For the
last six years, the soundtrack
to much of Nick Lachey's
life has been wild screams
and thunderous applause.
You wouldn't guess that
by talking to him, though.
As one-fourth of the vocal
group sensation 98º,
Nick has enjoyed multi-platinum
sales and sold-out world
tours. But Nick's down-to-earth
demeanor, genuine humility,
and faith in his talent
has drowned out the peripheral
noise that makes most superstars,
well, less than super.
"Growing
up in the midwest grounds
you in a way that you don't
get everywhere," says
Nick, who grew up in Cincinnati
before moving to Los Angeles
to realize his dreams. "I
love it there. But when
you live in the midwest,
some people think, 'It's
not going to happen to me.'
I hate that some people
feel trapped there. I just
told myself, 'Hey, it's
going to happen to somebody.
Why shouldn't it happen
to me?'"
And indeed
it did happen. The next
chapter of that dream-made-reality
finds Nick confidently taking
on his greatest challenge
thus far: his self-titled
solo debut. Recorded with
a host of cutting-edge producers,
the disc showcases Nick's
passion for soul-based music,
and takes the songs in some
surprising new directions.
Throughout, the stellar
arrangements make ample
room for Nick's fluid vocals,
heart-wrenching melodies,
and ever-optimistic lyrics.
"I definitely wanted
to evolve from where the
group left off, and try
some new things," he
says. "At the same
time, I didn't want to go
so far that I alienated
the fans who have been so
loyal through the years."
"Shut
Up," co-written and
produced by The Matrix crew
(Avril Lavigne), beckons
from the dancefloor with
a salacious groove punctuated
by horns, slap bass and
elastic guitar. "What
I like about 'Shut Up' is
that it's fresh and different
with the horns and the guitar,"
says Nick. "It's uptempo,
but not in a trendy hip-hop
sort of way. We infused
everything we did with soul."
"Carry On," co-written
and produced by Guy Chambers
(Robbie Williams), tingles
the spine and swells the
chest with shuffling beats,
anthemic guitars and uplifting
lyrics. "We were living
through a horrible time
when I wrote that, and we're
still living through a horrible
time," says Nick, who
penned the song in late
2001. "I wanted to
write a song that inspired
people to leave it all behind
and press on." And
"On And On," written
by Nick and produced by
Trina Harmon and Stuart
Brawley (Brandy, Michael
Jackson), strips it all
down to stately grand piano
and Nick's soulful voice.
The effect is timeless.
"If there was a prevailing
theme to the album, it was
'Don't overproduce it; make
it more organic,'"
he says. "I wanted
to step away from the big
ballad production that I'm
known for."
Though
the album's gestation was
relatively short, the diverse
material reflects the accelerated
pace of Nick's life, which
included numerous ups and
downs. The lyrics are universal
enough that listeners can
apply their own situations
to the songs. But those
craving specifics about
the singer's life won't
be disappointed, either.
"Edge Of Eternity,"
a windswept, R&B-inflected
ballad, was written as a
wedding present for his
new bride, pop chanteuse
Jessica Simpson. "It
was definitely written with
her in mind," he says,
beaming. "But I didn't
have a chance to sing it
on our wedding day [October
26, 2002]." Instead,
Nick's bandmates--his brother
Drew, Jeff Timmons and Justin
Jeffre--serenaded her with
"My Everything,"
a hit from 98º's Revelation
that Nick also wrote for
Jessica.
"Let
Go," once again produced
by The Matrix, delivers
Nick's thumbnail autobiography
thus far, humorously recalling
his early aspirations. "When
I was little, my mom used
to say that I could grow
up to be a doctor,"
he says with a laugh. "But
she's always been supportive
of my decision to pursue
a singing career. But, yeah,
like the song says, I remember
moving to L.A. and how uncertain
the situation was. I've
definitely slept on enough
floors." His success
ensures he'll never have
to do that again. But there
are some things he'll always
retain from those early
years. "This album
is definitely a transition
for me," he admits.
"But I can't see myself
handling things any differently
than I have thus far. I've
always maintained an attitude
of staying as humble as
I possibly could."