So why is Noisettes’ What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf? on this best 1,000 albums ever thing?
Heather Phares at All Music describes the Noisettes as “Billie Holiday fronting The White Stripes,” and What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf? as ranging from “revved-up arty garage rock to soul and jazz-tinged balladry.”
Reading those words on the page, it seems like there’s no way that that kind of musical combination can work, but it miraculously does. And what’s even more surprising is how consistently strong and surprising the album is as a whole.
“Scratch Your Name” is the right gateway song to sample the Noisettes if you’re not familiar. This is strong and fresh garage rock infused with a soulful feel thanks to Shingai Shoniwa’s powerful vocals. Also, the hook is as good as any that rock music produced during the 2000s.
“Bridge to Canada” has the same energy and intensity as “Scratch Your Name,” but layers in an eclectic/arty flavor that makes it a super unique gem of a rock song.
And then “The Count of Monte Christo” pivots into much gentler, acoustic material that’s not quite singer-songwriter territory. What matters is that it’s a flat-out gorgeous and catchy number, matching strong songwriting with Shoniwa’s dynamite voice.
Pop culture stuff that’s somehow related to Noisettes’ What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf?
I’m guessing there’s the possibility that you’re familiar with the Noisettes and “Scratch Your Name” specifically because it’s featured in the final episode of what I argue in my Best 100 TV Shows Ever piece is the single greatest television series of all time.
That’d be The Sopranos series finale.
We hear “Scratch Your Name” as AJ Soprano drives off in his new, super fancy sports car (and seemingly emerging from a dangerously dark period of his young life). And shortly thereafter comes the iconic and controversial final sequence involving Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” and…
Some stats & info about Noisettes – What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf?
- What kind of musical stylings does this album represent? Rock Music, Garage Rock, Alternative Pop, Indie Rock, British Bands
- Rolling Stone’s greatest 500 albums ranking – not ranked!
- All Music’s rating – 4 out of 5 stars
- When was What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf? released? 2007
- My ranking, the one you’re reading right now – #291 out of 1,000
Noisettes’ What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf? on Spotify
A lyrical snippet from Noisettes’ What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf? that’s evocative of the album in some way, maybe
Scratch your name into the fabric of this world before you go.
What does the “best 1,000 albums ever” mean and why are you doing this?
Yeah, I know it’s audacious, a little crazy (okay, maybe a lot cray cray), bordering on criminal nerdery.
But here’s what it’s NOT: a definitive list of the Greatest Albums of All-Time. This is 100% my own personal super biased, incredibly subjective review of what my top 1,000 albums are, ranked in painstaking order over the course of doing research for nearly a year, Rob from High Fidelity style. Find out more about why I embarked on a best 1,000 albums ever project.