The Noisettes may be an indie rock trio, but on their full-length debut, What’s the Time Mr. Wolf?, the limelight is clearly on their eccentric frontwoman, Shingai Shoniwa, whose Grace-Jones-looks-meets-Karen-O-vocals make the most lasting impression here. From frantically imploring “don’t give up” on the opening number to belting out the chorus of “Bridge to Canada” with nearly operatic power, Shoniwa’s presence both onstage (those of you who have seen TV On The Radio or Bloc Party recently may have seen The Noisettes opening the show) and on record is astonishing. Needless to say, though, The Noisettes suffer from the No Doubt effect in that Shoniwa’s accompanying band, guitarist Dan Smith and drummer Jamie Morrison (both influenced heavily by bombastic 70’s hard rock), don’t quite match their chanteuse’s star power.
That being said, though, The Noisettes occasionally manage to work in perfect harmony on songs like the charming acoustic love sonnet “Count of Monte Christo” and on “Sister Rosetta (Capture the Spirit),” Shoniwa’s tribute to her idol, gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe. However, too many of the album’s remaining numbers sound too much like an awkward power struggle between Shoniwa’s manically eccentric vocal performance and her band’s more straightforward rock leanings - chances of a fantastic solo debut in the not-too-distant future? Two hundred percent.
