Through the patronage of Pat Metheny, Noa (whose real name is Achinoam Nini) and this album was brought to the world. And what a wonderful service he did by doing so.
If you take a quick look on Amazon.com, you'll see one reviewer there noted of her voice that "Next to her Celine Dion sounds ... Read review
Advantages: Beautiful vocals, creative lyrics, varied and interesting to listen to - even the Hebrew tracks Disadvantages: Some say that Metheny was too much of an influence on this album - but for me, that's an advantage!
...the patronage of Pat Metheny, Noa (whose real name is Achinoam Nini) and this album was brought to the world. And what a wonderful service he did by doing so.
If you take a quick look on Amazon.com, you'll see one reviewer there noted of her voice that "Next to her Celine Dion sounds like an old diesel engine in dire need of an oil change... ". Well, I couldn't agree with him more. Noa's voice is amazing. She can sing blues, ... ...this is also autobiographical. Noa grew up in the USA, and had problems adjusting to her surroundings. Her songs reflect these difficulties - this one in particular. In the lyrics she refers to herself as a "Wildflower/ growing in all the wrong places..." and she speaks of how her dark middle east skin "against the white-washed walls within" her home, upset her and made her introspective. Obviously, her music was her release from ... more
Through the patronage of Pat Metheny, Noa (whose real name is Achinoam Nini) and this album was brought to the world. And what a wonderful service he did by doing so.
If you take a quick look on Amazon.com, you'll see one reviewer there noted of her voice that "Next to her Celine Dion sounds like an old diesel engine in dire need of an oil change... ". Well, I couldn't agree with him more. Noa's voice is amazing. She can sing blues, jazz, rock, pop and even classical numbers without missing a beat.
Let me tell you about some of the tracks on this album:
1. I Don't Know - This song is one of Noa's autobiographical ones on this album. I've seen the video clip made of it, and frankly, it doesn't do it justice. All you see is her standing on cliffs (apparently in Israel) and having the wind push her small body around. The song is about her own apprehension on being able to make it. She shouldn't have worried - the song is powerful.
2. Wildflower - My personal favorite track on this album, this is also autobiographical. Noa grew up in the USA, and had problems adjusting to her surroundings. Her songs reflect these difficulties - this one in particular. In the lyrics she refers to herself as a "Wildflower/ growing in all the wrong places..." and she speaks of how her dark middle east skin "against the white-washed walls within" her home, upset her and made her introspective. Obviously, her music was her release from that introspection and allowed her to write songs like this which reach inside your heart and tug.
5. Child Of Man - (with Pat Metheny) - the influence is truly there. Listen carefully for his very typical keyboards on this track, which echo back as far as his "American Garage" album. This song, sung mostly in English has a twist finish in Hebrew. A joyous song which gives a wonderful showcase to both artists.
8. Uri - Uri is a fairly popular name given to boys in Israel. This song, sung in Hebrew speaks of what she would do with a son of her own. The melody is haunting, and the lyrics are in very classical, poetic Hebrew. I always cry when I hear this song since it reminds me of the day I brought a friend home from the hospital after she had finally given birth to her first child (a boy) after having 6 miscarrages. Even if you don't understand the words, you'll feel the bittersweetness in this song.
11. Ave Maria - Noa gives a modern, and somewhat less than totally hopeful twist to this ancient prayer. It was actually chosen by the Vatican for her to sing to the Pope (her first appearance in front of him, and the first one by any Israeli). Using the classic melody we all know as a basis for this song, she changes very little in order to get her point across. This one is a real collectors item.
You should know that this was the first album that Noa released outside of Israel, and was her first album in English. But she certainly wasn't the first Israeli artist to find her way to the international scene. No, the first was Ofra Haza with her unique Yeminite songs. Noa owes a great deal to the late Ms. Haza, not only for her break into the international music scene, but also for helping other Yeminite women in Israel find their own voice. But Noa is no copycat of Ofra Haza. Not even close. While Ofra Haza sang almost only in the Middle Eastern vent, Noa brings the taste of those sounds into the genres of Jazz, Folk, Pop and Rock. Her ability to meld her roots and ancestral sounds with modern music was and is her true genius.
In short - Noa has a voice of a cooling spring on a hot summer's day. Take the plunge, you'll never regret it.
~~~~~ Technical Stuff: This album is no longer available on Amazon.co.uk except there is one selling for £8.74 through their market place. Shame that.
Her official web page is at http://www.noasmusic.com/noasmusic.html ~~~~~
Advantages: Haunting melodies, Yemenite accents, velvet vocals, poetic lyrics Disadvantages: Some difficult subject matter on a few of the songs
It is always a pleasure to listen to Noa sing. On this point there is no doubt. Her voice rings clear in every style of music she's attempted - jazz, blues, rock and even classical. But, this album isn't always as easy to listen to as her voice. I'm not saying that she doesn't perform at her best here, quite the opposite. What I'm saying is that the subject matter of a few of the songs on this album are much heavier than any of her previous albums (as well as the three other albums she released after this one - "Achinoam Nini" (mostly Hebrew) released in Israel only, "Blue Touches Blue" and "Noa Now" (both mostly English).
Noa chose to show she can handle more difficult subject matter in this album, including a song called "Mark of Cain" which is about a woman who is pregnant from a rape. (I believe that this song was written ...
TheChocolateLady 21.06.2000 (01.09.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Calling - Noa
Advantages: The mixture of genres, her voice, Gil Dor's arrangements Disadvantages: There's one track that's only OK and one that isn't totally great, but that's all.
For this, my final installment (for now) in my crusade to get people to know my favorite female vocalist, I bring to you the latest album by the singer Noa (or as I know her, Achinoam Nini) - Now!
Whereas, I previously thought that her previous album (Blue Touches Blue) was a step in a different direction, I have to say that this album is more like a leap. This collection finds her no longer under the wing of Pat Metheny - which was never a "bad thing", to be sure. Still, one wants to see a real talent such as Noa's find her own way in the music world, since I believe that too much mentoring could actually lead to undue influence and possibly even to the stifling of natural direction and style. I think that in Noa's case, she picked the precise moment to find her own way, and this album is proof that she was totally ready for this ...
TheChocolateLady 29.09.2003 (30.09.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Now (2002) - Noa
Personnel: Noa (vocals, Darbukkah drum); Pat Metheny, Rob Eaton (vocals); Gil Dor (vocals, guitar); Steve Rodby (vocals, bass); Gil Goldstein (accordion); Bill Evans (soprano saxophone); Lyle Mays (piano, keyboards); Steve Ferrone (drums); Dave Samuels (percussion); Dan Gottlieb (cymbals). Recorded at The Power Station and The Hit Factory, New York.
