With airy and, at times edgy vocals, combined with soft piano and guitar infused tracks, American born, German transplant Kim Nixon impresses on her debut release, Crooked Lines. Leaving an impact on the listener, she brings to mind comparisons to the angelic vocals of Meiko and Priscilla Ahn with a touch of angst-ridden Alanis Morissette on some songs. All the while, it is evident that Nixon has poured her heart and soul into Crooked Lines. Recording the album with the help of Thomas Glatzer from Twelve Strings, Germany’s notable acoustic guitar act, Crooked Lines is a solid first release for the singer-songwriter.
While the album starts off slow at first listen, when paying close attention to the accompanying lyrics there is much more than meets the eye. “You make things new/Give me hope I can’t ignore/Where there was none before/You make things right/Take my crumbled up designs/Straight with broken lines,” Nixon sings on the title track of the album.
Next song, “When Your Heart’s Not In It,” is a track that tells the story of uncertainty towards the end of a relationship. “What can you do when your hearts not in it?” she sings somberly. Fitting guitar finger picking accompanies her heartfelt vocals while she continues lamenting, “I don’t want to make excuses or be the one who always screws it up.” A bit unexpected, “When Your Heart’s Not In It” segues into the French track, “Une Nuit.” While the song is portrayed beautifully by Nixon’s vocals, the track doesn’t flow with the accompanying album tracks throughout Crooked Lines.
Standout track “Yesterday” infuses more rugged vocals from Nixon with fitting guitar strumming. With an upbeat jazzy vibe, the song diversifies the album and intrigues the listener. While Nixon’s bio references the ever-present variety within her music, including country, jazz, pop and folk, it isn’t until “Yesterday” that the listener can fully see and experience this. Nixon explains, “As long as it’s fun to sing and serves the song well, I’ll do it.” As a result, “Yesterday” proves to be a fun number.
Ending with solid track “I Want You,” Nixon continues to prove her talent. Accompanied by light string and percussion throughout, Nixon sings “You’re all I want/I want you alone/No one has a hold on my life like you do/I am captivated/Fascinated by the fact that you love me too/And I want you.”
Whether she’s questioning the uncertainty of a relationship in “You Know I Do” or lamenting on old love, the listener can hear Nixon’s emotion throughout each track. Mainly an album of ballads, the few livelier tracks like “Yesterday” and the country-esque “Rose” add much needed variety on Crooked Lines. While Nixon’s vocals are enjoyable, track after track of ballads tends to become soporific without slight adjustments. A few livelier numbers in the beginning of the album could have made her debut release stronger. All in all, Nixon’s storytelling accompanied by the moving and relatable lyrics of her songs touches the listener. And, after all, isn’t that the job of a singer-songwriter?
Reviewed By Annie R
