Willis, Nicole And The Soul Investigators

***On October 16th, NICOLE WILLIS returns with her third album accompanied by the Finland-based SOUL INVESTIGATORS since 2005: Happiness In Every Style. As the name suggests, the new release—her fifth solo outing since 2000—offers plenty of variety and lands on a sunnier side of the street, following her darker, acclaimed 2013 release, Tortured Soul. Nicole and the Soul Investigators offer upbeat modern soul and embrace sophisticated melodies alongside their highly evolved raw funk sound, whose wares share vinyl shelf space with fans of Sharon Jones and Charles Bradley. To get a taste of the new album’s strength and appeal, one has only to put on the first single, “Paint Me In A Corner,” “Let's Communicate” or the ebullient “One In a Million” to hear the vocalist’s energy and skill, honed by decades in the music game. From minor key ballads such as “Thief In The Night” to the unapologetically poppy “Angel,” the new album is a perfect showcase not only for her sweet, evocative, powerful voice, but also excellent songwriting by Willis and the group.