Nikki Lane Readies New Album “Denim & Diamonds”
There’s only a few folks who’ve earned the utmost respect of snarly and grizzled performers like Cody Jinks and Whitley Morgan. There’s only a few who would be willing to go out on the road and perform in intimate settings swapping songs with a songmaster such as Brent Cobb. But nothing holds the Highway Queen Nikki Lane back. Fearless and resolute, she is here to leave a mark, and is unafraid if it bleeds.
It’s been five years since Nikki Lane released an album, but it’s not like she’s been sitting on her duff this whole time. As the proprietor of the vintage store High Class Hillbilly now for a decade, Nikki Lane isn’t just an ambassador of throwback music, but the fashion and culture that goes along with it.
Writing and performing songs is just one of the many ways Lane contributes, and instead of just jotting down a few ditties to satisfy some arbitrary release timeline, she decided to savor and experience life, and let the songs come to her for this particular album called Denim & Diamonds, which will emerge in full on September 23rd via New West.
“There is a song that didn’t make the album with the lyrics ‘sometimes you gotta run away to live a life that you can write a song about,’” Lane says. “Prior to this album, I was so focused on writing about life on the road, that I just didn’t have the headspace to write about the road that got me here.”
Produced by Joshua Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, and featuring Queens of the Stone Age members including Alain Johannes on guitar, Dean Fertita on organ, and Michael Shuman on bass, the album is said to push Nikki Lane more towards the rock side of country. But her pedal steel player Matthew Pynn also appears to make sure the album includes the requisite twang.
You can definitely hear this more rock edge in the debut single from the album called “First High” (see below). “This song is about chasing that feeling of the first roller coaster, the first drag of a cigarette, that first kiss,” Lane says. “Those moments are harder to come by the older we get, yet only get better each time. The video captures that feeling of being young in a small town on a summer day, and the lack of inhibition that came with it.”
Denim & Diamonds is now available for pre-order.
TRACK LIST:
1.First High
2. Denim & Diamonds
3. Faded
4. Born Tough
5. Try Harder
6. Good Enough
7. Live/Love
8. Black Widow
9. Pass It Down
10. Chimayo
June 2, 2022 @ 7:27 am
Funny her album is called Denim & Diamonds while Carrie’s album is Denim & Rhinestones
June 2, 2022 @ 9:17 am
And isn’t Denim & Rinestones also a country Shooter Jennings album?
June 2, 2022 @ 3:18 pm
His last solo studio albums closer is called Denim & Diamonds. Great tune.
June 2, 2022 @ 6:36 pm
Okay I thought it was something like that!
June 2, 2022 @ 8:05 am
“The video captures that feeling of being young in a small town on a summer day, and the lack of inhibition that came with it.”
Yeah, Ok.
It missed. I guess if thieving is your thing, & looking trashy & dirty, then it might resonate with some people.
180° opposite of that is Tess Frizzell’s new song from the ticker tape, above.
Starts out a bit slow, then gets better.
June 2, 2022 @ 12:06 pm
What on earth are you on about?
June 2, 2022 @ 5:24 pm
He’s just mad that her ankles and wrists are visible in the video. How dare a woman decide to wear clothes she wants to wear
June 2, 2022 @ 9:45 am
best news i’ve heard all day, definitely looking forward to this
June 2, 2022 @ 9:48 am
Looking forward to this album. Saw Nikki Lane open for Lukas Nelson in a small venue and that was my introduction to her and her band. Great show hope to catch her again soon.
June 2, 2022 @ 9:51 am
I liked her last album, Highway Queen. No one will accuse Nikki of being hardcore Country, perhaps Country-Rock is an appropriate descripter for what she does. Though, the potential has been there. I would love to see her all in on traditional Country, but when you pair up with Queens of The Stone Age, that clearly aint gonna happen. Whats with that anyway? It sounds like a Sheryl Crow adult FM rock radio sort of thing. My thought is either go Country all the way or if shes determined to rock and roll, then go all in with big loud guitars and drums, ala Joan Jett. But this in between Tom Petty/ Sheryl Crow light Fm rock thing is not where i would put her. What will salvage this for me is her voice and songwriting which are her strengths.
June 2, 2022 @ 8:08 pm
I will agree on the point that the pattern of renegade country women like Kacey Musgraves, Margo Price, now Nikki Lane, and others running off to work with indie rock producers and churning out indie rock albums when there’s already a dearth of women in country music is a bit nauseating and achingly predictable. But I will wait and see what the eventual output with this album ends up being. Lead singles are meant to create a buzz, and I actually think this song is decent and some folks are more reacting to the video, so I will reserve judgement until I hear the album proper.
