In 2017, the exceptional
Goodnight Rhonda Lee, her fourth studio album, saw
Nicole Atkins put a spotlight on the classic qualities of her voice by leaning into mid-century-styled vocal pop and soul. She follows up three years later with the also retro-minded
Italian Ice. However, whereas
Goodnight Rhonda Lee included collaborations with
Chris Isaak and retro-soul production team
Niles City Sound, the follow-up involves representatives of classic soul itself. Recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama,
Italian Ice features bassist
David Hood and keyboardist
Spooner Oldham of
the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, both of whom recorded with
Aretha Franklin and
Percy Sledge, just to name two. Other prime guests here include, from the indie era,
Spoon's
Britt Daniel,
the Civil Wars'
John Paul White, and
Seth Avett as well as members of
the Dap-Kings and
the Bad Seeds. It was co-produced by
Atkins and
Alabama Shakes member
Ben Tanner. Not quite as refined or as intimate as its predecessor,
Italian Ice tends to let loose with these diverse collaborators on sessions that the singer referred to an "awesome misfit party." She signals a return to sounds of the past with an opener titled "AM Gold" that begins with a wistful piano intro, subtly adding guitar, bass, and drums before horns take the song into its mid-tempo groove.
Atkins' strong, soul-styled lead vocal (she does her own
Pips-type backing vocals, too) address contemporary topics like global warming and social media on the track, which looks to music itself for solace ("Turn me up that AM gold/Turns me on like a radio/Then I remember I'm not alone"). She opts for loping, quasi-acoustic country on "Never Going Home Again," and
Daniel sings backup on the dreamy, twang-tinged slow-dance entry "Captain." Elsewhere, she effectively channels '60s pop-soul on "St. Dymphna," while the more intimate "These Old Roses" is an orchestral ballad with a chorus that may recall the
Connie Francis standard "Where the Boys Are." It's an eclectic set, for sure, but loyal to a nostalgic musicality that doesn't take itself too seriously; there's a bit of a wink and smile to
Italian Ice that adds an extra layer of charm. ~ Marcy Donelson
![10,000 Hz Legend [20th Anniversary Edition]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0190296713392_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "10,000 Hz Legend [20th Anniversary Edition]")
