Nikki Leonti

Item: Shelter Me
Author: Chris Ott

Shelter Me

(1998)

Reviewed by Chris Ott

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Label Pamplin MusicThe Phantom Tollbooth1998

adult contemporary ccm pop

This young new artist is poised to make inroads into the mainstream pop music scene in much the same way as Amy Grant, and may well out-perform her.

Nikki Leonti brings a young and energetic sound to a well-made collection of pop sounding tunes. The vocals are fresh and independent, placing her in league with Kathy Troccoli, LeAnn Rimes, and Rebecca St. James. A blending of a symphonic rock sound with a hint of classical themes paints a rewarding musical backdrop. Most impressive is Leonti's ability to range from a pure pop to a deep moody sound without sounding artificial.

A song-by-song overview explains why I believe this debut Christian market album could be a mainstream breakthrough for Leonti. "It'll be Alright" is very up-tempo and popish. It has begun to get exposure and is a good pickup track to generate interest in this new artist. "Everlasting Place" drops the tempo, features her vocal skills, and rewards the listener with a wonderfully arranged string section. "What You Do for Me" digs right in with a moody rock sound similar to when Kathy Troccoli was picked up by the mainstream secular market. "Love One Another" is a soothing duet. The prominent use of the vocals and strings is gorgeous. Again, a good potential light-rock crossover tune.

"Now I Believe in Miracles" takes off running with almost a late 70's disco groove thanks to a whammy pedal and lyrics similar to those of Jefferson Airplane's "Miracles." The lyrics have just the right secular sound to draw in a wide listening audience and yet make a Christian point perfectly clear when carefully followed. "Shoelaces" is a peculiar tune deliberately made to sound childlike and is actually rather awkward when compared to the rest of the CD. It was the least palatable of the tunes. "Every Moment" is a strongly symphonic piece that envelops the listener in sound. "It Will Come to You" picks up the pace with a wall-of-sound feel yet manages to leave the vocals bright and right in focus. "Shelter Me" is nearly an a cappella piece that showcases this young singer's vocal maturity. "One World" is a wonderful piece with a guitar riff that has a distinct Clapton flavor. Starting off with a church organ, the tune suddenly takes a blues turn and fills out to a gospel/rock sound. The blend of the musical styles gives this track top marks.

I put the disk in at work and let it play repeatedly over a week without the songs getting tiresome. As a debut album this is a stunning example of talent and production and places a pretty high benchmark for other new artists to follow.

4 tocks