Mondo Amore
Encyclopedia
Mondo Amore is the second album by Nicole Atkins
. It was released in the United States on February 8, 2011 by Razor & Tie Music
.
, while also dealing with the painful termination of a long-term personal relationship. Additionally, her former backing band, The Sea, abandoned the project a week into the January 2010 start of recording the new album. Atkins dealt with these changes by returning to her adopted home of Brooklyn and eventually set to work at The Seaside Lounge Recording Studio in Park Slope. There she met producer Phil Palazzolo and agreed to work together for her next project. Atkins also collaborated with Robert Harrison of Austin, Texas’ psych-pop bands Cotton Mather
and Future Clouds and Radar
for the songs "Cry, Cry, Cry" and "Hotel Plaster". Atkins' goal was to create a more volatile sound than she had ever previously attempted, a sonic approach akin to such influences as Scott Walker
and Nick Cave
, while also touching on longtime inspirations like the blues and classic 60s psychedelic rock. The collective of musicians who assisted Atkins on Mondo Amore morphed into her new backing combo, The Black Sea, comprising guitarist Irina Yalkowsky, bassist Jeremy Kay and drummer Ezra Oklan. She described them as the best lineup she has ever played with. Nicole Atkins & The Black Sea is planning to do an extensive amount of touring for the promotion of the new album.
felt that "the songs play like anthems, commanding you to sing along as her lyrics tell a long-awaited story" and complimented the effortless blending of rock, blues, country and soul. Joshua Khan from BLARE Magazine
wrote that Mondo Amore "outlines a bruised heart, telling stories through stripped down blues rock, adult contemporary pop and a bit of southern twang", while Alex Biese of Metromix
called it "a gripping, complex record made of dark corridors and broken hearts". Carrie Alison of Sentimentalist Magazine
wrote that the album "plunges any willing listener straight into the maelstrom of Atkins’ own Blue Valentine
with oftentimes harrowing — but always thoroughly enchanting — results" and called it "the kind of ultra-poignant gem that you pray to come in contact with just to pay it forward". Matthew Leung of State Press
felt that "with Mondo Amore, Nicole Atkins has really shown her strength as both a singer and songwriter" and noticed that "her awesome vocals and meaningful lyrics help give this album lasting appeal". Jeff Hahne from Creative Loafing
wrote that the album is filled with "hints of Americana and rock while still gleaning from blues and pop" and found it "more upbeat than her debut, showing both growth and versatility".
August Brown of Los Angeles Times
described the album as "sturdy, well-arranged pop that old crooners and hipster blues brothers alike can claim as theirs", while Jonah Weiner from Rolling Stone
called it "dreamy, vaguely melancholic, thoroughly pleasant". Mikael Wood of Spin
praised Atkins' voice but noted that "on the follow-up to 2007's terrific Neptune City
, Atkins trades that album's lush torch-song vibe for scrappier indie-garage arrangements that drain much of the drama and romance from her music".
Nicole Atkins
Nicole Atkins is an American singer-songwriter. She has been compared to Roy Orbison and singers from the Brill Building era.-Early life:...
. It was released in the United States on February 8, 2011 by Razor & Tie Music
Razor & Tie
Razor & Tie is a New York-based corporation founded in 1990 by Cliff Chenfeld and Craig Balsam. The company encompasses a record label with major label distribution , a home video company, a media buying company, a music publishing business, a marketing, promotion and sales team, and a direct...
.
Background
Mondo Amore has its genesis in a time of extreme turbulence for Atkins, a period which saw her parting ways with her former major label, Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, while also dealing with the painful termination of a long-term personal relationship. Additionally, her former backing band, The Sea, abandoned the project a week into the January 2010 start of recording the new album. Atkins dealt with these changes by returning to her adopted home of Brooklyn and eventually set to work at The Seaside Lounge Recording Studio in Park Slope. There she met producer Phil Palazzolo and agreed to work together for her next project. Atkins also collaborated with Robert Harrison of Austin, Texas’ psych-pop bands Cotton Mather
Cotton Mather (band)
Legendary indie rock outfit Cotton Mather was founded by Robert Harrison of Austin, Texas in the early 1990s. What started as an experimental collaboration with cellist Nat Shelton had by 1993 evolved into a guitar driven pop quartet defined by accessible melodies, strong vocal harmonies and...
and Future Clouds and Radar
Future Clouds and Radar
Future Clouds and Radar is Robert Harrison’s follow-up to his band Cotton Mather. The first album, an eponymous double CD, was released in 2007. Their second release, entitled "Peoria" was released on the 4th of November, 2008 on the Star Apple Kingdom label....
for the songs "Cry, Cry, Cry" and "Hotel Plaster". Atkins' goal was to create a more volatile sound than she had ever previously attempted, a sonic approach akin to such influences as Scott Walker
Scott Walker (singer)
Scott Walker, born Noel Scott Engel on January 9, 1943 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and the former lead singer of The Walker Brothers. Despite being American born, Walker's chart success has largely come in the United Kingdom, where his first four solo albums...
and Nick Cave
Nick Cave
Nicholas Edward "Nick" Cave is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, and occasional film actor.He is best known for his work as a frontman of the critically acclaimed rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, established in 1984, a group known for its eclectic influences and...
