Actress, writer, filmmaker, comedian and singer-songwriter Noël Wells is excited to announce the release of her debut album, It's So Nice! Out today, It's So Nice! (ItsSoNice.net) is a dynamic debut showcase that places an emphasis on songwriting with tunes that traverse folk, pop, alt-country and psych-rock. Circling themes of loss of innocence, heartbreak, and discovering autonomy, the album reflects on modern times - a rebellious anti-political diary with an eye toward the future.
Watch the music video for "Played for Keeps" directed by Tim Nackashi (OK Go, Robyn, Death Cab For Cutie) below!
Additionally, Wells has announced her upcoming North American tour in support of It's So Nice!Touring during September and October supporting English songwriter Sam Fender, Wells will bring her praised collection of songs to markets such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, New York City, DC and more. A full listing of dates can be found below with more information on ItsSoNice.net.
You may recognize Noël Wells as a former Saturday Night Live cast member, the inimitable Rachel on Master of None, and the writer, director, and star of the indie feature, Mr. Roosevelt. But after juggling roles in the worlds of comedy, television, and film, Wells found herself at a creative crossroads, which led to the recording of her debut album It's So Nice!, an 11-song LP that cinches Wells as not just a talent to watch but a multi-hyphenate artist coming into her own.
"It kind of came as a surprise," she says, referring to the songs that would eventually make up the project. While Wells participated in band in middle school, and considered herself relatively musical, she had never actively entertained a career in music. But after experiencing a shakeup in 2016, including career frustrations, a breakup, and the national tumult that surrounded the election, she found herself writing poems to cope. And after buying a guitar and taking lessons, she eventually started writing songs. "They were just pouring out of me, I wasn't forcing it. I felt like I had to follow."
It's So Nice! is an engaging, catchy experience that saunters through a diverse set of folk-pop songs, country ballads, and bonafide indie-rock earworms. While beautifully and tastefully produced, what's most striking is the songwriting. The tightly composed lyrics are filled with timeless aphoristic one-liners, sometimes serious, sometimes political, sometimes lighthearted and witty, akin to songwriters like Lennon or Petty, both whom Wells cautiously cites as influences. Under the guise of her playful persona, she deftly addresses the very confusion, patronization, and heartbreak that got her behind the guitar in the first place.
"It's easy to blame your unhappiness on something outside of you, the world is messed up," she says. "I am totally aware and can make fun of myself about how many songs there are about being a woman on this record, but I really was going through it, man. But I realized, what if most of my woes really stem from how I feel about myself? And what if that could change?"
It's this kind of vulnerable honesty that can be seen as the through line of the creative work Wells has done to date, and while a heartfelt examination of pain may seem like a predictable area for an artist to undertake, there's an air of unexpectedness to the album, ping-ponging from earnest childlike hopefulness to astute and acerbic political observations which keeps you on your toes, done so smoothly and effortlessly you may miss it. But on careful listen, you realize this isn't an actress making a record for fun. It's a musician finding her voice.
Noël Wells will be making the following North American appearances supporting Sam Fender this fall. Dates below.
SEPTEMBER
28 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall *
30 - West Hollywood, CA - Troubadour *
OCTOBER
06 - Denver, CO - Globe Hall *
08 - Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line *
10 - Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall *
12 - Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern *
14 - Montreal, QC - L'Astral *
15 - Cambridge, MA - Sinclair *
17 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom *
20 - Washington, DC - U Street Music Hall *
* - dates supporting Sam Fender
