Nico Adams
Nico Adams
Orange County and Los Angeles, CA
Pop
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Bio
At 23 years old, Nico Adams has found himself right at home in southern California where he is working on his first album which will be released winter 2009. Fusing childhood influences of Micheal Jackson, David Bowe and Prince, his unique style of piano driven pop-rock has surfaced as a distinctively inventive sound. Nico’s music is filled with themes, poetry, stories and characters, covering different avenues of life. His sound is energetic, soulful, and playful, yet his lyrics speak of the human heart; loved gained and love lost, filled and broken. Nico has the incredible talent to intertwine the lightness of pop with the intensity of a rapper or the depth of a balladeer.
About
REVIEWS
Nico Adams has the kind of voice that will support a career well into old age. On the one hand he swaggers with a youthful neo-soul/pop vibe that makes the girls melt, and on the other he has the presence of a veteran singer/songwriter that has been sharing his tales from behind the ivory for years. His songs “Tombstone Eyes” and “Rebel Baby Rebel” are just itching to storm onto the airwaves. These are the songs that will grab everyone’s attention, while it’s his songs like “Seattle” and “Letter” that will solidify a long lasting fan base.
“Tombstone Eyes” is a hit single waiting in the wings. With catchy hooks and a title that was made to be quoted, this song makes for a great introduction to the modern funk vibes of Nico Adams. This vibe is only further fortified by his song “Rebel Baby Rebel”; a sexy little song just begging to be made into a music video. With the right push, both of these songs could rapidly climb the iTunes singles charts.
It’s songs like “Seattle” and “Letter” that have staying power though. These are the songs that will capture people’s hearts. Nico Adams credits Elton John as one of his influences and that becomes very apparent in both songs. “Letter” in particular tonally puts me in mind of a more reserved version of Elton’s “Rocket Man,” but with more of a current flair. I could easily see this song being featured on a television series like Grey's Anatomy, right along side the likes of Ingrid Michaelson and The Fray.
With songs rich in imagery that weave effortlessly between smooth melodies and soulful pop grooves, Nico Adams has a future in the music industry that could potentially last for generations to come.
Zack "The Mothman" Daggy
Host and Producer for Mothpod Productions
http://mothpod.com
Author of The Dark Worlds Trilogy
http://darkworldstrilogy.com
Promotions and Marketing Director for B.O.U.N.C.E. Radio
http://BounceRadio.net
“Tombstone Eyes” is a hit single waiting in the wings. With catchy hooks and a title that was made to be quoted, this song makes for a great introduction to the modern funk vibes of Nico Adams. This vibe is only further fortified by his song “Rebel Baby Rebel”; a sexy little song just begging to be made into a music video. With the right push, both of these songs could rapidly climb the iTunes singles charts.
It’s songs like “Seattle” and “Letter” that have staying power though. These are the songs that will capture people’s hearts. Nico Adams credits Elton John as one of his influences and that becomes very apparent in both songs. “Letter” in particular tonally puts me in mind of a more reserved version of Elton’s “Rocket Man,” but with more of a current flair. I could easily see this song being featured on a television series like Grey's Anatomy, right along side the likes of Ingrid Michaelson and The Fray.
With songs rich in imagery that weave effortlessly between smooth melodies and soulful pop grooves, Nico Adams has a future in the music industry that could potentially last for generations to come.
Zack "The Mothman" Daggy
Host and Producer for Mothpod Productions
http://mothpod.com
Author of The Dark Worlds Trilogy
http://darkworldstrilogy.com
Promotions and Marketing Director for B.O.U.N.C.E. Radio
http://BounceRadio.net
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From the first notes of “Seattle”, which opens Nico Adams’ five-song EP, the listener might swear this disc is some kind of a Annie Lennox solo work, or an obscure Eurtythmics release at the vary least. But then again, Adams, a 23 year old man, lists Michael Jackson, David Bowie, and Prince as primary influences. Thus, a little musical androgyny likely comes with the territory.
Adams may borrow some of his vocal style from Lennox, but he does not incorporate any of the layered synthesizer parts Dave Stewart gleefully piled onto those memorable ‘80s Eurythmics recordings. Instead, Adams prefers to use a whole lot of soulful, acoustic piano. Adams is at his most Elton John-iest during “Letter”, which is a thoughtful ballad that brings “Don’t Let the Sun Go down on me” to mind.
On “Tombstone Eyes”, the track features piano, drums, and little else. At times, these arrangements sound like setups for jazz club vocalists – albeit, with soul/R&B songs, rather than jazz standards. And that’s mostly a good thing because Adams is an expressive singer that lets loose and sings all around the melody, and in and out of the rhythm consistently.
Lyrically, Adams can be a little cryptically exotic, as he accuses someone of having tombstone eyes, in a song of the same name. However, “Seattle” tells the pointed tale of someone who can make even the Northwest appear bright and cheery. “...the rain’s not so depressing anymore,” he exclaims. There is also a spiritual element to what Adams does. At one point during “Letter”, he admits, “I’m a Jesus freak living my life in sin.”
“Love on the Money” is slightly funky, but “Rebel Baby Rebel”, with its prominent bass line and dance floor beat, hearkens the disco era. Disco may have gotten a bad rap, when the style was nearly omnipresent back in the ‘70s, but that beat is still irresistible when done right. On this upbeat, dance club ready track, Adams references James “Rebel without a Cause” Dean, and worries about going off the deep end.
This CD may be a demo, but its stripped down arrangements are nevertheless a breath of fresh air. Adams is such a fine singer; it would be a shame to have his voice lost in a busy mix. One of the best attributes in Elton John and Stevie Wonder songs is hearing these two distinctive voices. You never hear a John or a Wonder song on the radio and wonder, ‘Well, I wonder who that could be.’ Nope, these two men may have written some of the best songs in pop history, but their vocals are also to the pop charts what fingerprints are to the hands: unique.
With that said, it will be fascinating to hear what Adams can do with a full, supportive studio. Hopefully, he will be assertive enough to be heard loud and clear above all the production bells and whistles. These five songs are the stuff of great potential, without question. Anyone with ears to hear cannot wait to hear what Nico Adams will come up with next.
Dan MacIntosh
Music Journalist
Amplifier Magazine
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