Danielle Nicole – Fireflies
Forty Below Records
11 tracks – 49 minutes
Danielle Nicole grew up in a family of musicians in Kansas City, Missouri. Both her mother and father played in a blues group, Little Eva and The Works. Danielle joined with her two brothers to form the group, Trampled Under Foot, which gained national and international recognition through the early 2000’s. They released seven albums and two DVD’s between 2000 and 2015. Danielle played bass and did vocals with brother Nick on guitar and vocals and Eric on drums.
IN 2015, Danielle decided to go solo and released her first solo album, Wolf Den, which peaked at #2 on the Billboard Blues charts. Successive releases, Cry No More (2018), and The Love You Bleed (2024) continued her success and has brought Nicole ten Blues Music Awards both for bass playing and for her soulful vocals. She was inducted into the Kansas City Music Hall of Fame in 2017. After starting her professional music career slightly over 25 years ago, she steps back with this fourth release to examine her roots in an album that is about “the growth that occurs when reflection, resilience, and real artistry all combine”.
Danille Nicole performing vocals and playing bass is joined by Barndon Miller on guitar and vocals, Jim Pugh on keyboards, and Tony Brauanagel on drums and percussion with Tony also producing the album. Melody Perrye and Maxayne Moriguchi provide backing vocals. Nine original tracks were all written or co-written by Nicole with the addition of two covers of Bill Withers’ songs.
She exclaims on the opening track that “Radical Love” “that’s what is going to save us, radical love is the only weapon that we need…. belongs to the bravest.” “Pull together and there is no mountain we cannot move…triumph over hatred”. North Mississippi’s Allstar’s guitarist Luther Dickinson guests on “Take Me Back”. in a funky blues tale citing, “Cut my teeth barefoot singing by the railroad tracks in a town you wish that you could leave and not look back. Keeping warm in the winter, burning cold from the train.” “Dreaming of the city and its bright shiny lights, try so hard to get away from this civil kind of life”. But now she asks to be taken back to those roots as Luther’s slide rips out. She slows things down as she looks inward to her “Memories” and asks “Why has love got to be such a funny thing?” “I don’t want to just be a memory…when you asked if you would wait for me while you make up your mind?”. The song would certainly invite everyone to the dance floor for a slow, romantic dance.
“Soulside” shifts back into a slightly funkier groove but maintains a slow pace as Nicole cries, “Pain has a way of making you feel out of place. No matter where you go, you’re missing something in your life.” “You got to break down the walls, find inside just what you need, it is the soul of your heart that will heal your needs.” Brandon has a fine guitar solo in this song with Jim’s organ defining the song. “Gaslight” gets things jumping again as she declares he has “Got me going round and round till I don’t know which way is up or down”. “I been thinking about what you been thinking I should be, after much reflection I think I am just going to be me”. “Piper” is a reflection of attitudes that seem to be growing in today’s public as she notes “There ain’t nothing wrong with a little bit of sin cause it’s a cutthroat game and I know you want to win.” “All you think about is getting richer”. “When the Piper comes to collect their pay, there ain’t no tears dripping down this face hiding behind that humble chin, but the Piper knows the truth behind that grin.”
“The Same Love That Made Me Laugh” is the first of the two Withers’ covers. Danielle’s bass kicks off the song. She says, “Your love is like a truth I’ve told, hard to get, hard to hold. Like a rose that’s soft to touch, love has thorns that hurt so much.” She declares him a “Chameleon” in a soft, swooning vocal. “More that you give, the more they consume, hang on your command.” “Ever looking back with a broken heart”. “You can change your pain, fool everyone”. “Tug of War” offers a good time vibe’ “So here we go again. You want me to pretend you didn’t say the words that we both know you said”. This ain’t no tug of war, ain’t going back and forth,” “I am telling you baby, I ain’t keeping the score.”
“Dreams” is the second Withers’ cover. “Think about your heroes, think about your horse coming in at the races. Sometimes a dream is a good as the real thing.” “Trips on your fantasy don’t cost a dime”. She closes with the title song, a moving, emotional song as she sings, “Goodbye “Fireflies”, hello sweet surrender, every melody you hold dear.” “Do you recall when you said goodbye. At first did not seem like it was so long ago, when I could close my eyes, I could see the gentle glow.” “Now you’re in someone else’s lullaby”.
The album is a warm, comfortable ride along in a soulful and emotional journey blending heartfelt lyrics and masterful musicianship featuring Nicole’s rich, expressive vocals. Fireflies is a standout addition to her solo catalog and a must-listen for fans of contemporary soul and blues which seems to be a certain nomination for next year’s Blues Music Awards.
