At first, I was wary of Noa's second Geffen release, "Calling," because I was not sure that I would enjoy the Israeli-American sound that she has undertaken. But after one listen I was hooked, mainly because she can really sing.
Noa is an Israeli who grew up in the Bronx who sings in English. Although the majority of the album does not deal with lighthearted topics, that just strengthens it. Discussing the effects from the war in Bosnia, the Dalai Lama and suicide bombers in Tel Aviv can be difficult to pull off, but Noa manages to get her message across and capture her audience all with a quality sound.
Some tracks are not quite as heavy, such as "Too Painful", which is about not being able to learn from past experiences. Lyrics include "Still like a child/ Drawn to the flame/Never know why I do/ Passion will rise above wisdom".
Also, "Calling Home" is a reworked Pat Metheny song about missing someone you love.
"Calling" has a pop rock sound mixed with Middle Eastern rhythms in the back that make it very unique, and it is great to mellow out to. Track three "By the Light of the Moon" even has an almost 1970's leisure suit funky feel to it.
The thing that I liked about "Calling" was the various ways that the songs could be interpreted. At first glance, "All is Well" appears to be about a couple who are living in a dull routine, but it is about Noa's reaction to the suicide bombings in Israel and the people who go on with their lives in order to make everything appear normal.
The album ends with "Cascading," probably the lightest song, about trying to forget about everything and just get away.
A few interesting facts about Noa include that she left New York at seventeen to go back to Israel. Once there, she was in the military for two years. After that, she paired up with Gil Dor and they have been partners since 1990.
In 1994, Noa sang "Ave Maria" at the Vatican before 100,000 people, including Pope John Paul II and Mother Theresa. She is also very popular in Japan, Spain, Holland, and France.
I definitely recommend this album for everyone who is sick of all the music out there that sounds exactly the same. Noa is a stroke of red on a gray canvas.
Friday, June 7, 1996 © 1996-1997 The Daily Mississippian (By Rebecca J. Lauck Entertainment Editor)
More info at www.noasite.net Noa's Museum:
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