Album Notes

On Noah

If each human accomplishment leaves its imprints, then Noah Sow has made more than her share.

Her body of work speaks volumes of her perpetual creativity, whether as the author of the non-fiction book ‘Deutschland Schwarz weiß’, as a radio and TV host or producer of radio drama.

Her objections to pigeon-holing, and joy of reinventing herself without compromising her individuality are mirrored in Noahs musical endeavors. She blew us away when she released her single ‘Burning Me’ with the band ‘Heimlich Maneuver’, which garnered much critical acclaim and was well received by radio stations, fans and listeners.

But soon she had to deal with the sad reality of the business, one that she’s more than come to terms with. A major recording label’s ineptitude, the artist waiting two years for a single release. Cessation, Noah’s biggest enemy, ultimately led to her departure, and postponed her seemingly inevitable breakthrough…until now. Imagine a pissed-off talented woman with a need to make up for two years of stagnation.

Reclaim Rock

Enter Noiseaux (pronounced french: [nwazo]), Noah’s five-man personified ‘second wind’.

Very roughly translated from its French equivalent minus the wordplay, it means ‘mixed nuts’. If ever there were a band name more apt…

Always open to others’ opinion and a zealot for creative democracy, Noah went on a manhunt for four other people that share her sheer passion for the music. Mission: form a band that’s awesome, political, ridiculously hot and ready to rock the world – on various levels. Four other freaks to help send the message out there. Their horizons need to be cinemascope. Oh, and everybody needs to live in the same city.

Sometimes you get what you ask for. In this case: Lars Watermann, Gomez Peng!, and Jet Romero. They bring to the table the most diverse cultural backgrounds and musical pedigrees. 5 people, 4 continents, ten thousand ideas.

Embracing a ‘play it like you mean it’ mantra, Noiseaux delivers live performances with a contagious energy akin to the music’s infectious, rallying vibe. One can’t help but be compelled to climb onstage and join them.

On the music

Ultimately, it all comes down to the songs. Substantial without being pretentious, almost eclectic without losing conviction, Noiseaux’s music lets the listener pick her/his proverbial poison. From the angst-driven frenzy of ‘Cry of Rage’ to the hauntingly melancholic passages of ‘Chaos’, the starkly poignant and beautifully pragmatic ‘Be Calm’ or the relentlessly whimsical ‘Are You Sirius’, listeners are treated to a sonic journey.

In ‘Sirens’, you have a melodious musing on Urbania’s unfortunate shortcomings hidden behind its undeniable beauty; in ‘Cessation’ (coincidentally voted as the first single by Noiseaux’s already growing following), a cleverly-written commentary on society’s self-inflicted malaise. ‘Dark Star’s message of exclusion is vividly underlined by its almost hymnal mood. Then there’s ‘This Street’, Noah’s unapologetic ode to her beloved hometown.

While most bands shy away for betraying their influences, Noiseaux salutes them through their music. ’Waiting room’ is freely adapted from one of late Dadaistic poet Ernst Jandl’s work and has coveted his widow’s blessing, and ‘Show Me The Night’ is a ‘Münchener Freiheit’ cover, a testament of Noah’s love for the pop institution stemming from Munich and their music.

But wait, there’s more…

In a world of humanity’s self-built cages, whether it be from the disillusioned masses, the purely profit-oriented recording moguls, or the so-called entertainers devoid of integrity, Noiseaux will always persevere; driven not by self-righteousness or idealism, but by a real desire found in every person from every walk of life to just be free from it all. History teaches us that our collective, intrinsic self-destructive tendencies will never allow us to tear them down. Nevertheless, much like the song ‘Cry of Rage’, Noiseaux stands at the forefront…

…shaking the cage.