The Wedding Song – Nicole Simone The Wedding Song – Nicole Simone

With the release of her first effort in the form of a self titled EP, Nicole Simone has made a statement that has been receiving some decent buzz in the music community. Her Los Angeles-based lounge act is one that is striking in it’s commitment to style, but is not without its pitfalls.

Three songs into this EP my ears have come to one conclusion – I’ve been sucker punched by a powerful dose of Tom Waits this afternoon. Rarely have I heard a contemporary artist tip a cap so lovingly to Waits. The sluggishly voiced piano, atmospheric banjo plucks, and soft trumpet playing that whispers with the same passivity felt in Simone’s voice reflect the imagery championed by Waits: A downtrodden life remembered at a lonely bar stool.

Simone’s EP is well produced, worth a listen, and will absolutely peak the fancy of many people who encounter it. The style she employs is identifiable and the message relatable. Her singing is playful and along with some of the instrumentation, brings a jazz element to her songs.

But my experience with this EP is marred by the fact that my eyes never seemed to widen with delight. With each listen the familiarity I developed with the tracks didn’t change this fact. Even more strange is that I love this style of music, and I enjoy singers that sing with a similar character to Simone.

The conclusion I have arrived at is that these tracks never seem to carve out a place in music Simone can call her own. And with the heavy hitters that have explored the bounds of this genre before her, a ruler exists that few artists could possibly measure up to. The ingredients for great music certainly exist on this debut EP. I’m just waiting on a little more special sauce.  I give it a 6.6.