ease. Full of orchestral flourishes,
Neptune City
could be a modern remastering of a classic record. Only it is wholly original.
From
60s girl groups
to touches of Blondie, The New Jersey-born singer
infuses all her music with elements of the surreal, drawing inspiration
from film-maker David Lynch.
The record is full of Vaudevillian tracks that would be perfect for any number of films. The deep, noir tones of
The Way It Is
beg to be used on a Tarantino soundtrack, while the title track
Neptune City
has the same haunting-yet-fantastical quality of Tim Burton's
Edward Scissorhands
.
While
Atkins is at her best playing the maudlin chanteuse, she proves she
still has that notorious New Jersey spunk on the rowdy Brooklyn's On
Fire!, complete with a whining electric guitar accompaniment that could
have been lifted straight from a Queen track.
Love Surreal
and
Party's Over
hear the influence of producer Tore Johnson - who produced the Cardigans - enter the record, while the bell tolls of
Cool Enough
and brass section of
Kill the Headlights
add even more colour to the multi-layered album.
Like an intricate oil painting,
Neptune City
is a collection of curiosities, revealing a new intrigue with every listen.
Joanna Hunkin
