Where do you go when your last record leaves you in the middle of the road? That is the defining question for the Noisettes, an indie-rock-pop-jazz-funk band hailing from the U.K., as they approach a new era in their careers. Their first record, What's the Time, Mr. Wolf?, did not cross to a mass market but it still turned a few heads among those who might follow the music review Web site, Pitchfork. That leaves the second album, Wild Young Hearts, in a delicate position, saddled both with the challenge of making it to the mainstream market while at the same time not alienating fans of the first record.
Things get off to a confusing start with the opening title track, which does not blow things out of the water as much as it does build anticipation. Its greatest problem is that it sounds very much like an album opener - apprehensive, trying hard not to offend anyone, but at the same time, striving to not look like it is trying hard.
Confused? Thankfully, that feeling is short-lived, as the album carries the one-two punch of "Don't Upset the Rhythm" and "Never Forget You." The former is a brazen neo-disco track that allows lead singer Shingai Shoniwa to let loose on top of pulsating percussion and a big sing-along chorus. The latter does just the opposite, taking a more downtrodden approach with the vibe of a 1960s girl group coupled with the band's indie rock identity. The switch between the two is sharp but well executed, and for a moment, you hope that the rest of the album might be one big musical jack-in-the-box.
Unfortunately, it is not. As the album progresses, it settles into a consistent groove that does not seem to aim any higher to fulfill its complete potential. "24 Hours" makes for only nice background music, while "Beat of My Heart" tries to give the album a much-needed up-tempo kick, spicing things up with some synthesizers - but it does not seem convinced of itself, leaving the listener only nodding along instead of jumping up on the dance floor. "Every Now and Then" is one case where the idea matches the results, combining big orchestral elements with an equally dramatic finish.\nIn lesser hands, all hope would be lost, but the Noisettes' secret weapon, their one-of-a-kind frontwoman, keeps the album afloat at all costs. Shoniwa pulls out all the stops, has a voice unlike any other and uses it to her full advantage - pulling the listener in and never letting go. When she hurts, you feel it, and when she commands you to the dance floor, you dare not disobey. When she is backed by nothing but a simple acoustic guitar - such as during the standout ballad "Atticus" - she never flinches. There is no mistaking that Shoniwa is a real force to be reckoned with, but one lone redeeming quality does not a great record make.
If it sounds like the album has fallen prey to the sophomore slump, then perhaps that is too harsh. It is consistent and its bright moments far outshine the boredom that more often than not tends to settle in during the middle of the record. Those times when the Noisettes reach for the stratosphere rather than only the clouds pose an interesting question of just how much greatness they are capable of achieving. Like a Hollywood sequel with a cliffhanger, we will stay tuned for an answer. Maybe, that is the point.
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