I wouldn’t even have heard of Nikka Costa if not for the inclusion of the song Everybody Got Their Something on the Radio Sunnydale album (reviewed elsewhere on this blog)…it kind of blew me away! It reminded me of pint-sized yowler Anastacia but far more mature and accomplished. Having obtained a copy of the album, it’s fairly obvious that Nikka can do everything Anastacia can and then some.
I just love this album. The first song, Like A Feather, is like Prince at his funkiest and feistiest; well, if he hadn’t already done all his best work in the 80s, y’know. Brilliant. Check it out on Youtube. Similarly, Hope It Felt Good is funky as hell but more reminiscent of an older visceral furrow that was ploughed to such great effect in the 70s by Sly Stone. Elsewhere we find Tug Of War, a song that throws the listener several curveballs; just when you think you’re got the measure of it, the song veers off in an unexpected direction. I’m surprised that Joss Whedon (or whoever chose the music for Buffy) didn’t choose to include the song Nothing, what with its aching strings and lip-wobbling heartbreak; it would have been perfect for a particularly gut-wrenching episode of Buffy!
Vocally and musically there doesn’t seem to be much Nikka can’t do…soul, funk, bluesy rock, ballads that can move you to tears (well, nearly) all with a modern twist and produced by Mark Ronson. I can’t believe she’s not huge. Maybe she is in the States. Let me know, American readers!
Basically this is a near-perfect album and I’ll be tracking down the others that came after it very soon.
http://www.nikkacosta.com/
http://www.nikkacosta.com/
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