Happiness In Every Style

2015 release from the soul singer/songwriter, her third collaboration with the Finland-based Soul Investigators since 2005. As the name suggests, the new release - her fifth solo outing since 2000 - offers plenty of variety and lands on a sunnier side of the street, following her darker, acclaimed 2013 release, Tortured Soul. Nicole and the Soul Investigators offer upbeat modern soul and embrace sophisticated melodies alongside their highly evolved raw funk sound, whose wares share vinyl shelf space with fans of Sharon Jones and Charles Bradley. To get a taste of the album's strength and appeal, one has only to put on the first single, Paint Me In A Corner, Let's Communicate or the ebullient One In a Million to hear the vocalist's energy and skill, honed by decades in the music game. From minor key ballads such as Thief In The Night to the unapologetically poppy Angel, the album is a perfect showcase not only for her sweet, evocative, powerful voice, but also excellent songwriting by Willis and the group.