Nikka Costa
Can'Tneverdidnothin'

Nikka Costa has done it again...

After her stylish comeback in 2001, here is another gem in 2005. Nikka doesn't stray much from her previous work, remaining anchored to a healthy and pure textbook funk, and doing it very well indeed!

The first track "Till I Get To You", an explosion of riffs and little screams à la Prince, followed by the rhythmic title track, make for a truly remarkable album start. The pace slows down but not the emotions with "Fooled Ya Baby" and the splendid "I Gotta Know", which could easily be an old Marvin Gaye classic. The keyword returns to 'funk' with the light single "Around The World" and the beautiful "Swing It Around". A novelty of the album is certainly "Funkier Than A Mosquitoes Tweeter", supported by an unusual base of African drums and concluded by a series of trumpets that would drive Tarantino fans crazy.

Echoes of Jimi Hendrix resurface in "On And On", thanks to its grating guitar riffs. "Happy In The Morning" is perhaps the most expendable moment of the album, which also struggles to redeem itself with the ballad "Hey Love". Fortunately, the album concludes on a high note: the intimate "Fatherless Child" and especially the classic blues of "Sugar In My Bowl".

"Can'Tneverdidnothin'" may not be a complete masterpiece like the previous one, but it remains an album of superior levels compared to much of what is on the market. It is a shame that this time MTV and the radio did not support it. It almost seems like this album was never produced; I imagine it wasn't pleasant for the poor Nikka!