Noble Kids

Noble Kids, "Never Let Me Down"
The tendency for many folk rock artists is either to strip everything down to its bare components (such as Will Oldham or Bill Callahan) or to let everything grow and condense until the music is just a thick slab of homogeneous noise (like Mumford & Sons or The Lumineers). However, there are bands who find a nuanced median where there is room for an expansive sound and also the capacity for intimate narratives. And for Brooklyn-based group Noble Kids, this carefully balanced aesthetic allows them the opportunity to paint smaller, detail-oriented story songs as well as blooming, billowing landscapes to explore. The band takes our expectations of the folk rock genre and subverts them by slyly reconstructing what we presume is the fixed nature of these sounds.

With the release of their debut LP, "Fawn," the band shows us that there is still some subtlety and mystery left in folk rock—that there is still something to discover and obsess over. And on "Never Let Me Down," they create a series of swirling bucolic tones and melodies designed to bury themselves deep in your subconscious. The song is exactly what you'd expect from a band whose folky tendencies are in a constant state of rhythmic flux; guitars are paired with gorgeous harmonies while a shuffling percussive bounce clatters around in the background. As each piece is placed, the song builds a steady momentum until it's a circling mass of orchestral flourishes and singer Michael Steiner's emphatic vocals. - Nooga

This year, after over 10 years of calling California home, I moved to Chicago and consequently am experiencing seasons. The swampy effects of humidity during a stay-inside-at-all-costs summer, the delicate whooshing of leaves as they drift to the sidewalk and now the beginnings of the bitter cold and frostbitten winds. This experience has given me a much grander appreciation for Noble Kids‘ EP, Kingdom. You can hear Noble Kids‘ process of drifting through different colors – Kingdom sounds like a collection conceived of in nature, befit for a group huddled around a campfire or stargazing.

The entire production is a tribute to these types of elements: little imperfections kept in where lead singer Michael Steiner’s voice cracks and sections where Steiner lets loose and lets his vocals take flight. Even the four songs mirror four seasons, with EP closer “Disregard” providing a frosty winter. The sunny guitar lines in “Pine” have cooled off here into solemn, slowly strummed strings. “Pine,” the standout song, sounds like the best summer you’ve ever had, perfectly arranged and filled with great vibes.

Noble Kids claim their influences to be Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver, both good jumping-off points, but at this point, those acts have a bag of tricks more diverse and extravagant than Noble Kids display here. Kingdom is just Noble Kids‘ first studio EP, though, and they have plenty of time to hole up in the woods, or grow a magical Pecknold-ian beard (RIP). Luckily for Noble Kids maturation, there will always be another cycle of seasons, and I believe the winds of change will be in their favor. Kingdom is available to stream and download for free above! - The Wild Honey Pie

Brooklyn is perceived as the home of indie, psych and garage artists, but the community of musicians inspired by the roots of American music is large, and probably bound to expand in the years to come. Noble Kids, whose four-song EP “Kingdom,” released in November of 2013, is deeply rooted in lyrical imagery and compositional intricacy. The record is quite an interesting collection and manages to accomplish much in just four tracks. While opener “Pine” emplyoys dynamic variations on an overall droney atmosphere, “James Gabriel” (streaming) and “Disregard” offer up the simple, crooning heartbreak of true folk songs. All in all, the five members, which recently expanded from the original duo, have come together to create something quite unique, and we are curious to see what else they have coming. Word on the street is they are recording their first full-length as we speak - keep an ear out. - The Deli Magazine

Het New Yorks trio Noble Kids bracht op Allerheiligen zijn debuut-ep uit in eigen beheer. Toch klinkt de zoveelste groep uit het mythische Brooklyn niet als een beginnende band die nog moeite heeft met het vinden van de juiste sound. Noble Kids staat er daarentegen helemaal op de ‘Kingdom’ ep, en kroonjuweel James Gabriel is daar het perfecte voorbeeld van. We horen knipogen naar Fleet Foxes en Neutral Milk Hotel, maar toch slaagt Noble Kids er vooral in om een eigen, modern folkgeluid neer te zetten. Als er een band is die meer aandacht verdient in 2014 (het trio telt bij het schrijven van dit stuk 228 vind-ik-leuks), dan is het Noble Kids wel. - Da Music

Brooklyn’s three-piece Noble Kids gave me the feeling every dedicated fan of good music loves so much. It is a commonplace, but nevertheless: from the very first note, Bryce, Michael, and Kurt get me going with their ultra-clear sounding guitars, bright harmonies and kinetic drums. These guys sound like they can really break through any time soon, so we sincerely hope they will. Apparently, they’ve also come a long way. Read the story on one of our favorite blogs out there, yvynyl.

And if you want more - hip hip hooray - there is more: take a look at the band’s bandcamp.

But please, do start by listening to the beautiful opener to their four-track EP below. - Analogue Spheres