Danielle Nicole made her name as one third of blues-rockers Trampled Under Foot, but for her solo debut she teams up with guitarist and producer Anders Osborne.
It’s a propitious choice as Osborne brings his buddy Stanton Moore, of New Orleans funk machine Galactic, to play drums. And it’s Moore’s sublime sense of groove that lends the title track, Wolf Den, a deep pocket worthy of classic Wilson Pickett. How You Gonna Do Me Like That has a hook reminiscent of KC And The Sunshine Band’s Boogie Shoes and is just as infectious, while In My Dreams dances to an irresistible second-line rhythm. Nicole shows she has a wail worthy of Etta James in Take It All and proves she can wring out a ballad on Just Give Me Tonight, but it’s the soulful and funky tracks that really hit the home runs.
