Can't Never Did Nothin [Import]

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Japanese pressing of the vocalist's sophomore album, scheduled to include one bonus track. Details TBA. Virgin.

Can't Never Did Nothin,Nikka Costa,EMI/Virgin,R&B/Soul,Rock/Pop

Tracks:

Till I Get To You
can'tneverdidnothin'
Fooled Ya Baby
I Gotta Know
Around The World
Swing It Around
Funkier Than a Mosquita's Tweeter
On & On
Happy In The Morning
Hey Love
Fatherless Child

Amazon.com

Somewhere on a soulful musical timeline between Sly Stone and Joss Stone, you'll find Nikka Costa. While many find chart success by putting out palpable but forgettable pop/soul mixes, with "can'tneverdidnothin'" Costa has once again written and recorded a funk/soul/rock mix that rises her above the plethora of pseudo-soul. Coming from a family tree with deep musical roots (her father Don was a well-respected producer/arranger who worked with Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.), Nikka Costa began her recording career at the age of eight, where she scored a European hit with her cover of "Out Here On My Own" from the movie Fame. For the next 20 years, Costa put out a handful of releases she herself has downplayed as inferior before coming into her first considered `real' solo effort, the impressive, soul-filled Everybody Got Their Something. For her new release, the funk and rock has been turned up considerably; Costa's shining moments of uptempo strength come via the funk-heavy tracks, most notably during the cover of Tina Turner's "Funkier Than A Mosquito's Tweeter", with its spectacular horn section. The CD's other highlights come in the ballads, most specifically the disc's two closers, the tender "Hey Love" and the raw emotion of "Fatherless Child" about the passing of her legendary dad. "can'tneverdidnothin'" is a disc that is rare in it's authentic, sincere groove, and it seems likely that as Costa continues to grow, so will the depth of her music. --Denise Sheppard

Customer Reviews:

Amazing........2007-05-13

It took me almost forever to get Nikka Costa's new work and I got extremely satisfied when Amazon allowed me having this AMAZING collection of great songs, fantastic musicians, mixing a sound based on what is the best in rock'n'roll - reminding me of the great jams from the seventies - with soulful and passionate vocal arragments and on the top of it all Nikka's rouchy and perfect-hitting note singing, all by one click! She's gifted! She once claimed "Everybody's got their something", and I say "If this something comes from Nikka, well, everybody should definetely have it, because she is the real thing!!!".

Nikka is amazing!.......2006-08-11

Nikka is a new favorite of mine. Her singing is dynamic, soulful, funky, passionate, sexy, and full of life. Her music sounds influenced by Aretha, Prince, Lenny Kravitz, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, and Sly Stone (many of whom she has known personally).

Her talent extends beyond her amazing singing. She writes great lyrics and helps produce the recordings. She has FANTASTIC musicians on this record. If you haven't heard Nikka before, I envy you for the discovery you're about to make. Nikka rocks!

I want to thank the other people here who wrote reviews of this record for turning me on to Nikka! I wouldn't have taken a chance on this record without all of your high praise.

Wow. Nikka Who? Jeez - Where have I been?.......2006-07-14

I'll say it again. Wow. I dunno how I missed this girl - but I've got an excuse...

After gorging on free music during my very own High Fidelity period (circa 1991 - 1998), I purged myself of most of my CD collection and swore off buying any new albums over the intervening years. I discovered that even a few hundred CD's are a pain in the butt to pack and move, and - crazy - the damn things are EXPENSIVE. I won't listen to the tripe played on the radio, and other than the odd gift of an album here and there, I never really thought I'd get back into music.

And then my girlfriend goes and gives me an iPod for Christmas. Man. That quick, and I was addicted again. Thought I'd kicked the habit. Guess not - Since the end of December I've crammed that little gizmo with about 2500 songs.

So - to Nikka Costa's can'tneverdidnothin' (and I might as well include her first CD, Everybody Got Their Something, too, since this has become more of a recommendation than a review). On impulse, after reading the rave reviews posted here, I bought both discs. Can't really explain why - I rarely believe the hype about anything. And besides, the cover of Costa's first CD (where she's in a skimpy skirt, posing, swishing her butt and her swinging her head around) was just waaay to Britney Spears for me, and the cover of can'tneverdidnothin', with her wind-blown hair, wasn't any better. The thing has freakin' butterflies on it. Butterflies! Oh, Man. Seeing these CD's on a rack in a record store would not have led me to impulse buys.

