Reviews

One starry night, in the silent confines of the Rock N’ Roll Hotel, blues, punk, soul, pop, funk and rock all came together and conceived in a giant orgy of sound.  Shortly after, the Noisettes were born.  “Three Moods of the Noisettes” is a four-song EP and is the first ever release by the budding group.  The band, out of London, masterfully blends all said genres into a melting pot of rhythmic songs.  The Noisettes have been getting rave reviews about their live acts and are quickly developing a massive fan base and critical acclaim.  If the intensity on their album is any indication of the power and animation of their performances, anyone who sees them live is in for a treat.

A rock goddess is born in Shingai Shoniwa, the lead vocalist and bassist.  She is a beautiful, little vixen with a clean and sharp voice that invades your soul like a soothing virus.  Shoniwa’s voice shines bright on every song and creates its own aura with a large range from top to bottom; her voice never wavers or falters.  Axe man, Dan Smith, lets loose a rhythmic hurricane on the fast tracks, then switches gears on the blues tracks where he proceeds to cut the slow riffs like a musical surgeon.  Jamie Morrison keeps the percussion simple and lays a strong support to the entirety of the songs, without losing the authority of the all important beat.

The first track, “Don’t Give Up” is a smooth, pulsating punk tune that introduces the listener to the sheer, wild energy of the band.  “Monte Cristo” is a mellow, acoustic arrangement where Smith’s monotone backup singing lends great support to Shoniwa’s comforting vociferation.  “Signs,” a song about broken relationships and finding ones true self, has a pop groove and blues-rock rhythm that encourages thoughts of dance.  The best is saved for last as “Burn,” the final track, is a deep, slow blues song where the music, coupled with Shoniwa’s voice, entranced the listener.  Shoniwa pulls out all the stops and fails not when she switches from her high angelic voice, to the deep, driving rasps of a veteran blues woman.

As a bonus, the EP also includes a video for the song “Don’t Give Up,” which contains clips of their live performances.  Unfortunately, it can only be played on a computer and not on a DVD player.

The Noisettes are just beginning yet they’ve already begun taking the rock world by storm.  If they can steer clear of all the usual trappings that destroy bands, they will be a powerful force in music for a long time coming.  Can’t wait for the LP.