Customer Reviews

Calling

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I don't know what prompted me to pick up a CD, basically on a whim, from an artist I had never heard of. It could be that I noticed somewhere that Rupert Hine was the producer, a man who has always inspired me with his signature sound and arrangements on the keyboards and has always had the golden touch with the artists he produced. It could have been that I heard that Noa was an Israeli pop artist, which might promise a combination of influences that could be a refreshing change among the many mediocre albums I had recently listened to. The bottom line is that I am thankful for whatever divined me to become connected with this CD. Listening to "Calling" was like an epiphany of feelings and images that Noa, Rupert and guitarist Gil Dor so deftly painted on this canvas. Beginning with the first track "U.N.I." one immediately is impressed with the craft of Noa's lyric writing. Noa's catchy wordplay on this track points out that the "universe begins with you and I (U.N.I.). It reminded me of the craftiness of the Motels when they took the "l" out of lover and found it was over. The most heart-wrenching and thought-provoking track on the CD is "Mark of Cain" which could be the companion piece to Tori Amos' "Me and A Gun," if misery indeed loved company. The tragic drama Noa unfolds proved quite cathartic to me. It is indeed the substance we crave for in our music and movies... something to bring compassion back into our desensitized lives. Although there is not a weak track on this CD, which is a rarity these days, the standout piece is the finale. "Savior" is a lush and beautiful ballad, replete with strings, that highlights the full emotions of Noa's enchanting voice. It most certainly should have been a worldwide hit. I recommend "Calling" wholeheartedly to anyone with a head for intelligent songwriting and a heart for passionate, melodic music. I am thankful that vinyl is history, because this album would have been severely covered with scratches by now.

Saw her at the Israeli 50th anniversary concert in Philadelphia. Never heard of her before. She blew me away, and I got "Calling" the next day. It's among a very short list of albums from 1998 that I listen to over and over again. I'm purchasing the other two right now.

I bought this CD after I heard Noa singing on some music awards show several years ago with Stevie Wonder. It was such a beautiful duet but I never even heard them say her name. Needless to say, it took me some work to track down the artist's name but it was worth it. I don't consider myself a music afficianado (sp?) at all but I sure do enjoy this cd. I think all the songs are enjoyable and different and I love how some of the songs are upbeat and some are a little dark or sad. I don't get tired of listening to this cd at all and I've had it for probably three years. The only reason I'm writing this review is everyone that's been responding seems to really know their stuff and I thought someone might be interested to hear from someone who just enjoys Noa for the plain old reason of liking a beautiful voice with beautiful words!

I couldn't agree more with the reviewer of March 13, 2001. This insightful pop-leaning but lushly produced CD is an interesting departure from the norm of stale balladry. I just happened to pick up this CD in Paris, France on a trip. Was in a Virgin store listening to some sample CDs and became enchanted. The CD has some middle east influences in tonality and subject matter -- but that only adds to the enchantment. Highly recommended if you like singer/song writers of the Joni Mitchell bent.

A very talented woman! I saw her live at the jazz festival in Montreux, and I was hypnotized. The percussion on this album is searching for equals...

I must agree with the reviewer below, but I would go even further: this recording is mostly dreadful. The songs are oddly without any real feeling or sense of musicality, often very dark, and unsatisfying. Her cover of Pat Metheny's "Letter from Home", adding words (and very odd ones at that) and drums is one of the strangest and most unpleasant covers I've ever heard. I really wonder what Pat thought of it.

Noa's self-titled first international release was superb, a blend of contemporary jazz, Israeli folk styles, and some pop that worked beautifully. The presence of Pat Metheny's production, with Lyle Mays' signature keyboard sounds and Steve Rodby on bass was just perfect.

Undoubtedly, she did not want to be seen as just a Metheny protege, hence the change to all new personel, but it is jarring. You wonder if this is even the same person, and not in a good way. There are maybe two songs on "Calling" that I can listen to repeatedly. Actually, I can't, because I sold my copy.

Fortunately, she rebounded somewhat with her next international release, "Blue touches blue", though I still prefer her first CD.

