Nikki Lane- Denims & Diamonds
Label: New West
Producer: Joshua Homme
With her trademark firecracker twang and zero tolerance for bullshit, Nikki Lane’s fourth album roars in your face in all the fabulous ways its three predecessors did. But by swapping former producer Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys) for Joshua Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), there’s a notable spark of fresh influence that only further expands her unapologetically honky Americana sound into a grander sound pulling as much from rock attitude as it does country sass. Her thick Southern drawl remains as tailor made for the fuzzy, thunderous guitars and crashing percussion of cuts like the title track, sizzling single “First High”, “Black Widow” and “Born Tough” as it does the weepy reverb and steel of “Faded” and “Live/Love”, or the breezy acoustics of “Good Enough”. She continues to blend influences like the on-the-nose songwriting of Lucinda Williams, the vocal country wallops of Loretta Lynn and Neko Case, and the dizzying cowpunk stylings of Maria McKee. And just like those women before her, Lane’s courage to wear her heart on her sleeve, even in life’s most doubtful moments, only speaks further to the strong emotional bedrock of her artistry. She’ll help you work up the nerve to take no prisoners from those that have done your heart wrong, but also won’t let you off the hook in terms of getting in your feelings either, mustering the nerve to nurse them from devastation to retribution. Denim and Diamonds is another undeniable country-rock jewel from one of this era’s most authoritative talents.
Track Listing:
- “First High” (Nikki Lane, Gabe Simon)
- “Denim & Diamonds” (Lane, Simon)
- “Faded” (Lane, Simon, Alain Moschulski)
- “Born Tough” (Lane)
- “Try Harder” (Lane, Joshua Homme)
- “Good Enough” (Lane)
- “Live/Love” (Lane)
- “Black Widow” (Lane)
- “Pass It Down” (Lane, Simon)
- “Chimayo” (Lane, Simon)
The 706 
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