June 3, 2022 @ 3:53 am
Yes Trig, thats exactly what i was thinking. Whitney Rose is another example. Her early stuff was very honky tonk, produced with Ray Benson and helped by Dale Watson. She made a mark with tradtional country fans, eventually winning an Ameripolitan award, then…stylistically made a 180 and was last seen with a rock album. Leaving the Country fans going ” what happened? ”
Nikki Lane has a lot of positives going for her, i dont see how an indie rock, Sheryl Crow sound is gonna do much to advance her career. But, i will wait and see if this track is the outlier or is representative of a new direction.
June 3, 2022 @ 7:24 am
Seems to be a pattern of women who release early albums that get country fans excited only to switch to rock or pop after initial success. It makes fans weary of the eventual turn. The women of Texas Country like Sunny Sweeney, Bri Bagwell, or Kylie Frey, are the only consistent female artists in the genre. They will add some radio friendly elements to their music, but overall stay in the country music lane.
June 2, 2022 @ 10:08 am
You sound like my grandpa. Suprised you didn’t end your comment with a “Get off my lawn!!” ????????????????
June 2, 2022 @ 10:36 am
I aint a grandpa! But i would proudly bear the get off my lawn comment anytime. I dont see my point as particularly antiquated, basically saying if the gal wants to rock, then go big. Ac/Dc style, with Marshalls and SGs. Double bass pedal on the drums. Or….since you have Country fans, and you purportedly are a Country musician, go all in on that. Im saying either or would work, but the in between is puzzling to me. Thats a hot take i suppose.
June 2, 2022 @ 4:48 pm
Sir… Do they have alt-country under your rock?
June 2, 2022 @ 6:11 pm
breaking news – old man yells at nikki lane, then turns hose on her.
news at 11
strictly speaking, i would be glad to knock over a lemonade stand with her, then let her sing me to sleep. she is just the right amount of pg-13 dangerous, with a great voice.
June 2, 2022 @ 6:52 pm
I always thought the “old people” comments to those who think different were saved for Morgan Wallan and Luke Bryan fans. Are y’all gonna hit him with a “your juz jealous” comment next?
Having said that, I have seen Nikki look in desperate need of a good hosing down on more than one occasion
June 2, 2022 @ 11:52 am
Can’t wait. It’s been too long since her last one. She is my kind of country artist. You can keep that cookie-cutter, Nashville pop garbage like Carrie, Maren, Miranda, Reba, etc…
June 4, 2022 @ 2:00 pm
You said it better than anyone. Give me Nikki, Lilly Hiatt or Sarah Shook over pop country any day!
June 2, 2022 @ 12:09 pm
I am looking forward to seeing her at Firewater. I really like Highway Queen, but knowing she’ll drop a new album a week before I see her is super exciting.
June 2, 2022 @ 5:15 pm
This comment on the video (on youtube) exactly sums up how I feel:
Excellent song & good to try a fresh approach, however the sexualised video is a retrograde step & a dud way to reach a new audience. Still one of my fave artists though.
June 2, 2022 @ 5:27 pm
Boy, you better not peep the new Amanda Shires video then…
June 2, 2022 @ 5:32 pm
???????????? i’ll take a look!
June 3, 2022 @ 6:40 am
Off to peep the new Amanda Shires video….
June 2, 2022 @ 6:20 pm
Glad to see her on here. I always wondered why SCM didn’t mention her much (at all?) over the years.
Not saying that this happened in this case but having gotten closer to the industry I’ve seen first hand how often behind-the-scenes sabotage actually happens. One subtle negative comment from a more established artist/industry person who feels threatened can have devastating effects on someone trying to break through. A big part of the reason we get artificial bs shoved at us imo. And it’s not coming from the bigger, more secure acts. This happens more at the indie level I’ve noticed where maybe there’s more insecurity about not making it big. Lots of support too of course, but it can also be cut throat.
Anyway, glad to see Miss Lane getting the recognition she deserves. Great songwriter, great voice. And been doing it as long or longer than some others who’ve gotten more media recognition for the neo Outlaw movement.
June 2, 2022 @ 7:00 pm
So awhile back I seen a youtube video of her and Lana Del Rey singing in a bar, with Lana saying their making a country album together. I guess that was just Lana being really really high?
June 3, 2022 @ 7:03 am
I’m a fan of Nikki’s but can’t say I like the song posted here. Sounds like bubblegum rock from the 70s like the Bay City Rollers or something. Hope this isn’t a preview of what the rest of the album will sound like.
June 3, 2022 @ 6:35 pm
Knew nothing about her when we saw her as an opener for Cody Jinks, and came away liking her. She’s a gritty, tough sounding chick. Cody came out, did a number with her, and gave her a lot of praise.
June 5, 2022 @ 10:42 am
Wow. That was a bit underwhelming. The song sounds like an outtake from a Sheryl Crow recording session that was left off an album because it was weak. The video makes Nikki look like trailer trash (which seems to be exactly what she’s shooting for). This is about as country as the new Skid Row single. That being said, best of luck to miss Lane.
June 8, 2022 @ 7:01 pm
Nikki Lane is also regularly working with Lana Del Rey as well as both of them being friends.