Oh, East is East, and West is West, and forever they shall meet… in their love of country music.
‘Under The Neem Plum Tree’ is a case in point. Danni Nicholls’ third studio album takes for its inspiration the American country and pop music to which she was introduced by her Anglo-Indian grandmother. She writes about how “a few years ago, Nan gave me an old, worn and well-loved notebook which was a collection of handwritten lyrics to my family’s favourite songs. They would gather round this book at parties, …and sing together to the old country records… Receiving it sparked the idea of recording some of these songs myself, bringing the story full circle.”
The album is a brave move. Nicholls covers of some of the genre’s biggest hits from the 50’s and 60’s, thereby inviting comparisons with some of the greatest voices in pop and country music. She also includes some of her own compositions, conceived so they meld with the sound of the classics. Thereby, Nicholls invites comparisons with some of the greatest songwriters. It’s fair to say this is an ambitious venture, but not a foolhardy one. Nicholls, now based in Nashville, holds her own although it’s possible to find a better version of almost every song she covers.
‘Under The Neem Plum Tree’ opens with the title song, a tribute to her grandparents chronicling their romance in India and immigration to the UK. From the opening notes on the pedal steel, you know that this album pays homage to the sounds of country and western from the mid-20th century. The second song, ‘My Happiness’, became a hit in ’48 and went on to be covered by some of the biggest names in pop music including Ella Fitzgerald, Connie Francis, a young Elvis Presley, and more recently by Daniel O’Donnell and Mary Duff. Nicholls’ take mirrors earlier versions.
The next song is that country standard, Willie Nelson’s ‘Crazy’. It’s followed by Nichols’ own composition ‘Between the River and the Railroad’, which reflects the rhythm and sentiments of country music from the likes of Tammy Wynette and Bobbie Gentry. After her own song Nicholls returns to the ‘60s with Roy Orbison’s ‘Blue Bayou.’ With a voice that has been likened to Linda Ronstadt’s, this Ronstadt signature number is a good opportunity to compare the two singers.
The trip through Nicholls’ Nan’s notebook continues with perennially popular songs. The lead song ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love” , first recorded by Elvis Presley in 1961, has been continually redone ever since, not least by Perry Como, Doris Day, Patti Page, Andy William, UB40, Keely Smith and Keely Musgraves. Again, Nicholls’ recording of ‘Tennessee Waltz’ puts her in prestigious company. From its first airing in 1948, the song has been recorded by a who’s who of music, including Patti Page, Leonard Cohen, both Jones (Norah and Tom), Emmy Lou Harris and most recently, the Longest Johns and El Pony Pisador.
The arrangements are spare, with Nicholls on acoustic guitars, Brett Resnick on pedal steel, Sarah Peacock on piano, Shawn Byrne Bass on mandolin and Emerald Rae on fiddle. Together they create the near perfect musical atmosphere for Nicholls’ version of the songs. For an album that invites comparison with great voices and great writers, Nichols does a pretty good job, especially as a songwriter. Which is why if you like ‘Under The Neem Plum Tree ‘ check out Nicholls’ own work; that’s where she really shines.
