“Just tell me where and when.”

I am sad to learn that Nicole Atkins‘ next album will be “less soundtrack-y.” Neptune City’s soundtrackishness is intrinsic to its appeal for me; I can’t not picture the characters who would be singing these high-energy torch songs as they stride amongst stage machinery, brooding in cheap stylish outfits over painted views of New Jersey.

Seeing Neptune City as a musical is also a kind way of explaining the handful of smashing songs (“Maybe Tonight,” “The Way It Is,” title track, “Brooklyn’s On Fire!”) and their placement among the less finely-tuned, less impassioned performances – the latter are meant to disguise scene changes, or be accompanied by action. Atkins’ character can’t always be wailing “I don’t think I’LL EVER SLEEEP till MORRRRRRRRRNIN’,” even with the cooling assistance of those pleasantly robotic backup singers; that kind of stuff should be saved for album musicians, who don’t have to worry about warming people back up slowly after the intermission.