Having spent ten years writing for other folk, it is perhaps time for Nicole Croteau to stand up and take her turn in the spotlight. She's had a few singles out before, each of them very good although it is hard to pin Nicole down to a particular style, "I Don't Drink" from 2021 was more of a piano ballad, while 2023's efforts "Something I Would Do" and "Little Things" were more outright, up front country tunes.
This year though has already seen the smouldering country soul of "Who Do You Love?" and Nicole's star seems set to rise further with her latest "Jill Of All Trades", a title so good that we thought it must have been used before, and while other genres may have, no Americana writers seem to have been able to put it to good use - until now.
Opening to a mix of pedal steel and acoustic guitar. all those years of writing for others has given Nicole the ability to immediately conjure up a compelling narrative. The opening verse playing on the multi skilled association of the title while also ramping up the mystique surrounding her.
"I could do it the morning - for there’s coffee in a cup
While the roosters still sleeping, I could hotwire your truck
Whatever helps me get away from getting to close
Before you bet the farm on me, boy you should know"
The chorus is a delight, the melody around the second line sees the words tumbling out at such a rapid rate
"When it comes to breaking hearts I’m a Jill Of All Trades
A born to get gone, trail of tail light fades
Even I don’t know why I’m gonna say "Goodbye"
But I’m gonna, so you might as well stand there and wave"
Nicole's voice the perfect balance between sweetness and yet with a steely independent determination behind it especially when she honestly lays it on the line
"Don't fall for me Jack - I'm a Jill of All Trades!
The second verse only adds more mystery to this free spirit, who breezes into someones life only to need to leave before they start to feel that independence being threatened. It also sees the emergence of a beautiful mandolin sound.
"I’ve gotten good at what I do, cos I’ve done it a lot
And you wouldn’t ask a wild Palomino to stop running, so don’t try to make me fall in love
Cos I know you won’t make my reins long enough"
There's time for a neat little touch as Nicole manages to add in a snatch of the age old nursery rhyme , before giving it a little Nashville twist.
"Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water
Jack looked back and Jill was gone
Before he knew he’d lost her"
Musically it follows all the rules that endear it us by keeping the overall sound simple and uncluttered - leaving space for Nicole to take centre stage. There is one final visit to the nursery rhyme before the song closes out, just to Nicole's slightly remorseful vocal, sung against a gentle mandolin and acoustic combination - it adds just that little touch of melancholy to proceedings - her bags are surely already packed and loaded.
A superior single and let's hope that Nicole Croteau might be keeping a few more of these gems back for herself rather than giving them away.