But I listened to y'all; listened to a couple of the posted samples, and took a chance. Let me say, I don't quite get the Joss Stone comparisons that are flying around. I know, I know - they're both young white girls belting out what is traditionally black music, but that's as far as any similarities go. Their style's and chosen music genres are completely different. Stone is oriented in more traditional soul and R&B reworked for the teen set; where as Costa is the wild child -- a '70's blend funk and rock; some crazy mix of the Mary Jane Girls and Janis Joplin, sprinkled around the edges with some AC/DC. If I had to compare the two, I'd say that Joss Stone's voice is the purer instrument - I'd much rather sit down and listen to her stand there and sing, boring stage presence and all, but her good-girl image just ain't my style. It's Costa's balls-out funkalicious grooves that get me going.

It's something like taking the sweet homecoming queen to the prom, and then secretly getting seduced by her crazy, hot older sister after the party.

If you've been hemming and hawing about ordering this album, trust us. Really - would we lie to you? Go on, buy the disc. You know you want to. All I can say is that I'm jealous of those of you who've seen Costa live, and thank God for my iPod. Now I don't have to choose between discs - I can combine both of Costa's albums and plug the 'Pod into my car stereo, roll down the windows and do the white-boy headbob while I groove all over town.

Wiped me out.......2006-05-21

Folks, I'm writing this on nearly the one year anniversary of it's release. Regular readers of my reviews (United we stand!) will note that I raved about Ms. Costa's first release. Naturally, I have received many requests/inquiries as to when I would be "dropping" a review of the new one.

I had to wait a full year because this CD drained me in more ways than one (see my review of Nikka's first for a better explanation). Suffice it to say, and I mean this in the best way possible, Nikka Costa's music leaves the listener with control issues. I think I probably lost 10 pounds in the first two weeks of it's release, from shaking my big white fanny so furiously (and constantly!). I plateaued after that, but over the course of one year, I am approximately 21 pounds lighter - coincidence? I think not. This is perfect work-out music, whether you are into jazzercise-type routines (like me) or if you simply want something funky-fresh for your morning jogs. And speaking of funky, just wait til your friends and family get a whiff of your bathroom (or undies) after a marathon listening session. Me, I don't have any immediate family, so it wasn't a problem (plus I don't mind stewing in my own stench for extended periods of time due to moderate-to-severe sinus issues, which are surely a pain but somewhat alleviated by aroma therapy).

Everything about this release is rump-shakingly good.

Can'tneverdidnothin' - 4.5 stars.......2006-03-06

WOW is really all I can say after listening to this disc. Once again, I've discovered a truly individual singer/songwriter/ musician who is fearlessly displaying true talent in the face of musical mediocrity. I'd heard of Nikka after her debut album but didn't buy it (yet that is) - I bought this on a whim after seeing a highlight show about her new album on a cable channel.

I love artists like Nikka because they don't bend to the "do whatever is hot right now" philosophy of music much like two other true original musical "she-roes" of mine - Nina Simone & Teena Marie. Nikka's music cannot be classified as just this or that - she mixes rock, r&b, pop & the blues so very successfully that people who appreciate the music don't really need to classify it. As I read over some reviews, I realized that it is truly a shame that artists like this woman get passed over for grammy nods while garbage gets multi-nominations - not talking about Mariah, whose music I love but definitely Gwen Stefani, whose sampled re-tread "music" is a joke to me.

I wouldn't compare Nikka to Joss Stone but to the equally magnificent, Alana Davis - another musician/songwriter who fiercely stays true to herself musically and whose music is also undefinable but EXCELLENT!

I loved this entire disc but the standout tracks to me are the beyond funky: TILL I GET TO YOU & FOOLED YA BABY; HAPPY IN THE MORNING, AROUND THE WORLD, ON & ON - very Prince-esque; FUNKIER THAN A MOSQUITO'S TWEETER; FATHERLESS CHILD & SUGAR IN MY BOWL.

If you are a fan of strong ORIGINAL singers, get this disc - you won't be disappointed!!