Nicole Atkins – Italian Ice

There are some places so indelibly linked to a cultural artefact that it’s difficult to envision said place without first thinking of the latter. Los Angeles always conjures images of Hollywood; Nashville will inevitably make one think of country music. The Jersey Shore – unfortunately for its residents and those fond of it – was scarred by a far lesser ideal, however, now being synonymous with the insufferable reality television Jersey Shore, featuring a dismal cast of Italian-American stereotypes living together along the boardwalk. Even for places defined in the general public mindset as being unworthy, though, there is still romanticism and hope to be found; it was in areas like Asbury Park that Bruce Springsteen first honed his musical talents, after all. And so Nicole Atkins arrives with her fifth album, a paean to the carefree summers she experienced on the Shore growing up. Italian Ice’s sound is inspired by New Jersey and all its ramshackle charm. It also represents Atkins’ best release to date – perhaps owing to her strong emotional bond with the record.