READY TO GO

France´s odd-named The Black Noodle Project with its 2010 album "Ready to Go" has made me listen in amazement and wonder how much versatility a space rock band can really deliver.

In fact, what amazes me the most about their 4th studio release is that The Black Noodle Project has managed to keep their record on the same melancholic sound musically, yet alternately using so many techinques and instruments - the grand piano vs ripping synthesizer sounds, cymbal-heavy drumming vs bongo drums, subtle and almost rediculously easy to play soft-rock style (Coming Up for Air) vs time signature altering prog metal influences (The World We Live In). And yet nothing on this album seems out of place...

I´ve got a feeling that this has something to do with Elad Berliner, the 6th man in the band whose sole responisibility is to manage the band´s sound. And he doesn´t disappoint.

The sound

The Noodles´ "Ready to go" offers a mix of true classics remade in contemporary "French cuisine". You may easily discover the combined influences from Riverside, Gordian Knot, Guy Manning, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, U2 and even some Coldplay here and there.

Although instrumentally nothing backbreaking to play, the smooth and unnoticeable progression of songs leaves little room for improvement. The Noodles´ sound is at times as ethereal as their album cover and at times as precise as a needle (or should I say "noodle"?). Already at the early stages of the record it becomes obvious that, musically, the band has a lot to say. Their excursus into different genres and the way it all combines is almost at all times convincing, whether it be classical etude-like grand piano intro in "I´ll Be Gone" or Oceansize-style guitar riffs in "We´ve Let You Go" and "Ready to Go, Pt 2".

Their vocalist is a bit harder to classify, though. For me, Black Noodle Project´s lead singer and guitarist Jeremie Grima seems to be yet another example of those european vocalists, to whom vocal melody matters more than easily understandable pronunciation of lyrics. In that sense he reminds me of Mariusz Duda, Bono and David Bowie put together with a slight touch of Roger Waters from "The Wall" era.

Likes

-The whole songs of "Ready to Go" (pt-s 1 and 2) and "I´ll be Gone" for their entirety and great composition.

-Powerful drum entry in "Rishikesh / Liverpool / Rishikesh" 3:45 minute mark.

-One of a kind grand piano solos in "I´ll Be Gone" and "Coming Up For Air".

-Anthony Leteve´s outstandingly creative bass-line.

Dislikes

-For obvious reasons I can´t stand the lame drumming, guitar riffs and cheap pop-synth sound in "Coming Up For Air". Vocal melody isn´t helping either.

-Mainly bass-led "Asymmetrical Vision" is just too much Gordian Knot for my taste and lacks overall purpose.

-The guitarists seem to have forgotten the fact, that there are more interesting sound settings on the amp than the default overdrive, which sounds just like beginner teenage garage band.

The verdict

"Ready to Go" is by far not as polished and influencial as PT´s "The Incident" or even not as powerful or eccentric as Motorpsycho´s "Heavy Metal Fruit", but it is musically more interesting to listen to. I would advise to always give this record a spin in its entirety and never shuffle, because otherwise the versatility just doesn´t quite play out.

Solid 3,5 stars.

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