With looks and a voice that could melt hearts, New Jerseyite Nicole Atkins pretty much has it all. The 35-year-old was raised on Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and girl groups, and that’s something you can’t escape in the style of music that she sings. While her heart may be in East Coast USA, Atkins’ teenage years saw her spend time in North Carolina and experiencing both the indie rock and country scenes there and by the time she’d come to record debut album Neptune she’d formed a backing band and decided to make it in Sweden. That album showcased Atkins’ myriad talents: an incredible swooning voice, brilliant song writing and guitar work, it might be her best work so far given it made Atkins appearing to have arrived fully formed. As she releases her third record Slow Phaser, Atkins has added some rock and pop nous to her classic sound. Live, she’s irresistible. A performer you cannot take your eyes off, Atkins commands the stage simply through her voice. A track like ‘My Baby Don’t Lie’ is a low-down dirty country stomp, ‘Vultures’ is a sultry, bluesy torch song with an underlying aggression and the set closing ‘The Tower’ is a track where it’s just Atkins and her electric guitar, and it’s a stunning way to end a show. Pick your heart up off the floor as you leave.
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