, when Atkins sings “Beg for forgiveness/cry for reprieve” as the guitar kicks in, it’s almost chill-inducing, then in comes a choir that puts the song into epic territory. Nicole goes electric with “What Do You Know”, with synthesizer that recalls the Talking Heads. “Sin Song” is a bit of a silly tongue-in-cheek song, Atkins singing “Sin song, it’s a son of a bitch”. The album ends with “Above As Below”, a gorgeous song featuring Atkins’ voice over some acoustic guitar work, bass, and piano with occasional floating harmonies that make this a great end to a really fun album.

Slow Phaser is a really fun listen, I found myself dancing in my chair as I listened for the first time. Nicole Atkins has reinvented herself, and with the liberation of starting her own label, her true potential can truly shine. If this is the Nicole Atkins we’ll hear for years to come, I am excited! You can pre-order the album at her website.

KAKI KING Fundraiser

Kaki King is one of my favorite musicians in the world. Her percussive style of guitar playing is unique and captivating. She is currently working on a new project called The Neck Is A Bridge To The Body. A Guitar will be used as a projection screen, and software will interpret sound from the guitar. It sounds really interesting. Check out the video below for a demonstration and description from Kaki, and you can click here if you’d like to contribute to this unique endeavor.