, while also touching on longtime inspirations like the blues and classic 60s psychedelic rock. The collective of musicians who assisted Atkins on Mondo Amore morphed into her new backing combo, The Black Sea, comprising guitarist Irina Yalkowsky, bassist Jeremy Kay and drummer Ezra Oklan. She described them as the best lineup she has ever played with. Nicole Atkins & The Black Sea is planning to do an extensive amount of touring for the promotion of the new album.
Critical reception
Mondo Amore has garnered generally positive reviews from music critics. Andrew Leahey of Allmusic wrote that it "continues the trend by keeping an eye on the past, but it shifts everything forward by one decade, mining blues-rock and late-‘60s psychedelia instead of Brill Building pop" and noticed that it "may work best as a companion piece to Neptune City [...] but it’s got more than enough raw emotion to hold its own weight". China Reevers of PastePaste (magazine)
Paste is a monthly music and entertainment digital magazine published in the United States by Wolfgang's Vault. Its tagline is "Signs of Life in Music, Film and Culture."-History:...
felt that "the songs play like anthems, commanding you to sing along as her lyrics tell a long-awaited story" and complimented the effortless blending of rock, blues, country and soul. Joshua Khan from BLARE Magazine
BLARE Magazine
BLARE Magazine, usually known simply as BLARE, is a Toronto-based daily Internet publication devoted to artist interviews, music commentary and supporting unsigned/emerging musicians from Canada, the United States and other countries...
wrote that Mondo Amore "outlines a bruised heart, telling stories through stripped down blues rock, adult contemporary pop and a bit of southern twang", while Alex Biese of Metromix
Metromix
Metromix is a network of local entertainment websites backed by a joint venture between media companies Gannett and Tribune Co. A guide to local restaurants, bars and clubs, events, concerts and movies, Metromix is currently available in over 60 markets. In late 2009, the company launched 27 new...
called it "a gripping, complex record made of dark corridors and broken hearts". Carrie Alison of Sentimentalist Magazine
Sentimentalist Magazine
Sentimentalist Magazine is an American magazine of indie rock music and culture, published quarterly.Launched in New York City in 2001 as The Sentimentalist, it changed its title to The Sentimentalist Magazine with Issue 14, and then dropped the definite article from Issue 16. As of January 2008,...
wrote that the album "plunges any willing listener straight into the maelstrom of Atkins’ own Blue Valentine
Blue Valentine (film)
Blue Valentine is a 2010 romantic drama film written and directed by Derek Cianfrance. The film premiered in competition at the 26th Sundance Film Festival. Derek Cianfrance, Cami Delavigne and Joey Curtis wrote the film, and Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling played the lead roles...
with oftentimes harrowing — but always thoroughly enchanting — results" and called it "the kind of ultra-poignant gem that you pray to come in contact with just to pay it forward". Matthew Leung of State Press
State Press
The State Press is the independent, student-operated newspaper of Arizona State University. It publishes a free newspaper every weekday.-History:...
felt that "with Mondo Amore, Nicole Atkins has really shown her strength as both a singer and songwriter" and noticed that "her awesome vocals and meaningful lyrics help give this album lasting appeal". Jeff Hahne from Creative Loafing
Creative Loafing
CL Inc. is the Tampa, Florida-based publisher of three city newsweeklies and their associated websites. Each of the papers focuses on local news, politics, arts and entertainment, and restaurants...
wrote that the album is filled with "hints of Americana and rock while still gleaning from blues and pop" and found it "more upbeat than her debut, showing both growth and versatility".
August Brown of Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
described the album as "sturdy, well-arranged pop that old crooners and hipster blues brothers alike can claim as theirs", while Jonah Weiner from Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
called it "dreamy, vaguely melancholic, thoroughly pleasant". Mikael Wood of Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
praised Atkins' voice but noted that "on the follow-up to 2007's terrific Neptune City
Neptune City (album)
Neptune City was generally well-received by most music critics. Katherine Fulton of Allmusic noticed that "Atkins shows on this album that she has both the capability and potential" and praised the "lush arrangements on Neptune City, which [...] showcase the depth, range, and versatility of Atkins'...
, Atkins trades that album's lush torch-song vibe for scrappier indie-garage arrangements that drain much of the drama and romance from her music".
Track listing
- "Vultures"
- "Cry Cry Cry"
- "Hotel Plaster"
- "You Come to Me"
- "My Baby Don't Lie"
- "This Is for Love"
- "You Were the Devil"
- "War Is Hell"
- "Heavy Boots"
- "The Tower"