"Senorita" - which is about a dancer, in fact - has a lighter touch that provides a welcome respite from the intensity of the previous songs. It's followed by the quieter "Message" and the moody alt-rock of "Your Walls," two good but less catchy songs that would be top tracks on most albums but in this context almost qualify as filler. Nicola goes over four minutes only on the beautifully dreamy "How," where her band especially shines. And the CD closes with the multilingual novelty "Ay Ay Ay," about how passion reduces us to wordlessness. It's a high point of Nicola's live performances, here given a perfect acoustic treatment.
Nicola adjusts her tone and singing style for each song, while remaining always recognizably herself; vocally, she's her own animal. To get an idea, think a less over-the-top Shakira, a Maria McKee minus the twang, or a Melissa Reaves without the Janis-channelling. I don't know how old Nicola is, but she's not a kid. This is relevant because reviewers tend to froth all over the latest wunderkind with a beyond-her-years voice (today Joss Stone, yesterday Fiona Apple, etc.) long before those singers have come anywhere near being able to demonstrate staying power: can she follow up? Can she write (or find the ideal material for her particular gifts)? Can she grow, and does she have the charisma to take her audience with her? Essentially: will the powerful voice and youthful passion be filled out with interesting, adult substance? About Nicola, a veteran of South American tours and the Broadway stage, we do not have to ask these questions.
Article comments
1 - Temple A. Stark
EB - I have this up on Advance.net, too.
A nice read.
Can be found at this link.
2 - abrielle
when i heard avril's songs im like woow wat a great canadian singer her first cd is like punk but her second cd is even better its about her life and its all true no lies at all i wish i was her i heard that she smokes but i dont believe that i dont need to no her personall stuff anyway she can tell her freinds that and stuff but why let much music no they will tell everyone who watches it i dont think her personall stuff should go on the news she doesn't need problems i personally think that she is the best rock singer on earth!!! im not braging at all im just a great fan dont let anyone no your secrets or else they will spread it around like my freinds always do! your the best avril!
3 - Julian Koenig
Nicola at Penn Station last night (Mar 24th)
- at about 8:30 PM: simply put - fantastic!
Thank you for describing in
technical terms the 3/4-time attack: it stopped me in
my tracks (with apologies to LIRR).
I looked around, and the 3/4-time attack had stopped a
lot of other people as well: the crowd was stretched out in a half-moon "
50 feet deep. Each listener was in his/her own world.
This marvelous artist possesses even more potential for greatness than
we've seen so far: Nicola has the Streisand special touch.
She makes each member of the audience feel as if the performance is a
special concert " just for him/her. When she looks at you, the music
drills down inside you. She doesn’t so much set the listener rockin: Nicola’s music
settles the listener. It’s as if she’s preaching a sermon.
The demographics of her audience was truly remarkable: entranced by her
music were messengers, Wall Street clerks and shoppers late getting home,
the homeless, prosperous well-fed businessmen, and just about every
sub-group which makes up New York City.
And as is predictable, those with the least seemed to open their
pocketbooks the most.
Such is New York. Such was Nicola . . . Wow!
(This review is available in pdf with a link back to the originating
site at:
rjkoenig.com/nicola/jon_sobel_review_17_nov_05.pdf