Nicole Atkins' fourth album,
Goodnight Rhonda Lee, was born from a period of transition for the singer and songwriter, and it comes with a few firsts. For one, it marks her debut for Single Lock Records, an Alabama label co-founded by
the Civil Wars'
John Paul White. During its development, she pulled up roots and relocated from her hometown of Asbury Park, New Jersey to Nashville, Tennessee. On the advice of friend
Chris Isaak, she also made an effort to write songs that showcase what sets her apart: those rich, classic vocals. To underscore that effort, she sought out a new production team that makes a lot of sense on paper.
Niles City Sound (Josh Block,
Austin Jenkins, and
Chris Vivion) drew attention for their work on retro-soul singer
Leon Bridges' 2015 debut.
Atkins and crew recorded the album live to tape in Ft. Worth, Texas in under a week. With songs that evoke the heyday of
Dusty Springfield, Brill Building pop, vintage soul, and other classic mid-century sounds, and with a voice to match, the unapologetically retro approach turns out to be a winning one in practice, too.