Kim Deal is a prolific artist having influenced musicians like Kurt Cobain and Olivia Rodrigo and been linked to bands such as Pixies and The Breeders. For such an iconic artist, it is surprising that Nobody Loves You More is the first solo album Kim has done. With writing having started in 2011 and revisited intermittently, the project features work that is both quintessential to the sound of her other projects whilst also being innovative.

It’s clear from the start that this album was going to be individual and unique compared to the rest of her discography. Opening with the title track, the violins and the stripped-back use of the drums create a vulnerable and emotive atmosphere. There’s focus on her singing, a distinct standout aspect of the entire project for how much emotion and character she can portray with her voice, and as the brass instruments come in nearer the end to cause a cascade of sound, her writing becomes even more heartfelt.

The beauty of the LP comes from how well Kim balances the various sounds and styles. The pacing of the record can go from serene and slow to heavier and darker-toned – but never feels out of place because of the track listing. The swells in the slower songs, that build and build to the end, allow for a smoother transition into the rockier/punkier songs.

Some songs feel very similar to that of the style of The Breeders, specifically ‘Crystal Breath’ and ‘Big Ben Beat.’ The electronic aspect of ‘Crystal Breath’ elevates the song as a whole, keeping the sound fresh and interesting. She’s not afraid of broaching the darker themes on the LP, mixed in-between hopefully and optimistic tracks, and it is this fearlessness that makes their inclusion work so well and so natural. On ‘Big Ben Beat’, the listener is quickly treated to Kim using voice effects and modulation which help to make her vocal work so interesting. The guitar chords, fuzzy and overdriven, help power the song through, adding grit and an angry undertone to it all.

There is a strong sense of optimism on this record, flittering between heartache and love. On these tracks, ‘Summerland’, ‘Are You Mine’, it is the use of violins which give so much more to the song and adds whole new depth. They swoon and swell, creating bubbles of emotions that burst cathartically.

‘Bats In The Afternoon’ is a purely instrumental song that offers a brief respite. It is, as the title might hint at, a very gothic influenced song with an eerie guitar that backs Kim’s echoed and distant repeated “Ahh”. Whilst short, it standouts as a showing of the high level of artistry that Kim has.

Kim’s lyricism may seem, at first, to be uninteresting but when coupled with the songs themselves they work well as observational and often personal lyrics. “I don’t know where I am, and I don’t care, one look at you and I forget why I’m standing here.” (‘Nobody Loves You More), “Are you mine? Have you seen me lately?” (‘Are You Mine’) and “Coming around is easy, coming down is rough.” (‘Wish I Was’). There’s depth within these lyrics and Kim uses her songs and her instrumentations as a way to explore that and further open up her writing.

Pre-order Nobody Loves you More by Kim Deal HERE