Track Listing

1. Now I Can Die
2. 2003
3. Tonight And The Rest Of My Life
4. Badway
5. Horses In The City
6. Hold On To Me
7. New Year's Eve
8. Fade To Black
9. Number One Camera
10. Got Me Down
11. Too Slow To Ride
12. Hate Your Way
13. End Of The World, The

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #53846 in Music
• Released on: 2000-06-27
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
Veruca Salt were a band torn between catchy pop hooks and arena rock dreams. Producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Motley Crüe) tried to help them realize the "big" sound with mixed success. Now, he's helping former Veruca Salt singer-guitarist Nina Gordon turn away from "big rock" and toward the lush power pop championed by musicians like Aimee Mann. The title track, "Now I Can Die," and "2003" feature stacked harmonies and a carefree gait that recall the melodic renaissance of early-'80s new wave, with the additional bite of modern-day production values. Hammond B-3s, pedal steels, Mellotrons, and Chamberlins add somber texture to "Horses in the City" and "Hold On to Me" without sacrificing the straight-ahead rock feel. Producer Rock adds a bit too much gloss here and there, but in any case Gordon's a power-pop diva in waiting. --Rob O'Connor

Customer Reviews

Sugary Grit
Nina Gordon's solo debut sparkles and pops like a firecracker. Every song, fast or slow, reaches a point where it explodes with enthusiasm and angst. Not as melodic or melancholy as Nina's recent "Bleeding Heart Graffiti", "Tonight and the Rest of My Life" oozes attitude.

This is one of those albums I picked off the shelf because I particularly liked the cover art. I had never heard of Nina Gordon nor did I know she was previously a member of Veruca Salt. But I was quickly impressed with the music and how infectious many of the songs were, like addictive candy. The ballads got me hooked. The perky guilty pleasures kept my spirits up. This album has a great balance of slow and fast, and is a wonderful example of the silver lining theory. The theme of every song seems to deal with the best way to cope with a particular matter, usually regarding to love and relationships.

For those that loved Nina's Veruca Salt days, there are a couple of rockers here, such as the harshly honest and desperate "New Years Eve" in which Nina intends to ignore the festivities in an attempt to forget about a lost love. "Badway" is perhaps the closest Nina gets to her harder-rock past and her voice sounds fabulous with its growl and rasp. Though not as easy to dance to, it's the more radio friendly pop tracks that really showcase Nina's vocal abilities and help her shine. The opener "Now I Can Die" is a cute and quirky confession of perfect to-die-for love, complete with occasional sparkly percussion and a sweeping chorus that's easy to sing along to. "2003" is the perfect coastal drive song and is as carefree and bright as a breezy afternoon. "Hold On To Me" is a beautiful ballad with strong lyrics and conviction, but it's the title track "Tonight and the Rest of My Life" that really takes the cake: The chords are warm and dramatic and the lyrics are comforting and strangely inspiring. The biggest surprise is "Hate Your Way", which starts incredibly muted and lazy but then bursts into an assertive guitar driven promise that though Nina can't stand a man she's still a fool for him and it doesn't matter what anyone says or thinks.

Years after I purchased this, I still come back to it often and enjoy it from beginning to end, occasionally playing certain songs twice or more because they're so darn good. Nina's voice is charming and full of life, cute but haunting at the same time. This is definitely one worth picking up, even if it's just for the cover art.

Excellent!
I, too, am a fan of Veruca Salt. Nina Gordon makes a departure from what I expect much of Veruca Salt's music to sound like. But, overall, this is a great first solo album. I purchased it very soon after its release. I enjoyed it then and I still enjoy it now. I believe this album reflects a certain degree of musical maturity that Nina Gordon has developed.

Come for the Veruca Salt, stay for the Aimee Mann
I was a fan of Veruca Salt, so I just had to get Nina Gordon's first solo album. It has a lot of the pop sensibility of her old band, but her songwriting and singing seem to have grown quite a bit. I realized, however, that so much of what I like about the album comes from a very strong Aimee Mann influence (particularly the early 90s I'M WITH STUPID). If I remember correctly, there's even some personnel or a producer in common. The stand-out tracks are "Fade to Black" and "New Year's Eve."