If you've never heard Noa before, please don't start with this recording. Buy her superb self-titled recording on Geffen instead.

Achinoam Nini, known professionally as Noa, remains one of Israel's best kept secrets. Why she is not more popular is one of the music industrys' most perplexing questions, as even within Europe there are parts where she is hugely popular (France, in particular), and then again there are areas where she is virtually unknown (The United Kingdom being a prime example).

In the 1990s, Noa was launched in the US, and released two primarily English-language albums, both of which failed to chart. This one is her second proper US album, and fared even worse than her debut. Which of course is a crying shame because the music here is stellar, and it contains some of the best tunes Noa has ever written.

It pays to appreciate Noa's voice before you buy her music. She has one of these angelic, operatic voices that can also sound rustic and guttural (brings to mind Ofra Haza at times), and I can only attribute this to Noa's Yemenite ancestry. At times she sounds like Sade, primarily on the standout track "By the Light of the Moon" (with some amazing production and bass work by Rupert Hine). Production is excellent throughout, despite the odd lyrics every now and then ("U.N.I" is a beautiful song but the songwriting could have been a little more professional, I thought).

Noa's interest in fusing cultures works to an extent. On the rambunctious "Manhattan/Tel Aviv", a perfect marriage of native folk and urban rock is attempted, with some interesting results. But on the whole, the album is a fun, engaging world music collection, emphasizing the best of Israel's English-language output, and highlighting, of course, Noa's beautiful voice.

Also recommended are her debut album, her later release "Blue Touches Blue", and the harder to find Israel-only release "Osef Rishon" which works as her Hebrew Hits package. This is one singer worth tracking. In 2009, her 'Genes and Jeans' was released, and she remains just as vital and interesting as ever.

A Great Slice of Israel Meets New York circa 1998. Four Stars.

Even though I really enjoyed Noa's first album, Calling is the one I constantly come back to when I need to capture the fullness of life. The lyrics are vivid, the music is energizing and Noa's voice soars like a Bird of Paradise. Whenever I play it, I can't help but think of Calling as her official "rock album". If only Alanis and Shakira could infuse their music with as much spirituality and social awareness while delivering it with such artistry and depth.

If you have never heard anything of Noa before, you'd better start with this one, rather than her self-titled American debut ("Noa", 1994). That is, if you prefer snappy and lively arranged vocal music to mushy and gloss jazz-pop. And despite all of Rupert Hine's clicks and pops, on this album they rarely ever get in the way of the sensitive compositions or the delicate voice of Noa.

The feel and touch of "Calling" comes in some part from the often sharp lyrics, which bear witness of things gone wrong. Titles such as "Too Proud" and (the beautiful) "Too Painful" let Noa speak out with an immediacy and directness. These qualities was found no-place on the preceding album ("Noa"), whose honey-coated production left the vocalist fighting to make it sound like anything but an uninspired thing out of the mainstream of ersatz-Streisand pop.

Not so here. The vocal beauty and power of "U.N.I" and the happy-feel of "Calling Home" are but two of the reasons why this album reminds me of the crystal-clear harmonies of Noa's second Israeli album, "Achinoam Nini Gil Dor" (1993). "Calling" makes up any lack of "israeli feel" with an even better crafted set of varied pop songs, accompanied with both vocal power and beauty. Noa's often dark humour added to many of the texts make this a real worth-while listen.

As does the production. Interestingly enough, Rupert Hine was also involved in Suzanne Vega's "Songs in Red and Gray", yet another sincere-sounding album (dealing with troubled relations) from a female vocalist hitting the right note. So I can only hope Noa/Nini will let Mr Hine once more be part of her productions.

In "Calling" Noa continues the wonderful songwriting from her first album and goes one step beyond with a great mixture of contemporary and traditional rhythms. Her lyrics as usual are profound and beautiful. I especially liked the songs "By the Light of the Moon" (uptempo), "Mark of Cain"(a haunting ballad about a painful subject that has significance one various levels) and "Manhattan Tel-Aviv" (her commentary on the two identities that are part of her). After having seen her perform live as well, I really appreciated her musicianship on this album too. I hope more people discover what a talent she is.