Keri Noble
“Fearless”
Manhattan/EMI Records
Keri Noble’s emergence in the turgid singer/songwriter scene is fairly nondescript and stereotypical.
While attending community college in Michigan, her poetry and journal writing began to blossom into songwriting. It wasn’t long before this young woman had left college to explore a life in music, going so far as to wait tables during the day and play coffeehouses at night.
But the hard work paid off and, as her recent Manhattan/EMI release “Fearless” proves, while her back-story is nondescript, there’s nothing nondescript about Noble’s abilities as a musician.
Growing up, Noble was immersed in Christian and Gospel music (her father was a pastor) and occasionally listened to singer/songwriters like Joni Mitchell. Her musical horizons broadened in high school (where she discovered R&B and hip-hop), but nowadays, Noble counts folk musician Patti Griffin as one of her biggest influences.
Noble wrote and played piano on the 12 tracks that comprise this new release. The album was recorded with a core band, but most of Noble’s vocals were tracked live while she played at the piano which, I assume, is why the “it” factor that many releases from this genre are missing lately (due to overproduction) is indeed here in full effect. From the a capella opening of “Fearless,” you can tell this album is something special.
Kicking off with “Look At Me,” Noble’s voice feels instantly mesmerizing, a mix between (Christian artist) Jennifer Knapp and (the more recognizable) Sarah McLachlan. Plus, through the beauty of the production, the listener can shut their eyes and feel like they’re in a small room or club with just Noble sitting at the piano. “Look at Me,” featuring just Noble and a piano, is about embracing those you love when going through tough times (when people usually push others away). While it seems a little “heavy” for an opening track (and may have been better suited for later in the album), it’s clear Noble is good at crafting a comfortable, intimate sound.
The second track, “Talk to Me,” is more upbeat and catchy. The song works great as a lead single, but does little to distinguish Noble from someone else in the genre like Vanessa Carlton. Being the first track that actually features the full band, the production does a nice job of keeping Noble and the piano in the foreground of the full scope of sound.
There’s a bluesy element to Noble’s vocals at times that really shines on tracks like “Piece of My Heart” and “A Dream About You.” The greatest element of “Piece of My Heart,” however, would have to be the lap steel guitar, a fantastic instrument with such a unique sound that goes relatively unused outside of country music community. (The lap steel shows up again later on the album on “About Me.”)
By the fourth song, “A Dream About You,” it’s clear Noble’s not going to really break down and rock out”¦ indeed, “Fearless” is more of a relaxing listen: great to listen to while going to sleep or out for a nice Sunday drive. Still, who’s to say there’s not room for that type of music?
“Falling” is probably one of the more beautiful songs to come out this year. Noble wrote the song during a break in recording two days before the album’s completion. In the liner notes she points out it barely made it onto the album, but thank god it did. The shortest song on “Fearless,” “Falling” really showcases the emotion that runs thick through Noble’s voice. Lyrically, while the song could have simply been a love song, it actually explores the uncertainty involved in actually falling in love with someone. The song is pure beauty in simplicity and definitely a gem on the album.
The disc’s liner notes are also pretty interesting: in addition to the usual fair (lyrics and production notes), Noble also offers introductions to each song, topics ranging from the recording of the track to what the song is about or how the idea came to be. A nice touch and unique insight into the artist.
There may seem like there isn’t much to separate Noble from the rest of the pack of female singer/songwriter pianists, but there is. Noble has a great voice, rich with emotion and soul and she really has a knack for crafting beautiful piano ballads. With similar-sounding artists like Jem and Rachel Yamagata getting the lion’s share of attention lately, it’d be a shame for Noble to go unnoticed. “Fearless” is a strong release that should lay a nice foundation for her career.
